Questions tagged [ending]

This tag should be used for questions about the ending of a literary work, such as styles and guidelines relating to a "Happy Ending".

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
0 votes
3 answers
161 views

During the "resolution and closure" phase of a story, can you start a new arc for a sequel story, or do you absolutely need to close the story?

During the "resolution and closure" phase of a story, can you start a new arc for a possible sequel story, or do you absolutely need to close the story and not leave anything that's not ...
Sayaman's user avatar
  • 14.9k
1 vote
2 answers
170 views

Question for "standalone with series potential" query

It's a 195k word epic fantasy. These next few passes will bring that down quite a bit, and I know there's wiggle room. Reddit constantly focuses on that despite that the debut epic fantasy 120k word ...
user60178's user avatar
  • 111
0 votes
0 answers
43 views

When the ending is abrupt and the protagonist dies should you explore the aftermath or can you just end it abruptly with a hint of what's to come?

I have a story where the protagonist dies as a martyr and fuels the fire of rebellion against an evil empire, but I am not sure how I should approach it and whether it's perfectly fine to end the ...
Sayaman's user avatar
  • 14.9k
0 votes
2 answers
71 views

Should you support the aftermath of every single supporting characters after the main conflict is resolved?

Should you support the aftermath of every single supporting characters after the main conflict is resolved? Not exploring the aftermath of supporting characters can be seen as a mistake to avoid when ...
Sayaman's user avatar
  • 14.9k
2 votes
2 answers
117 views

Is it always a mistake to reinforce the theme at the end of a story in a didactic way?

One mistake people can make when reinforcing the theme in their story is being too didactic. If the theme is forced upon the reader or becomes overly explicit, it can feel preachy and detract from the ...
Sayaman's user avatar
  • 14.9k
9 votes
7 answers
5k views

How do you make an unhappy ending satisfying for the readers?

How do you make a "bad" ending satisfying for the readers? I want to write a story where the protagonist dies without achieving his goals, but I am not sure if it's possible to write such an ...
Sayaman's user avatar
  • 14.9k
4 votes
2 answers
287 views

How do you tie the plot of your story together in the end?

I'm nearing the end of my story, and I'm trying to tie it all together. I've read books that are great, but when you come to the ending, it's extremely disappointing because nothing in the ending ...
Selina's user avatar
  • 307
3 votes
1 answer
540 views

How "resolved" do things need to be at the end of the first book of a trilogy?

Without going into detail... I'm trying to decide when to end the first book of my trilogy. There are two options that seem natural to me, but one feels more exciting and allows me to drag the tension ...
a.m.d.'s user avatar
  • 409
2 votes
1 answer
70 views

How to decide on the ending of a story?

I've been writing a short story about a boy who accidentally killed his brother and went through a serious trauma that he even started taking drugs (knowing that he is only 12 y.o). In this story, I ...
Nour Fourti's user avatar
12 votes
6 answers
3k views

What type of protagonists get happy endings?

Obviously, the decision on how to write the ending is driven by the overall plot. That said, there seems to be a pattern on which protagonists get happy endings*. I'm not able to put my finger on it,...
Kalev Maricq's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
130 views

Is the bildungsroman dead for contemporary audiences?

My story can't hide the fact that it is bildungsroman, but there really are few linear year-by-year character reveals on the shelves today. Nothing like The Curious Life of Benjamin Button is coming ...
Vogon Poet's user avatar
  • 1,112
5 votes
4 answers
171 views

How do I end my book?

I'm so close to finishing my first book, but I'm having so much trouble coming up with a conclusion. I know what needs to happen, but I just can't seem to finish it. I'm not sure if it's writer's ...
A curious writer's user avatar
20 votes
7 answers
5k views

What makes an ending tragic?

There are questions like, ‘What makes an ending happy?’ Or ‘What is considered a happy ending?’ That’s obviously not what I’m looking for. It’s more the opposite. Tragic love plots gives me cringes ...
Artemis Silver's user avatar
2 votes
5 answers
951 views

Denouement vs Resolution

What is the difference between a denouement and a resolution? Are they synonymous?
Theodore Soriano's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
133 views

Is it possible to create a compelling and satisfying ending when the protagonist only has one main villain?

So the outline I have for my story is that the hero has amnesia due to the plot of the villain to kill him but he doesn't know that but eventually does since the villain figured out he was still alive ...
Dewux's user avatar
  • 21
3 votes
1 answer
279 views

Should I save some plot for the sequel of my novel or make the first book (too) long but complete?

