Think of it as the final show down, not just of the MC vs their main antagonist, but also of themself. This is the point in the story where the MC fully embraces the life lesson they needed to learn way back in the beginning. They might have to choose between what they thought they wanted and what they actually need or they might get what they wanted only after getting what they needed.

Your task here, dear writer, wrap up any dangling plot hooks (unless this book will have a sequel) in a satisfying and surprising, but not so surprising they don’t make sense, kind of way while ensuring all characters’ arcs are completed and the theme of the book has been proved true by the external events and internal character growth.

Let’s break that process down into more manageable steps, shall we?

Not all of these events are necessary for every story to work, nor do they need to happen in this specific order, but this is a general guide to how a lot of stories are structured and it helps to have a pattern to work off before we start improvising wildly.

• Gather the team, especially if members have fragmented earlier due to in-fighting or doing side quests – and/or – prepare gear, which can be anything from just putting on a hat to deploying all the starships in the galactic armada.
• Execute the plan – it’s never that simple, but our characters should believe that it will be. To be fair to our darlings, they’re doing their darn best and this really aught to work, but…
• It’s a trap! Or something breaks. Or someone falls or fails. This is the moment when our MC heroically goes on alone.
• Victory (or Defeat if a tragedy) sees our MC facing their final challenge but now, armed with the life lesson they needed to learn from the beginning, they are able to win the day. This doesn’t need to be a huge show down, but it can be.

• Example:
  • Main premise – All birds lay eggs
  • Additional premise – Penguins lay eggs
  • Conclusion – Penguins are birds
• Dialectics – a method of reasoning aimed at resolving conflicting arguments
  • Thesis – this is true
  • Antithesis – this is also true and is in direct opposition to the thesis
  • Synthesis – Wherein the thesis and antithesis are reconciled or co-mingled.
• Example:
  • Thesis – In order to be happy and fulfilled, Beth must devote herself entirely to caring for her family
  • Antithesis – In order to be happy and fulfilled, Beth must devote herself entirely to her career
  • Synthesis – In order to be happy and fulfilled, Beth must find a balance between family and career, which likely will require additional support such as from a spouse/partner and the wider community.

But why bring all this up now? Good question! Way, way, way back at the beginning of all this we discussed the Dramatic Question, which is the overall premise of your story. As you’re wrapping things up, take some time to appreciate how you got from there to here. Aren’t you amazing? Just look at all the work you’ve done. Seriously. Most ‘aspiring’ writers never get this far.

This is also a good time to double check if and how your original premise(s) are proved true through the story. Have you (intentionally or otherwise) used syllogism or dialectics or both? If not, it’s not too late to tinker a bit.

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Writing Exercise

Pick three books you’ve read. Write down their premise(s). Write down their conclusion(s). How do the conclusions prove the premise(s)? If not, why not? What happens instead.

For extra credit, do this for a book you really like, one you are a solid meh on, and one you loath.

Notice anything?

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1. Please note, no actual philosophers were consulted in the writing of this post nor were any harmed by it to the best of my knowledge. ↩︎