This week Alida, Kathryn, and Robert talk climaxes, both at the chapter level and the book level. It’s a lively conversation with examples and a reminder not to make your rules too hard and fast lest they limit your storycraft.

VIDEO

AUDIO

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SHOW NOTES

What is the difference between an inciting incident and a climax? And can you stack large climaxes throughout your story? How do you know what a climactic moment is? Readers expect variety! Climactic moments should be as varies as the characters, subplots and plot points of your story.

What we talked about:

What is the difference between your inciting incident and a climactic moment? (0:43)

What is the difference between a climactic moment and The Climax of the story? (6:05)

Is a climactic moment a turning point? (8:03)

Use your climactic moments to make your reader turn the page! (12:06)

How can you identify your climactic moments? (13:42)

Vary your climaxes! (16:12)

Your climactic moments can show what your hero is learning or how they are changing. (21:54)

Use your climactic moments to subvert the reader expectations too. (24:40)

LINKS

Things we mentioned:

Star Wars: A New Hope
Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Kung Fu Panda

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