I wrote a sci-fi novel. It's around 120k words long with a neat 'ending' that wraps up the main plot. The story is not complete: Although the main goal has been accomplished, a lot of smaller issues ...
Ace's user avatar
  • 33
3 votes
3 answers
265 views

Can the first book in a series have a sad ending? (The antagonist wins)

I have an idea for a series, but I want the protagonist to die at the end of the first book, and make it seem like all hope is lost, and then in the second book others (one of his other relatives) ...
Maya's user avatar
  • 31
1 vote
3 answers
752 views

What makes a cliffhanger bad/good?

In the second (not yet written) book of my novel series, the ending is a cliffhanger. A very hopeless one. The very hopelessness of it is deliberate. Not only am I signing them up for the next ...
A. Kvåle's user avatar
  • 4,033
0 votes
1 answer
93 views

How can I make it so that my story isn't resolved so easily? [closed]

I'm writing a screenplay for a project in my film studies class and I'm close to resolving the conflict, but as I near the end, it feels like it's being resolved far too easily. In summary, the ...
Jodast's user avatar
  • 103
15 votes
8 answers
4k views

What makes an ending "happy"?

In this answer, Amadeus makes the case for happy endings based on their far greater popularity compared to unhappy endings. This leads me to wonder, what exactly makes an ending "happy"? Before I go ...
user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
115 views

Why is it that when I get to the end of writing my book, I get discombobulated and want to give up? [duplicate]

I've noticed this about most of the books I write, except for my short stories/novellas. When I get close to writing the end, my thoughts become a chaotic mess, and I don't know how to properly ...
Dawn Kelli's user avatar
  • 1,075
13 votes
7 answers
4k views

Is it okay to have a sequel start immediately after the end of the first book?

The sequel to my first book is supposed to start immediately after the end of the first book. Zero time gap. Situation: At the end of book one a missing family member has finally joined the family. ...
Igor's user avatar
  • 439
7 votes
2 answers
861 views

Given two alternative, strong endings to a novel, how to decide which one to use?

I'm in the final polishing stages of a novel and I have two endings that both blow me away and I feel are very, very strong. Obviously, I can only have one ending. The story doesn't lend itself to a ...
Tom's user avatar
  • 4,494
27 votes
14 answers
6k views

Non-trope happy ending?

This is in the idea stage, but I was wondering... In stories involving multiple protagonists (4 or more) that make and end relationships, date each other, etc. during the course of the story, the ...
Tom's user avatar
  • 4,494
2 votes
2 answers
270 views

Writing a Story From The End

There is a writing technique where a writer would imagine in her mind's eye where her story should end and will write it 'backwards'. Writing the end and then writing the chapters leading to end, so ...
Oren_C's user avatar
  • 1,732
2 votes
5 answers
141 views

How can I make a talky, idea-based concept enjoyable [closed]

I'm writing a psychological novel about different characters finding the meaning of their lives. But the ending reveals it was all part of an experiment (properly foreshadowed). Someone was trying to ...
Aero7810's user avatar
19 votes
10 answers
6k views

Is it time to start closing up my novel?

I realize this may be a duplicate question. I've seen, for reference [ How long can a first novel be? ] yet I think my situation is a little more specific. I find myself in a similar situation. My ...
Liquid's user avatar
  • 15.8k
6 votes
10 answers
884 views

How to end a story without reaching a new status quo?

A popular writing theory states that any story worth telling describes the movement from one status quo to another, and that major uncertainties in the inception and conclusion should be avoided. How ...
Weckar E.'s user avatar
  • 1,853
14 votes
3 answers
2k views

What are key features and pacing in a satisfying ending to a science fiction novel?

My novel has been through multiple drafts and beta reads, and by and large is in good shape. I've learned how to cure a saggy middle, how to stay in point-of-view, how to keep the protagonist driving ...
SFWriter's user avatar
  • 23.8k
3 votes
5 answers
3k views

Should I end my story with a happy or sad ending? [duplicate]

I am writing a romantic short story and I don't know which type of ending suits my story better. Currently my characters fall in love but one ends up "cheating" (they were never dating or anything) ...
user32795's user avatar
  • 171
3 votes
4 answers
407 views

Should I let my hero die with the villain?

I'm writing my own fantasy novel and the way I want it to end is with the villain showing his humanity to the hero, begging for mercy, and when the hero is about to spare him the villains stabs him ...
Vítor Carvalho's user avatar
7 votes
12 answers
2k views

Anticlimactic ending as a surprise after climax?

Note: my story is for a video game, but that should hopefully be irrelevant to the question itself. Our heroes spent a long time fighting their way to the evil demon king. The hopes of all the people ...
noClue's user avatar
  • 4,213
22 votes
6 answers
7k views

How advisable is it to end a love story on a downer?

