The Denouement is the last structure element of a novel, and comes after the climax. The length of the denouement can very from a few sentences to several thousand words. The length of the denouement depends on the story. The role of the denouement is tightening up the story into a neat package, and leaving the reader feeling as if they know everything they need to know. Writing an effective denouement can be challenge. The trick is to know when to stop, and step away, so, the author can leave the reader longing for more.
The Most Important Aspect
Every great book has one thing in common; they leave the reader longing for more, wishing the story had not ended. Study the best Authors and books and you will find at the end of each story they create a small bit of sadness in the hearts of their readers. By doing this the reader feels there is still more to say and does not want to put the book down and say goodbye to the characters. And your job as the writer is to resist the temptation to explain everything. The writer must leave the reader with a bit of mystery. By leaving a few unanswered questions the reader will long for the answers and imagine the answers for themselves. This works especially well in trilogies, and the reader will return when the next book is published to see if the answers they imagined is correct.
Denouement Common Use
- Reveal Secrets
- Mourn Loses
- Heal Wounds
- Profess Love
- Accept Rewards
Tips
- Tie up lose ends with the Denouement.
- Look for areas that doesn’t fit
- Tie up loose ends in the plot
- Fix plot holes and contradictions
- Good time to reveal something that couldn’t be revealed earlier
The writer must make sure the Denouement does not take up to much space. It must fit almost perfectly into the novel, as stated earlier the denouement length will depend on the story. The writer must make sure to give enough information to allow the reader to be satisfied and yet create a yearning for more. The trick is not too give too much information, just enough to create balance.
Questions To Improve the Denouement
- Does the Denouement wrap up a theme or moral?
- Does the Denouement wrap up a mystery or issue?
- Is the Denouement long enough to satisfy the reader?
- Is the Denouement to long and drag on and on, revealing too much information?
- Does the Denouement allow the reader to imagine the characters future after the story ends?
Summary
The denouement is one of the most important key aspects of a story, and yet often over looked by the author, and is a key sign of an amateur. We all have read stories with a poor ending, usually because the author had little understanding of a denouement. The role it plays in the creation of a story cannot be overstated. If the writer wants to be an effect author they must learn and grasp the concept. It creates vivid writing and a more effect story telling for a reader to enjoy. It will bring writing to next the level. Remember the writer must create mystery, giving just enough information for the characters to live on in the readers mind, and if the denouement explains too much it prevents creating effective writing and the reader will realize that something is missing in the story. The writer’s job is to create yearning in the readers mind, so, he or she will not want to put the book down. By doing this it will leave a good impression with the reader and more likely to be on the look out for the writers next book. Study and grasp this concept, and you as the writer will be on your way to becoming a pro.
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