Like the Atari game of the same name (or the reboot SNES title), Act III’s can be like pits in the jungle. One second you’re cruising along vine to vine then it’s down a pit of despair with no return or payoff but to start over. There’s a lot of talk about how Act II’s can drag a story down (which is true), can lose it’s momentum trying to push characters through challenges, but Act III’s are just as sensitive to disaster. Starting a second book, I came into it with a stronger vision of the ending. I didn’t want to pants it knowing Act III’s tend to speed up out story pacing but also author exhaustion and wanting to be done. Which can lead to a sloppy ending, deus ex machina’s or non-endings, which is a sad way for the reader to end what could’ve been a great story. Is my ending perfect? No. Not many are, but at least having some grasp of where I want characters to end up is a good start, and allows me to shape it as I go, as long as I don’t veer too far off the path and focus on making due on the Act I promise/setup. In the latest Writer Syndrome episode Tim and I chat about Act III pitfalls, how we approached our first projects and how we’re adjusting for upcoming stories. Check it out!