For example, it doesn't end with the leads getting together; rather, one of them dies or the relationship is left ambiguous. I know that taking this approach would be bad if the genre I was aiming for ...
Jack Rabbit's user avatar
  • 1,307
10 votes
8 answers
3k views

Of plottwists and endings

While writing my story this has come up in my mind a lot. I have been planning and foreshadowing this major plottwist near the end of my story. But the effects of it might change my world utterly and ...
Totumus Maximus's user avatar
8 votes
3 answers
915 views

Is an unresolved conflict a detriment to publishing a novel?

I'm starting to write my first book, and I've finished the outlining process. It's a fantasy novel that deals with the takedown of a monarchy, but I feel like I can't wrap up the whole story line in ...
Allie's user avatar
  • 81
16 votes
7 answers
4k views

Writing a Satisfying Ending

It strikes me that the last chapter (or so) of any story needs to make the reader feel that reading the book has been a worthwhile experience. An exceptional ending might leave a reader with such a ...
robertcday's user avatar
  • 7,743
14 votes
8 answers
6k views

Do Short Stories Need Definitive Endings?

I'm looking to create a few short stories that are in a shared universe of sorts and I'm curious whether or not I need to have a definitive ending to a story. I'm thinking that the "end" would be more ...
Dylan Beck's user avatar
6 votes
3 answers
307 views

What does the death of a fictional character mean?

When should a writer kill their protagonist off? Inspired by a question about character lifetime and another about what makes the death of a character satisfying for the reader, I have begun to ...
user avatar
18 votes
11 answers
10k views

Does my protagonist *have* to succeed?

I'm thinking about a YA dystopian novel and have planned it quite thoroughly. However, when I look back, the antagonists tend to always be a few steps ahead of my protagonist, and my protagonist is ...
Adi219's user avatar
  • 1,641
8 votes
4 answers
1k views

Prepare for more after the "ending"?

In my story, there's this big bad, who needs to be destroyed. That is the main goal for about the last third of the video game. So the group of heroes manages to destroy him! ... but I don't want to ...
noClue's user avatar
  • 4,213
9 votes
7 answers
2k views

How To Settle On An Ending?

I've had a few different ideas for an ending that I've narrowed down to two. They both fit the tone and they both fit the story. But they are also completely different. How do I pick? For example, ...
Lunar Eclyptica's user avatar
48 votes
13 answers
9k views

Is it a bad idea to have multiple bad endings and only one good ending?

Background: I'm working on a game that has multiple paths for players to choose from. The choices the players make can lead them to very different endings. There are many bad endings but only one true ...
noClue's user avatar
  • 4,213
12 votes
8 answers
2k views

Should mystery stories have resolutions?

I'm working on the finishing touches of a story that has as part of the plot a possibly-supernatural mystery. I'm feeling rather nervous about the whole thing though because said mystery isn't the ...
Wendigo King's user avatar
6 votes
6 answers
3k views

Where do I write 'The End'?

Background Woohoo! I literally just finished right now my masterpiece trilogy that I have worked on for what seems like, ages... I'm a bit vexed as to where I should write 'the end'. The epilogue ...
Featherball's user avatar
  • 4,439
6 votes
4 answers
5k views

How do I end a comedy sketch?

I have a premise, which I think is funny/clever. I want to write this as a comedy sketch, to be acted out or shot on video. I have three "scenes" which are basically three different re-capitulations ...
user151841's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
430 views

What to avoid when writing a happy ending?

I've finally decided to give a protagonist a happy ending, but what is there to avoid? What makes a happy end too cheesy? For example, if the story is about a anti-hero, who destroys his enemies, what ...
DarkYagami's user avatar
  • 1,005
6 votes
6 answers
493 views

Is it possible to write about failed detective novel?

All detective novel ends with the killer caught, right? Is it possible to write a completely bad ending detective novel? Imagine the Titanic of Sherlock Holmes, or is it done yet? By Titanic I mean ...
Realdeo's user avatar
  • 769
8 votes
5 answers
749 views

How do I write a fitting ending for an anti-hero?

My protagonist is an anti-hero. He's manipulative, cunning, kills, and sacrifices others for the greater good, which is to destroy an oppressive regime. I'm at the point where he has destroyed the ...
DarkYagami's user avatar
  • 1,005
4 votes
7 answers
233 views

How to motivate yourself to finish something?

Far too many stories of mine have gone unfinished simply because I lost motivation to keep writing (and it doesn't help that I manage to convince myself each project will be my magnum opus). How can I ...
Rob's user avatar
  • 141
6 votes
4 answers
726 views

Ending a PhD thesis by saying "there is more to do"

I am ending the conclusion of my PhD thesis by saying something like this (not even remotely in these words): There was a lot of work gone in the thesis, yada yada yada, however there is room for ...
Shahbaz's user avatar
  • 185