If we must expire, most of us aspire to leave this dimension while in our sleep, oblivious to pain and our passing. For books, writers and readers have differing ideas about a good ending. In this post, I’ll tell you how I navigate that fetid swamp to make the happy voyage out to sea.
In my writers’ group meeting, we zoomed over a couple of ideas about what makes a good ending. In a short story, there is some room for ambiguity. Don’t try too much ambiguity with a long novel, though. Bring it in for a three-point landing or more readers will be disappointed that they invested so much time in a narrative that lacks a solid conclusion. For romance, the couple have to get together in the end. If they don’t, it’s not romance, it’s some other genre.
A vocal group of readers insist they hate cliffhangers. However, if you’re writing a series, there’s got to be something there to seduce your readership to continue the journey into the next book. That’s really no different from many dramatic movie or television series. Don’t pay too much attention if a tiny minority of reviewers kick up a fuss about it. However, with cliffhangers, the key is to answer a lot of questions and close loops while still managing to keep the intrigue going. If it’s all a tease for the next book, readers will have a valid complaint. If your sales copy is on point making it clear this is a series, you’ll catch less flack from the kibitzers, snipers, and moaners. Not no flack, but less!
Many readers think they want a happy ending. As a writer and a reader, I don’t care for that strategy if it feels forced. Instead, I recommend writers strive for a satisfying ending. I like a roller coaster, so I avoid hitting a single tone as if the entire orchestra is smacking a triangle all night. For instance, it’s very possible to place irony, or even a belly laugh, amid horrors, as long as you are judicious with the ratio. (One reviewer made me smile with the comment that one of my dark stories was “appropriately hilarious.” Mm-kay. Thank you, I know what you mean.) I write killer crime thrillers and epic apocalyptic novels, but I also look for opportunities to give readers a bit of hope even when events appear bleak.
My three criteria to achieve a satisfying ending:
1. The ending must be logical. Stick to the rules of the world you’ve established.
2. No cheating with deus ex machina or “….and then the child fell out of bed and realized it was all a dream.”
3. The ending should feel inevitable, but only in retrospect. Deliver a surprise.
To achieve these writing goals:
1. Plant seeds along the way and disguise the clues. (This often happens with the second or third draft.)
2. Don’t settle for the obvious ending. It’s the same principle as telling a good joke. If the reader thinks they see that final twist coming, they will be less pleased.
3. Red herrings are allowed, of course, but most elements you introduce should propel the narrative forward. Keep it tight.
If you’ve written a book or two, you know this is all harder than it sounds. Write the story straight in the first draft. By your final draft, it will be closer to the rich tapestry you imagined when you first sat down to dream in pixels and on paper.
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~ I’m Robert Chazz Chute. Your mileage may vary, so don’t give me any shit about this. I’m all about helpful suggestions here, not rules and absolutes. You can check out all my fiction on my author website, AllThatChazz.com. And please do. Thank you!
Filed under: writing, writing advice, apocalyptic novels, crime fiction, free ebook, how to write a good ending, how to write a novel, how to write better stories, Robert Chazz Chute, The Night Man, writing noir
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