The ‘start with the ending’ story plan

A satisfying resolution is arguably the most important aspect of any story. This plan helps you work backwards from a compelling story ending to define the rest of the book. Once you know where you’re going how you get there is clearer. This plan can be used to brainstorm ideas that are still at an early stage.

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The story climax

Consider the moment of truth you want for your story. What is the ultimate climactic
moment? What has your hero achieved and who are they now?

The penultimate scenes

What happened just before your final scenes? There is usually a major challenge to overcome here that tests your character to the full.

Towards the end

What things need to happen immediately before this to set up the story? The stakes of the story must be made clear here.

The heart of your story

What happens in the early to middle section that reveals why you wanted to write the book? This should include the quest elements of the story, exploring what your central character hopes to achieve and introducing allies and enemies.

The story begins

Where is your character at the start of your story? What introduction and set-up needs to be put in place? What incident occurs that gets the story started?

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