I'm back! I've officially resurfaced after my month-long disappearance from the blogosphere.
Alex: I owe you an apology. I know I was supposed to participate in the blogfest on Monday, but alas, life happened. And by life I mean school and homework. Please forgive me for that.
So, this month's insecurity is endings. Specifically, what makes a good ending? I'm taking a Creative Nonfiction class in school this semester, and I always struggle with endings. I can't seem to tie it up right, so to speak. I have a story going and it's all neat and tidy, and then I get to the ending. The ending usually winds up being short, abrupt, and leaving the reader asking, "So what? Why should I care?". I always feel like MORE is better, when in reality, it's not. Sometimes the opposite is true- LESS is more!
How about you? How do you 'tie up the ends' in a story?Any tips?
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI am laughing because I love endings! I get stuck in the middle sections. I hope you find the inspiration you need to end your story.
Shalom,
Patricia
I love endings too. I get stuck just before the climax. Is it too late, too soon, too dry, too boring??? Morgan, you will get over the ending. Think of your favourite movies with your favourite endings. How'd they do theirs?
ReplyDeleteNon fiction endings? Hmm. I wonder if you could sum up the point of the story or the moral in a pithy way. Extra eyes always help. Maybe you could find a classmate or two and read each other's work?
ReplyDeleteMy suggestion for endings is to pull out a few favorite books, especially those with any similarity to yours, and carefully look at how the authors did their endings. Perhaps you can find ideas you can use for your own book.
ReplyDeleteMy blog: http://myantimatterlife.wordpress.com
I can feel your frustration with endings. I tend to either start teasing another story, or everything just stops. Just keep plugging at it, and eventually you will find your stride.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to IWSG
I ask myself- what do I want my character to learn? Once I know, then when they hit that point, the story is over. (And I write love stories, so usually the happily ever after is a neat cut off point ;)
ReplyDeleteHmm, I don't know that I have any tips, really. For me, it's usually more of a gut thing, like I just feel that the story needs to end where it does, when it does.
ReplyDeleteEndings are just as hard as opening lines. Look at some of your favorite endings for inspiration and use this quote from Joan Didion, “The last sentence in a piece is another adventure. It should open the piece up. It should make you go back and start reading from page one.” Once you start looking at those endings, ask yourself which evoked a desire (no matter how small or big) to go back to read from the beginning and why? Then use your answers to help guide you to writing your ending.
ReplyDeleteGreat question. I guess go back through the manuscript and see if every loose or conflict has been addressed or deliberately left dangling.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, a cliff hanger is fun and a nice setup for the sequel.
No worries! Glad you could post today. (You might need to sign up again for the IWSG.)
ReplyDeleteI always see the ending first and then work my way backward. Maybe I help you with endings and you help me with beginnings?
Hello, Morgan nice to meet you. I have the same problem. I can never figure out a good ending. I've heard of writer's struggling with a blank page to begin a story, but that comes easy for me. It's the middle and the endings that give me problems. You're not alone....
ReplyDeleteGreat that you've returned. Welcome back and here's to some good endings. Sometime I write those before I write the beginnings. That's kind of fun.
ReplyDeleteI'm banging my head against my current WIP climax, but my endings good. ;) I painted my character into a corner, I just need to let him figure a way out.
ReplyDeleteI'm banging my head against my current WIP climax, but my endings good. ;) I painted my character into a corner, I just need to let him figure a way out.
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