The All Is Lost beat is a real doozie of a beat. No more playing nice to your hero. The purpose of this beat is to show the hero at their lowest point - the absolute rock bottom (Men's Hearts Shall Fail Them).
Typically, this can be achieved through the whiff of death. Even if no one actually dies, the whiff of it can be as effective. Nothing speaks despair more than death, amirite?
Break your character. ALL. IS. LOST. Really. When brainstorming ideas about what should be the hero's lowest moment, think of the thing that matters most to your character, and then take it away from them. Don't pull that punch, or you'll lose the power of the story.
The event of the All Is Lost beat should be your character's fault, at least in part. It should highlight that the stubborn fool has not fixed their internal flaws (Characters Must Change for Gripping Stories), and they're partly to blame for their horrible misfortune.
#toolong #writing
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