Write the Right Ending
Often times the most difficult piece of writing is the ending. Everything you’ve plotted must mesh seamlessly and flow towards the finale. Plot points have to add up, foreshadowing must be perfect and the development of characters has to come together. And then you think you can “wing it”, right? This exactly why I’ve found going into the draft with an ending in mind is easier than trying to fumble one together. If you’re not sure, here are a few types of endings you could pick from:
The Cliffhanger: The book ends on a shocking note that makes readers beg for more.
The Happily-Ever-After: Everyone is happy (and usually married) by the end.
The Open Ending: Suggestion of one event also implies there’s a debatable second version of the end.
The Closed Ending: The finale goes one way that’s indisputable.
There isn’t any exact formula to writing since different approaches work for different people and readers are subjective enough to like a variety of stories—we can be thankful for that. This gives creative license to writers and you should use it to its fullest. But the ending is a tricky thing.
You have to choose something that not only fits with the story but feels right. And above all else, I believe the “feeling” related to the ending is most important. If you want everyone to be happy, but it just doesn’t feel right, then you can switch things up a bit. You’re going to have to live with the choice so why not embrace it?
Share your experience- or more types of endings!
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Endings are tricky, but on the plus side I find if an ending in a book or film really aggravates me, it’s often an impetus to inspire me to write something (One character or plot line if not a full-on novel) with similar elements and my preferred ending. Happily my mind meanders enough whatever I write ends up nothing like the original!
I think my endings are “The Happily-Ever-After” kind, but it’s always a happy ending that has its bitter side: A happiness where there’s death behind. I’ve never liked Disney-like happy endings. I always want to make clear to my readers that happiness has a price, regardless if characters are part of the good or the bad side.
That’s a great twist on the happy ending. More bittersweet I’d say then. Thanks for sharing!
Just like life. Although I write fiction, I always try to give a realistic touch to my stories, so my endings tend to be credible.
Usually when I have a story idea, it’s the ending that comes to me first, so the work is in setting things up to get to that point. I’m not a big fan of ambiguous endings. Sometimes they are earned (like Inception), but other times to me it feels like the writer/filmmaker is wimping out because they don’t want to take a stand one way or the other.
I love ambiguous endings! I understand what you’re saying though, some do feel really bland. The ones that keep you asking questions after you’re done with the story are awesome.
Hmm, I’m leaning more towards the cliffhanger ending for my own novel (I love them), but I also find that it backfires a lot with some readers, viewers, and gamers.
I suppose it depends on how abruptly you do it. You have to ease them in to the suddenness of the ending, if that doesn’t sound like too much of a contradiction.
There’s an art to the cliffhanger ending, and I have no idea what that art is, haha!
Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Have you read “Playing for pizza” by John Grisham? This has an end as you describe, however, this type of ending is never good because they often leave many things unfinished, and the reader feels angry and disappointed to have paid for an unfinished story. Such is the case of the book I just mention.
Of course, this is my opinion.