Here's where it all comes together in the climax, the thrilling conclusion, the resolution, and denouement. (Denouement—pronounced day-noo-mon—is a term for the final outcome of a story, or the ending.) If your hero's going to come out on top, this where it happens. But whether your hero comes out on top or not, this is the culmination of everything you've written; it all points toward the climax and resolution. The best endings seem inevitable—in hindsight. Once you've read it, you think, of course it would happen this way.

And when the dust settles, remember too that it's helpful at the end of a story to give the characters, and the reader, a few minutes of respite after the climax to absorb and reflect upon what has happened, and perhaps to tie up loose ends.