Ending a story

Ending

awaitingthemuse said:

How should a story end? I have heard two different opinions on this (from professional writers). Should everything be tied up neatly with everything resolved for the reader or should the reader be left wondering just a little at the end (not wondering what on earth the story was about but just enough for them to mull the story over for a little while longer).

Looking forward to reading your opinions.

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Both. Those things that are crucil to the story should be wrapped and tied neatly with a bow. Otherwise, there will be no reader satisfaction. But there should also be elements that aren't tied neatly, that leave the reader wondering what happens next, where these characters go from here.

It all depends on the story. Both options are right but so is everything in between. Most short stories are written in the way James talks about. But I've read enough short stories that I've seen both ways.

Your story must end, but your characters should go on with their lives...

Ending

maestrowork said:

Your story must end, but your characters should go on with their lives...

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Exactly.

A short story isn't like a novel, it's more like a kodak moment, or a single episode from a life.

But please, try to refrain from writing stories that rely on a dodgy twist at the end to make them work - my pet hate!

You don't have to tie up everything neat. You don't want any gaping plotholes, but leaving certain questions unanswered can be intriguing and even encouraged.

ending

Akuma said:

You don't have to tie up everything neat. You don't want any gaping plotholes, but leaving certain questions unanswered can be intriguing and even encouraged.

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Yes, as long as the main problem of the story is tied up.

Sorry for reviving an old topic, but I'm really struggling to tie up my story. It's a horror and basically the ending requires an escape, but I've gotten my character so tied up that it seems impossible and I can't see a way out.

Then you have the wrong story. Or you have no clear understanding of what your character wants -- you are trying to force an ending on your character and it's not working.

However, let your character choose another path or made a different decision and see where that leads you.

I get annoyed with stroies that don't resolve something at the end--they are just scenarios where a situation is set up and then it just stops.

So something has totally trapped a character. A way out needs to have been woven in, in a way that is only obvious to the reader after it is used. Preferably this way out should either exploit a weakness in the villain and/or develop a weakness in the hero. That's the kind of thing that makes me feel like the arc of a story has been completed.

Mike Coombes said:

A short story isn't like a novel, it's more like a kodak moment, or a single episode from a life.

But please, try to refrain from writing stories that rely on a dodgy twist at the end to make them work - my pet hate!

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I'm sorry I missed this one earlier. Great thread.

Is it the dodgy twist itself or needing the dodgy twist because the story's not good enough? O. Henry wouldn't be O. Henry without the dodgy twists, would he?

The type of dodgy twist I can't tolerate are the ones that make it plain and clear the writer has written themselves into a corner, can't find the logical conclusion, and is forced to pull something out of their butts. The type of conclusion where - as example - an escape hasn't been made using what's available to the character. Where the writer pops a conclusion in that doesn't utilize the clues he or she had dropped along the way.

Whatever tangled web of intrigue the writer puts the protag in, he or she must use what's available to get the protag back out.

As Veinglory said, finding a weakness in the protag OR the villian that leaves the reader saying "Whoa, that's perfect!" Best if they didn't see it coming, but after reading can completely see the logic that caused it.

MidnightMuse said:

The type of dodgy twist I can't tolerate are the ones that make it plain and clear the writer has written themselves into a corner, can't find the logical conclusion, and is forced to pull something out of their butts. The type of conclusion where - as example - an escape hasn't been made using what's available to the character. Where the writer pops a conclusion in that doesn't utilize the clues he or she had dropped along the way.

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I write twist shorts - primarily mystery & crime - and the twist ending (or sometimes double twist) is not only a main ingredient of the story, but the supporting ending for the story. It is the tie-up-the-threads part, the real ending, if done right, the only ending possible.

I think what you are referring to is just bad writing - dodgy, maybe, but no twist a la O. Henry.

I've figured out the ending last night. The trick is to leave clues to your twist, throughout the story so as it doesn't look like you've thrown it in at the start.

My stories usually tie up pretty neatly, but not always. I never demand that of them. I hate stories that just...end....after a while (scenarios, character studies, snapshots, I don't care what you call 'em). They bug me. So my stories always wrap up at least enough to let the reader know that they've reached the end and aren't inclined to double-check and make sure the printer didn't leave out the last handful of my story's pages, or something.

The best short fiction should take the reader on a quick but satisfying ride, and end with them wanting a cigarette.

Or a drink...

I hate stuff that just *ends* without an ending!
A "Pirates of the Carribbean" non-ending! Yeow! I want some resolution!

If the story is important enough to be told, if there is a beginning and a middle, there must be an end. If I care about what happens to the characters, then I want to know if this is a serial to be continued or if that was the end of that part of their lives. I shouldn't have to look for the "END" at the bottom of that last page - I should know as a reader that I have reached the conclusion of that story.

I can only read your stories and be satisfied or not - I have control over what I write and be satisfied or not.

Sheesh. Spoiler that for the kids, thou should.

I tend to leave stories quite open-ended. My stories are mostly there to make people think or feel uncomfortable. You can do that best by leave the ends open. But I think it really depends on the type of story you're writing.

Stupid satisfying endings. That's my biggest struggle when writing short stories. My mind doesn't naturally lean in that direction (finding the not-obvious, yet logical ending) and when (IF) I find that groovy ending, it's like pulling teeth, though not as enjoyable.

You can always tell the difference between an ambiguous yet satisfying ending, verses when the writer clearly doesn't know how to end what he started.

I have been having alot of trouble with endings in short stories recently. I can hook a reader with my beginning, keep their attention through the middle, but my endings just seem to fizzle out because I can't think of an interesting twist.

As for the original question, I have always been under the impression that the ending should tie everything up, leaving nothing unresolved, otherwise it might as well be the beginning of your novel.

pickman said:

I have been having alot of trouble with endings in short stories recently. I can hook a reader with my beginning, keep their attention through the middle, but my endings just seem to fizzle out because I can't think of an interesting twist.

As for the original question, I have always been under the impression that the ending should tie everything up, leaving nothing unresolved, otherwise it might as well be the beginning of your novel.

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But sometimes it's more like being with your characters for one stop on a train journey. You see one episode, enough to get to know them a little bit, enough to tell part of the story, then you (or they) have to leave.
Let the reader imagine what happens next.

Or you may be describing a process, but not one that will necessarily lead to any ending or resolution any time soon. Your story may be about one phase, and you may leave the character at a point where something has happened but not a resolution. Um. Does that make sense?

I had one story that had two perfectly good, diametrically opposed endings. I'd written them both out. The whole point of the story was that the main character had reached a point where she had to choose. And I couldnt for the life of me make out what she was going to do. I knew what was good for her, and what I wanted her to do, but having her do that felt like forcing her for her own good.
Having her go the other way made me tear out my hair because it wasnt right.
So I left it completely open. I took her as far as the crossroads and left her standing there, turning things over in her mind.