THE FINAL SCENE

The end of one thing is also the beginning of another. Final scenes are the end of one chapter in a protagonist’s life. A few protagonists will die at the end of a narrative, but in general your final scene is the conclusion of the events of your inciting incident. However, the final scene need not feel completely conclusive. It may feel like a new beginning. This scene should do the following:

• Provide a snapshot of where your protagonist is after the conclusion of your plot

• Be reflective in tone

• Bring matters full circle by recalling the inciting incident

• Move at a slower pace

• (Optional) Include one last surprise, answer, or insight

In the reader’s mind your characters and settings will live on, so you want to put as much work into creating a memorable ending as you put into your beginning.

LEADING UP TO THE FINAL SCENE

The three to five scenes that come between the climax and the last scene must supply answers to outstanding questions that your plot has raised, thus tying up your plot, decreasing tension, and bringing resolution to your narrative. The true final scene shows readers where your protagonist is now, how he has changed, and what he thinks or feels as a result of the consequences of your inciting incident.

Showing Character Transformation

Unless you have a good reason for your protagonist not to have changed (if, for instance, the plot of your novel involved people trying to change her through brainwashing), your protagonist should not be the same person she was when she started out. Whether she