The Ending of the Quest Plot is featured as Tuesday's Writer's Tip #BWLAuthor #MFRWAuthor #Plot #Quest #Ending

 Once you've navagated the middle of the Quest story, you have reached the end. Things to remember is the main character has to change. Another is that he or she may gain what they sought, they may find a different object or they can fail. This is known as the resolution and brings the quest to an end.

Often the characters in this story are young who must leave their home. During the journey, they must mature and are becoming adults. Perhaps not in years but in emotional development. Now you have the climax scene. Here, the main character either accepts or rejects what they have learned or gained during their adventure.

Things to remember while writing a quest story.

This is a search for a person, place or thing.

This is a journey perhaps visiting many places along the way.

Consider ending where the character began. Not always possible.

The main character must change emotioanlly and in character.

There is usually at least one traveling companion and also a helpful person who may be considerably older.

Wednesday's Writer's Tip - Resolution

Now comes the fun. The crisis point has been reached and the focus character has made a decision. The story needs to be resolved in a way that makes sense. With resolution comes reward for the focus character. Does he or she obtain what they have been seeking during their quest? If they don't the question is Why? The reader needs to feel that sense of release and to think, "this is the way it should end." Hopefully every reader will think the end of the story is the only one that could be.

In the resolution of the story the writer needs to mold this is a way showing the reward given or not is appropriate. Loose ends should be tied up. This can be difficult and something is left dangling. A good friend of mine once wrote a very good story but there was something mentioned and I really wanted to know the answer to what might have been a toss away line. The resolution happened but that little statement bugged me. So I told her and when the book was reissued, she went back and gave me the answer I craved.

Most stories end with a single line that sums up the reward. This is sort of the same as that first line that starts the action. For me, this is always a struggle to make the line fit. Sure in a romance you could end on I love you. Or a mystery could end. The police took the criminal off to jail. This little tidbit should show the focus character is rewarded and realizes where he or she went wrong during the entire story.

There will be more exploration of the resolution next week.