decisions, decisions

[marycatelli]

There can be only one climax to a story.

Which means that if the muse grandly tosses about a number of ideas about a setting and character and plot, it doesn't matter how dramatic several of them are.

Only one can be the climax.  Others have to be demoted to plot points.

The fun part of it is that while you want the most dramatic one to be the climax, there is the little matter that in isolation, it can be very hard to judge which one is the most dramatic.  All the fun and glamor of trying to juggle a bunch of shiny, sparkling ideas that are like gems sitting in the jeweler's work tray, waiting to be slotted into the right location on the necklace. . . .

Fortunately, sometimes cause-and-effect, once developed, determines which one comes first and which one second.  Then you have only to develop things so the second one is more dramatic.

And sometimes you can just pick.  Arbitrary decisions can then sprout leaves and vines and roots and grow into place so thoroughly you can forget where it was you made the decision.

Still not fun before then.

Comments

[ljlee.livejournal.com]

I'm not so sure a story can have only one climax. The Lord of the Rings, for instance, had at least two major plots (Frodo in Mordor, the Battle of the Pelennor Fields) whose actions peaked separately.

[marycatelli]

The Battle of the Pelennor Fields was a subplot climax, but a plot point for the story. It set events up but it doesn't resolve the issues. Indeed, in best plot point style, it makes things look like they will turn out the opposite of what they do.

[ljlee.livejournal.com]

That means the issue of figuring out the climax is nothing less than figuring out what the story is about. In a very real sense there is no story until the climax is firmly in hand.

[marycatelli]

Which is why juggling the scenes to see what they look like in different order is so annoying.

[ljlee.livejournal.com]

I remember that endless juggling, though in my case it was mostly about arranging a single chapter that had three separate plotlines and far too many scenes. It would have been almost impossible if I weren't using Scrivener. What software or physical tool do you use?

[marycatelli]

I do it in my head, mostly. I take notes. And then I draw up an outline.

[ljlee.livejournal.com]

An alternate reply is... does it even matter what the order is? If you know what your story is about, then the resolution should present itself almost automatically, I would think. The issue of which peaking action becomes the climax in Lord of the Rings is determined not by what comes first or which is more dramatic, but what the story is: Is it about facing and overcoming (or failing to overcome) power-lust, or about the heroics of a warrior king and his allies? Obviously both these things are in the story, but LotR is about the former. Which is why, as you said, Frodo at Mount Doom is the climax while the Battle of the Pelennor Fields is a plot point.

[marycatelli]

Didn't know what the story was about, that's the trick. It's the grabbing it by the scruff of its neck and shaking it, and letting it know it's not going nowhere until it tells me that gets the grip on that.