And now that the main conflict has been done away with, all that you have to do is wrap things up. This is where your Resolution will come in handy.
The Resolution is the only time that Positive Change and Flat Arcs will look pretty similar. This is because both MCs now strongly believe the Truth, and are living in a world that’s transformed by that Truth.
Typically, you’ll want to make your ending fairly quick, since too many scenes void of conflict can become boring. However, if you have more subplots and loose ends, your Resolution will be a little longer.
Here are a few things to remember when writing a Resolution:
- The new Normal World
As you may recall, the MC started out in a “Normal World” of sorts (though this world was driven by the Lie). Now that they have proved the power of the Truth, their world is transformed to some extent. Perhaps the physical makeup of the world is changed, or the inhabitants change their outlook on something, or a law in the world is done away with. Or you could even remove your characters and place them in an entirely new setting.
Either way, the new Normal World is now rooted in the Truth. No longer will the MC have to fight to believe in his Truth… he has proved it to everyone around him that it’s worth believing in.
In “The Basket of Flowers,” Mary returns to the land, declining to live in the castle, but instead living in her old cottage home with Elijah and Sarah.
In “Pendragon,” Artos takes command of the city, having freed the Isle of Britannia from the Saxons.
- The changes
Remember, just because this is a Flat Arc doesn’t mean there are no changes. Instead of the MC himself changing (besides the fact that his belief in the Truth has been strengthened), he has affected change in the lives of those around him through the Truth.
In “The Basket of Flowers,” Mary’s kindness affects Amelia and the others in the castle, and she also resolves to find Juliette and forgive her, as well.
In “Pendragon,” Artos’ unwavering faith has freed his people, strengthening them in their beliefs, and pointing them to God.
- Subplots
You will also want to zero in on the specific subplots of your main supporting characters. If there are any more relationships to resolve or arcs to finish, make sure to do that as soon as you can after the Climatic Moment. You will want to show how these characters have changed in their own stories.
In “The Basket of Flowers,” the main thing focused on is the fact that Mary gets to live a better life. However, as I mentioned before, some of the supporting characters do appear to have changed as a result of her influence.
In “Pendragon,” most of the characters are Flat Arcs, but we do see that their morale is strengthened because of Artos’ courage.
- Loose ends
Depending on the nature of your plot, you may have some elements that you have to tie up. Not every little thing has to be addressed head-on, but make sure to at least foreshadow the resolution of those things.
In “The Basket of Flowers,” as I mentioned before, Mary, Elijah, and Sarah finally find a home in Mary’s old cottage. Helen and Amos, on the other hand, are driven away from their farm for their mistreatment of Mary.
In “Pendragon,” Artos becomes king after the land is freed, and there are indications that Brotus becomes his right-hand man, and he and Wenneveria eventually get married.
- The “happily ever after”
Overall, you want to give your readers a satisfying ending. This means that, to some extent, it will be a happy one. However, depending on your genre, you can definitely add in a bitter-sweetness to the ending. You can also leave them with some tough things to think about.
But, at the bottom of it, most readers do want to see a happy ending. They’ve watched your characters suffer for most of the book, and its time to give them their happily ever after.
In “The Basket of Flowers,” Mary returns to her father’s grave to talk to him. She tells him that he was right… God never left her. She also tells him about a man named Frederick whom she met, indicating that she might become happier yet.
In “Pendragon,” Artos speaks to the city, telling them to remember that God will give them the grace to accomplish what He has called them to do.
Here are a few more examples of Resolutions:
- Sophie finds a family; the BFG gets to live in peace in Giant Country (“The BFG”)
- The humans begin to return Earth to normal (“Wall-E”)
- Will looks disappointedly at the townspeople before he and Amy continue on their journey (“High Noon”)
- Paddington goes to live with the Browns for good (“Paddington”)
Comment below the Resolution from your favorite book or movie!