How to use a Turning Point
The turning point should be the most exciting part of any story—all of the drama, anticipation, and action should build up to it. A narrative should achieve several things:
- Help change the rising action into the falling action
- Provide clarity to the story
- Answer unanswered questions
- Confirm or dismiss theories within the story
- Show the characters as they really are (sometimes as either good or evil)
- Resolve the story’s conflicts
- Reveal surprises or secrets that affect the outcome
- Bring the narrative to a close
Basically, the turning point should bring all of the things the audience has been waiting for into action. After the turning point, there shouldn’t be any important issues left open or questions left unanswered—no audience likes being left confused or without answers. Again, the turning point should lead to a narrative’s conclusion.
When to use a Turning Point
A turning point is an essential part of all narratives. It always occurs just before the end of a story—it should be the last major event or important situation in the narrative before it ends. Turning points are important in both fiction and nonfiction narratives across all genres—even a true story has a turning point when the action and tension are at their highest. But, it is particularly important to have a strong turning point in a fictional story, which relies on the author’s creativity and a strong storyline. All action leads to the climax of a story, so without it, your plot would seem unresolved, unimportant and even uninteresting. Your turning point should occur when your plot reaches the height of its action and tension; when it is time to wrap up the story, give the audience answers, and reach the ending.