With the end of today’s writing, i have entered the core climax of my novel. With a minor outline through the end, I find that my story will have three climaxes. A small one at 35,000 words. The major climax at 50,000 words. A medium-sized climax around 65,000 words. I am writing this story under the idea of “write what you would read.” None of my favorite novels have a storyline shaped like a bell curve.
So, I can’t help but ask: how many climaxes? Is there a certain formula that works for most stories. Or does each story need to be taken on a case-by-case basis? I know certain things don’t work. I don’t like books that don’t have a true climax or only have one real climax. Is there a limit to how many? If so, what is the range? I’m going to be thinking about this one in the months ahead as I continue to read random books. Anyone have any ideas?
For the first time in a while, some actual writing. Here is a poem:
The Wailing Wall
I wrote this poem following a bad breakup. I tend to allow my mind to wander…and that usually leads to worst-case scenario thoughts. The combination led to this poem. It sat in a folder for more than a month. I rewrote it today and finally like it.
Richard T. Reilly 
The number three is a very powerful number in artistry of any kind. I could go into the religious and psychological reasons for this, but the nature of it is true: rule of thirds (visual art), three choruses (music), three central characters (often), trilogies, etc. Three bases is the most stable an object can be (tripod).
So the answer is three. Or maybe not – rules are made for breaking. The general gist of it is this: the first time something happens, its novelty attracts us. The second time, we watch for more detail. The third time, we are comforted by its familiarity. If it is repeated more than that, it becomes uninteresting. It is occurs less than that, it fails to be structural to the whole creation. However – it’s also incredibly important to include a “magic” moment – something that is special enough to stand out from everything else, and occurs only once.
Disclaimer: I have a music composition degree, so I tend to overanalyze these things. Feel free to ignore everything I’m saying! 😛
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