How to Write a Trilogy: Book Three

Here we are at the end of my three part series. So far we've looked at how to begin your trilogy and the difficulties of book two. Today we're diving into book three, the ultimate, ultimate climax of your series, the point where everything comes together. (Points if you got the reference there.)

In Book Three. . .

The hero and the villain finally have it out. One reigns victorious, the other most often dies. The conflict comes to a head in a hurricane of a climax. Everything you've been working toward since book one comes down to this. And the fate of every single character is in your hands. *evil laughter*

You Will Need

• Big action. This is it. You've got to bring everything to the table here. Take your ideas and see how much bigger and badder you can make them. Don't settle for mediocre. Look at any third book or movie and you should find the best things saved for last.

• Suffering. What's a good book three without killing off all your favorite characters and torturing every last ounce out of your protagonist? (What we'd all prefer, that's what. But that's not interesting to read.) This is where you should have all the worst things happen, raising the stakes to astronomical heights.

• Keep it small. Yeah, I know I said big. But in the end, it all has to come down to the hero and villain. Whether it's an actual person or their own inner demons, no one else can solve the conflict except the protagonist. (And if someone else does, you should be questioning who is your real protagonist here.) There is nothing I love more than seeing the protagonist and antagonist face to face, one on one.

• A sacrifice. You can't win without cost. The hero should have to sacrifice something, or lose something to gain victory. It's often a death. (Although that doesn't have to be their own, Tris.) That lose will push them the final mile into winning the fight. That moment when they pick themselves up and keep going despite everything is the most powerful moment in any book.

• A good ending. And in my opinion, an ending that leaves you feeling satisfied. There is nothing I hate more than ending a book and feeling unhappy with it. You need to find an ending that will leave your readers giving a deep sigh and holding the book close. Personally, I like the endings best that give you peace and hope for the future of the characters that you've grown to love, even if things seem dark still.

Writing Book Three

Book three is fun because you finally get to write what you've been working towards the whole time. There are huge decisions made. Everything is put up to win the fight. There may be lose, but in the end the hero will rise victorious. Broken, oftentimes, but victorious.

Some authors like to kill off everyone in book three. Personally, I have a hard time killing people off, but it's all up to your story. If it's realistic fiction, obviously there won't be a lot of death. But don't forget that you shouldn't just kill people to make readers cry. Their deaths have to mean something.

This is where having a good outline and list of notes for book three will come in handy. What things do you need to bring in from book one that will make the whole thing come full circle? What did you plan to do in book three that you might have forgotten? Any idea you have as you write, no matter how small, make note of.

I hope you've enjoyed this series and that is a help to you as you write your own trilogies. Go forth and create, wordsmiths.

What challenges does book three face to you? What tips do you have for writing a trilogy? Tell me in the comments.

Suggested Posts:

How to Write a Trilogy: Book One
How to Write a Trilogy: Book Two