Denouement – noun The final outcome of the main dramatic complication in a literary work (Merriam-Webster) The outcome of a complex sequence of events (Merriam-Webster) The end of a story, in which everything is explained, or the end result of a situation (Cambridge) “The denouement is the final outcome of the story, generally occurring after the climax of the plot. Often it’s where all the secrets (if there are any) are revealed and loose ends are tied up. For example, the denouement of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet comes just after Romeo and Juliet take their own lives. When the families find their dead bodies, Escalus explains that their deaths are a result of the family feud, leaving members of both sides to feel guilty. That is the denouement.” – Writer’s Digest Writing tips about denouement: Endings don’t always have to be happy, but they do need to be satisfying Endings are always embedded in the beginning of a story. The denouement is a final resolution of the plot. After the dramatic tension has risen to its climax, the events following the crux reveal how the pieces of the puzzle fit together. Endings that don’t work: When you don’t leave room for the reader’s imagination When you overwrite the ending in purple prose When you’ve abandoned a character and your reader is left wondering whatever happened to the person who disappeared from any scenes in the last third of the book When you drop a major concept and the reader is…
Propitious – adjective Likely to result in success, or showing signs of success (Cambridge) Favorably disposed: benevolent (Merriam-Webster) Being a good omen: auspicious (Merriam-Webster) Tending to favor: advantageous (Merriam-Webster) Presenting favorable conditions; favorable (Dictionary.com) Favorably inclined; disposed to bestow favors or forgive (Dictionary.com) “Propitious, which comes to us through Middle English from the Latin word propitius (same meaning as ‘propitious’), is a synonym of ‘favorable’… [Read More]
Publishing, overall, is an industry that pivoted fairly quickly and easily to conducting business during a global pandemic. Despite postponing the release of some books and a logjam at printing presses, publishing is doing business much as usual. Acquisition editors are interested in new book projects. Book sales have been brisk, even with bookstores mostly closed. For many writers and editors, working remotely is nothing… [Read More]
Incongruous – adjective Out of keeping or place; inappropriate; unbecoming (Dictionary.com) Not harmonious in character; inconsonant; lacking harmony of parts; inconsistent (Dictionary.com) Unusual or different from what is around or from what is generally happening (Cambridge) Appearing strange or wrong within a particular situation (Cambridge) Lacking congruity: such as not harmonious: incompatible not conforming: disagreeing inconsistent within itself lacking propriety: unsuitable (Merriam-Webster) “Incongruous is a… [Read More]
“Caught Between Worlds is a fantastic story set in Iraq in 1980 about a kidnapping—except instead of a kid, it’s his father who is taken hostage when war breaks out with Iran. Tom O’Hara’s father is taken by armed militants shortly after they move to Baghdad. Grieving the loss of his mother a year ago, Tom relies on his memories of her, an anthropology professor, and… [Read More]
When Jill Swenson consulted with Jeff Selingo on his new book proposal two years ago, no one could have imagined a college admissions bribery scandal involving Hollywood celebrities would unfold. Or that a global pandemic would fundamentally alter the higher education landscape for students and their parents. Jeff Selingo’s book, Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions, will be released on September 15. From… [Read More]