If you look up the definition of Climaxing on the web, Wikipedia skips all the bases and goes right for the spot:"An orgasm (sexual climax) is the conclusion of the plateau phase of sexual response cycle, and may be experienced by both males and females. Orgasm is characterized by intense physical pleasure, controlled by the involuntary, or autonomic, nervous system.[1] It is accompanied by quick cycles of muscle contraction in the lower pelvic muscles, which surround the primary sexual organs and the anus. Orgasms are often associated with other involuntary actions, including muscular spasms in other areas of the body, a general euphoric sensation and, frequently, vocalizations."
Although one generally tends not to argue with Wikipedia (ha, ha, yeah right...), I have to agree more with Robert Genn when he says:
"Symphonies, movies, plays, novels, songs--all tend to have a climax. Life and love have climaxes. Climax is one of the essential life experiences. Without climax, nothing seems to get anywhere. Climax represents the successful completion of the story, the denouement of the plot, the reason for all the effort, the snapshot at the height of the action. "
Truth be told, until tonight, I was a total climax virgin. I have never reached the point where the beginning bridged the gap with the end. However, late in the night, way after the kids were put to sleep...I got there - I found the climax. And although there is nothing going on with my anus (as Wikipedia would have you believe), I would have to characterize my virginal ecstasy of reaching that point of no return with absolute euphoria.
485 pages into my first draft, I finally hit that note.
Granted, by the time I edit, edit some more, and re-edit, I'll have chopped out about 200 said pages and replace them with additional ones, but, for the time being, I'm going to bask in my glory and spread the good news. I've written before, by and large, for the better half of my life. However, sad as it may sound, I've never before, you know...But now, wow! I can see what I've been missing all my writing life.
Days ago, I didn't sound so sure of my self or my writing capabilities. Instead of skipping through the halls, my USB Flash Drive securely dangling from my neck, I was toting a totally different message: I suck. I had hit the ledge, just underneath of that plateau where my own nirvana awaited me. Only, I was stuck. I couldn't find a foothold to hoist myself up and over. So, instead of sitting back and letting the creative juices do their thing, I was ready to bail.
Thankfully, after three days of self-loathing (comes with the territory of being a writer) I found purchase and, armed with the only protection that one's mind can give, I put my self-censor into a head lock, jammed my fist into the only crack I saw, and found the leverage I needed to reach that climax.
Climax: a juncture in your story line where all the build up reaches a point of no return...aka, the end is in sight! (that's my own definition, anyway)
So, if you're a writer, still a virgin, and have yet to taste the honey or scream out your own vocalizations, because you've never seen the vistas from up here...keep writing! Put down the gun, lock yourself in a room with no distractions other than your own thoughts, and write! You might even end up with a cocky attitude to accompany your ear-to-ear smile...but more on that note later...
The point here that I'm trying to make is: You can't finish unless get there. So....
Keep Writing!
Lia Mack
