"Look, this... this isn't going to work out."
- Thread starter peachiemkey
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DO IT!
Actually, I don't know. It depends on the overall tone of your story. I'm assuming your talking about AC? If that's the case, why don't you go with John Green's method in PAPER TOWNS? "Look - I really like you, but there's some stuff I have to take care of. I have to live my own life. I love you, and I'll see you later..." *bittersweet parting moment* *tears* *memories* *both character Come Of Age and live Sort Of Happily Ever After*
Actually, I don't know. It depends on the overall tone of your story. I'm assuming your talking about AC? If that's the case, why don't you go with John Green's method in PAPER TOWNS? "Look - I really like you, but there's some stuff I have to take care of. I have to live my own life. I love you, and I'll see you later..." *bittersweet parting moment* *tears* *memories* *both character Come Of Age and live Sort Of Happily Ever After*
I would be terribly disappointed if there wasn't *some* kind of hope. Specially if I had invested a lot into him/her throughout. I'm a romantic though and hate it when they don't end up together. 
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Depends. If it a story about romance? When there's other stuff going on I usually don't care if a relationship doesn't work out. C'est la vie and all. If the story is entirely about the romance... It might not go over well.
My characters almost never wind up in a happy relationship.
My characters almost never wind up in a happy relationship.
Ha, that's exactly how I was planning it! Damn. I hope John Green doesn't come after me.
The story is not really about this romance - it's actually about getting over a past romance, lol - so. I think I will.
I'd still like to hear discussion though. It seems like you never get "parting ways" endings in YA - the couple ends up together all the way through the epilogue. We're all too romantic!
PEACHIE.
NO.
Eh, don't be peer-pressured. If the ending stands within reason, then do it. If it doesn't, then don't.
An unreasonable ending would be like a suicidal goth girl (with black lipstick, etc.) suddenly deciding Hollister is her new favorite store and that unicorns are awesome and that Paris Hilton is like all totally deep man.
But you better have your good reasons for the ending. If I read pages and pages and pages about how in love they are and this happens on the last page, I would probably throw the book at the wall.
NO.
Eh, don't be peer-pressured. If the ending stands within reason, then do it. If it doesn't, then don't.
An unreasonable ending would be like a suicidal goth girl (with black lipstick, etc.) suddenly deciding Hollister is her new favorite store and that unicorns are awesome and that Paris Hilton is like all totally deep man.
But you better have your good reasons for the ending. If I read pages and pages and pages about how in love they are and this happens on the last page, I would probably throw the book at the wall.
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my couples rarely (if ever) end up together.
let's seeeee
in one of my books, the guy is with the girl at the end--but he was with her at the beginning, too.
in another one, the couple never gets together, and the possibility of them ever getting together is pretty squashed. there are a few kisses, though.
in another one, the guy has two love interests throughout the thing and at the end is alone.
in another one, they end up together at the end
in another...most definitely NOT together.
the one I'm writing now barely even has a love interest.
but with the exception of the one where they do end up happily ever after (and the one where all hope is squashed, to an extent) none of mine are about those relationships.
let's seeeee
in one of my books, the guy is with the girl at the end--but he was with her at the beginning, too.
in another one, the couple never gets together, and the possibility of them ever getting together is pretty squashed. there are a few kisses, though.
in another one, the guy has two love interests throughout the thing and at the end is alone.
in another one, they end up together at the end
in another...most definitely NOT together.
the one I'm writing now barely even has a love interest.
but with the exception of the one where they do end up happily ever after (and the one where all hope is squashed, to an extent) none of mine are about those relationships.
I think my characters only end up together in one of my stories. In all the others, they either are killed, die, or killed to death.
E.L.F is my ray of happy sunshine.
E.L.F is my ray of happy sunshine.
Ha, that's exactly how I was planning it! Damn. I hope John Green doesn't come after me.
The story is not really about this romance - it's actually about getting over a past romance, lol - so. I think I will.
It's okay. I don't think he can run very fast.
in another one, they end up together at the end
You're such a romantic, Shades. The more I think about it the more books have endings that aren't happily ever after. I think that as long as you approach it the right way you'll be fine no matter what you choose.
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I'd still like to hear discussion though. It seems like you never get "parting ways" endings in YA - the couple ends up together all the way through the epilogue. We're all too romantic![/quote]
That's not true - look at the ending of 'His Dark materials'. I've done that kind of ending too in 'Shadow web'. It is a pretty common trope.
That's not true - look at the ending of 'His Dark materials'. I've done that kind of ending too in 'Shadow web'. It is a pretty common trope.
S'what I was gonna say. The ending of HDM made me mad. =/ Personally. Didn't like it at all. Thought it was lame. Haven't read the series for a couple years, though.
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I say go for the "it's not going to work out" ending. It's so much more original than the usual "And they lived happily ever after and were in love and nothing interesting happens past this point". Nothing irritates me more than an easy-to-see ending... except maybe yippy little dogs, but I digress. I say go for it! Full speed ahead to originality!
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I thnk if the point is that the mc gets over a previous romance, and he does that, then the conflict is resolved. But.... was there something deep between the pair, or was the relationship some kind of healing thing for him? Does she know that? What have you led your readers to believe up to this point? How much do they have invested in the relationship? Do they have a hunch this pairing is temporary?
What makes sense? I'll stop asking questions now...
What makes sense? I'll stop asking questions now...
I'd rather see an ending that's true to the characters and situation rather than one which was contrived just for a happy ever after.
To quote Westley: "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something."
Though I supposed you're selling a book - so I guess the quote doesn't quite stand up.
I need more sleep.
To quote Westley: "Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something."
Though I supposed you're selling a book - so I guess the quote doesn't quite stand up.
I need more sleep.
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