how to end a story examples

And there’s actually one last thing that most readers will want: A denouement, or the point in the story when all the plot threads are tied up. For example, don't end your story like this: "A blinding light pierced my eyes, so I lifted my hand to shield them. It’s the last impression you’re going to make in your reader’s mind, and the final takeaway of the whole book. As a stand-alone book, this ending would probably be unsatisfactory. "url": "https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-end-a-story/" Then, if you’re like me, you slam the laptop shut and give up. Even if you have a detailed outline, putting it into prose will be difficult at times. In other words, what do you want your readers to take away from it?

If you’re stuck, or don’t know what to do, you can begin sketching and drafting rough ideas for each of these and see how they work together.

"@type": "Question", But, remember to have some bright moments, little nuggets of happiness the reader can hang onto after the story is finished. "image": "https://d2ybmm5cpznb3i.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/STORY-STRUCTURE-Copy-600x300.jpg", Who doesn’t love (and hate) a good cliffhanger? At the end of a short story, should I add a twist or pun?

Perhaps the biggest problem with writing an ending is the pressure we put on ourselves to “get it right.” Endings are usually the most memorable part of a story, leaving the greatest impression on the reader. "text": "Your central question is the driving force of what will happen in the plot, so make sure you settle it by the time the book ends. An example might be a section in which the perspective is from the main character's child, who was absent from the main story. We want to figure out how to end a story right, to fulfill every possible expectation of us and our story, leaving no one disappointed.

"@type": "Answer", 4.

"name": "How to End a Story", Maybe you’re on the next-to-last page and you still don’t know. For an author, this type of ending can be a thrill to write, but it must be handled with care. The perfect ending will surprise your reader — and your protagonist — with the choice your protagonist makes. After all, you don’t want to finish a great story with a weak ending and disappoint your readers. editor for your book. This sort of ending goes along best with fairytales and most children’s stories. "@type": "HowTo", A good ending will be proportionate to the rest of the story.

Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk is a novel (and film) that quickly comes to mind here. Last Updated: October 24, 2020 Also known as an epilogue, this type of ending describes what happens to the world of the story afterward in a way that hints at the characters' fates at some point in the future." "url": "https://blog.reedsy.com/how-to-end-a-story/" Even your ending should leave your reader dying for more. The reader will be pleasantly surprised and leave the story with a sense of calm and satisfaction. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. And How to Write It, How to Self-Publish a Children’s Book: 6 Steps to a Magical Launch.

Click here to learn how to hook your readers. Also known as an epilogue, this type of ending describes what happens to the world of the story afterward in a way that hints at the characters' fates at some point in the future. You don’t necessarily need to subvert that expectation, but it will give you some hints as to what most people think will happen.

This conclusion goes 'beyond the ending' in a way, looking into the future. End with suspense, like, "They survived" or "They gave each other one last kiss, and said goodbye forever" or "The whole world stopped, and they glared into each other's eyes.". It lets them reflect on what the hero has been through and pushes them to imagine what is still to happen. [Spoilers!]. A resolved ending answers all the questions and ties up any loose plot threads. How long will the kingdom remain at peace.

wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. "image": "https://d2ybmm5cpznb3i.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/STORY-STRUCTURE-Copy-600x300.jpg", Here's a list, topped by Fight Club, which includes six more of the best plot twists seen in literature. Do you have any tips for how to end a story, or how to find that perfect ending? A happily-ever-after ending? Much of storytelling is cyclical.

Readers will see him again, but only as a side character, and will neither find out how he rebuilt his life nor how his old community fared. She loves to play with her dog and spend time with her family.

It must be surprising first to the audience, and second to the protagonist.

In his four-part epilogue, Zusak gives the reader an insight into what happened to Liesel after the bombing, her adult life, and even her death. What would be a good way to end a love story? There’s a balance to endings — too little resolution and your book will feel rushed and unsatisfying, but too much and the denouement starts to drag. Kathy, the narrator, holds back the truth that she and all of her classmates at Hailsham are actually clones who are raised to have their organs harvested. This isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s one of my favorites. By using our site, you agree to our. ", "Because the warming climate caused the sea levels to rise and flood his village. When might you use an unexpected ending? On the contrary, it is up to you to give greater depth to those repeated actions and events so that, by the end, they have a completely different feel. And the spark that ignites your ending is crushing your protagonist, and often other characters, with the consequences of his or her choices. You need to end where you began. A resolved ending is great if you want everything neatly packaged and put away.All the plotlines and character threads are concluded. Make sure that it is someone whose opinion you trust and respect. },{ There's no conjecture and no questions to be asked. You need to take the truth your main character believed in at the beginning of the story and expose it as the lie that it is by the end.

Wrap it up and put a bow on it.

Second, it must be a surprising choice. This is good advice for every stage of writing, but perhaps nowhere is it more important than the ending. In other cases, the cycle is quite literal — the story ends where it began. Unexpected Ending You may find it helpful to set a timer. "@context": "https://schema.org", Now that I am a police officer I understand why he felt this was so important...", For example: "Why should we care about Noni and his village? While there are certain genres where a type of ending is expected (romances should end with a happily ever after, mysteries with identifying the killer), you don’t want people to be able to see everything coming from miles off. I liked it a lot.

For example, Homer's "The Odyssey” the main character Odysseus attempts to go home a number of times and fails, encountering monsters along the way. Last impressions matter", Try putting your cards together in different combinations and see if you like what happens!

", "It really helped me to understand how to truly write a great ending to a story. As Publishing Director of Endeavor Media, Jasmin Kirkbride’s biggest tip is to make sure you follow the rule of Chekhov’s Gun: “Every subplot and all the different strands of your main plot should reach satisfying, clear conclusions.

Some of them might not work for your story, but at least one will. Now I'm a published author! Megan Morgan is a Graduate Program Academic Advisor in the School of Public & International Affairs at the University of Georgia. },{ She earned her PhD in English from the University of Georgia in 2015. It lets them reflect on what the hero has been through and pushes them to imagine what is still to happen. So, for example, if your heroine has never wanted to get married and she changes her mind at the end of your story, make sure that her reasons for that decision are shown throughout the story, rather than just having it suddenly happen.

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