FS101 - A Question of Endings

A Flipside Workshop article by [Po]

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Addressing difficulties numbers 5, 6, and 15.

5. I have a very hard time finding a good ending to any given story.


6. I tend to draw out stories longer than I should.


15. Endings. I can start a book, but I hardly ever end it.

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There are a multiplicity of ways to end a story. Finding the right strategy to build your needed ending doesn't have to be difficult, though. There are many tools available to help.

For a moment, let us compare writing to music. In a composition, a musician relies on several common styles with which to end, such as building to a crescendo, stopping short, echoing the opening, or a fade-out. These styles are also available to writers, whatever the form of writing. From journalist to novelist, keeping in mind the following ideas may well help grasp the ever-elusive ending.

1. Closing the circle. The ending reminds us of the beginning by returning us to an important place or re-introducing us to a key character. Finishing with a phrase repeated several times within the body of the story is one way to do this.

2. The tie-back. Tie your ending to an odd or quirky element within the story. If Tilly often chews her fingernails when deep in thought, perhaps stating "Tilly's fingers wandered to her mouth, where she absentmindedly knawed her nails." is a way to bring closure to your story.

3. The time frame. When writing chronologically, decide what should happen last, and end there.

4. The space frame. When place is more important than chronology, decide the final destination. End there.

5. The payoff. When you are writing a longer piece, a satisfying ending is immensely important. Don't confuse this with a happy ending, because it need not be happy. Revealing a secret, completing a journey, or solving a mystery are all examples of a satisfying ending.

6. The epilogue. The story ends, but life goes on. How many times have you wondered, after the house lights come back on, what happened next to the characters in a movie? Readers come to care about characters in stories. An epilogue helps satisfy their curiosity.

7. Problem and solution. This is a common composition simply because it hints at its own ending. The writer offers the problem at the beginning of the story, then presents possible solutions (often false) before giving the final resolution.

8. The clever quote. Some characters just have a way with words, speaking the ending in their strong voice. When you can't find a way to say it better than your character, end with an apt quote. But beware, this is an overused tool!

9. Look to the future. Most stories present what has already happened to the characters. But what will happen next? Try postulating on the consequences of the events within the story.

10. Mobilize the reader. The end of a story can point the reader in an entirely different direction. Utilize the power of suggestion! Direct them to research something, read this particular book, or even donate blood for disaster victims. Make it something compelling that your character believes in, and make it a bold statement.

Your endings will be better if you remember that other parts of your story need endings, too. Sentences have endings. Paragraphs have endings. Chapters have endings. Each of these mini-endings anticipates your finale. Use them.

I end with this warning (notice my use of #10!). Avoid endings that go on and on like a Rachmaninoff concerto or a heavy metal ballad. Be careful not to bury your endings. Find the natural stopping place.

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For practice:

1. Review your most recent stories. Place your hand over the last paragraph and ask yourself what would happen if your story ended there. Is it the natural ending for your story? If not, move it up another paragraph until you find where the natural stopping place is buried. Particularly useful for those stories which don't ever seem to want to end.

2. Begin reading stories, listening to music, and watching movies with the endings in mind. Pay close attention to details or themes that are placed early and develop in the end. Try to integrate this behavior whenever you read, listen, or watch.

3. Begin with an ending in mind. Write down that last sentence (even if you have no idea why it is the last sentence or what led to it), and work your way backward through the story. This is more useful if you write it in outline form, starting from the bottom of the page, working up. Also particularly useful for those stories which don't ever seem to want to end.

4. For fun, take two of your more recent stories and switch the beginnings and the endings. Have you learned anything from it? Draw your own conclusions.

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