Sad endings

I've noticed that with a few of them. I have a stories which have sad endings too, and they can be difficult to place sometimes. I would be interested to know if anyone has been able to find homes for stories with sad ending.

I've noticed this, and in my own short fiction too. It could just be that I have a particularly gloomy bent of mind; or, that really short fiction for some reason lends itself better to unhappy rather than happy endings.
(It may use less muscles to smile, but perhaps it takes up more words to depict it?)

I've read that the sudden fiction format lends itself a great deal to the horror genre, i'm not sure how much of that is true but in looking at the different magazines that take sudden fiction they very rarely expect a HEA. Perhaps its a lot easier to get accross such powerful emotions as saddness, horror etc. in less words then it is in longer fiction?

I think Nicole's nailed it for me. A sad ending is an easy way of evoking an emotional response from the reader. With so few words available, sometimes the quickest way to connect to the reader might be a sad or an emotion charged ending.

I'm not sure it's necessarily a bad thing, as long as you avoid cliche.

I think comedy is difficult to write. Especially in a very short-short, where you're pretty much limited to slapstick. Either that or I'm not doing it properly.

It's much harder for me to do happy endings with so few words. Why? I have no idea. Maybe it's because to me, the short story and especially flash fiction seem more abrupt than a longer work so it's just easier to kill off your character in the end.

That way they're not bugging you to let them tell more of their story!

maestrowork said:

But wouldn't laughter/comedy be just as straightforward? Or is it because it's easier to make someone cry than make them laugh, that comedy is hard?

Click to expand...

I find it very difficult to write laughter/comedy into stories of any length especially in to so few words, although I would love to be able to make someone laugh out loud with a piece of sudden fiction.

I think partly the reason why its more difficult to write comedy and make people laugh in writing is because its so subjective what one person finds funny might not be what another finds funny. Whereas with horror and strong emotions like fear as a writer it is more likely you will touch a lot more people with those emotions especially when working with so few words.

Cath said:

I think comedy is difficult to write. Especially in a very short-short, where you're pretty much limited to slapstick. Either that or I'm not doing it properly.

Click to expand...

Yeah, short humor leans towards "gotcha" punch-line endings. I don't think they're the only possible choice, but definitely the easiest, when the goal is to be funny.

It does seem that negative situations are easier to 'snapshot'; I don't have any thoughts on why that haven't been said already, though.

Ok, new challenge, write a happy flash piece?

Now you're giving me ideas...

Uh-oh, better watch what I say!

Actually I do have another thought. Story has to have conflict. Conflict and happy ending are two different elements, that have to be connected by some kind of transition/resolution.

Sad/scary ending is more like a natural extension of conflict, so requires less intermediate material.

Maybe the prevalence/ease of negative endings is just because they don't require as many elements to fit in the small space available?

Perhaps it is true what people say about writers. That we are in our heads too much and we bemoan our happenstance in life through our work. It is true that writing is cathartic and to that end we have a danger when all we view in life is negative.

In today's society, the mellow dramatic, the horror and angst is far too often dramatized and paid attention to. We, sometimes, have a bad habit of focusing on what is wrong in life and not what is good. I know I do and I am more aware of it now than ever. So I hope one day to be able to write something beautiful, surprising and compelling in a positive way that makes a difference for people.

Ray your book The Pacific Between proved to me that it can be done. We can have a plot, humour and a good ending that leaves us with hope that things aren't all that bad in the world.

maestrowork said:

Thanks Casi... I tend to like to write things that leave people with hope and love. I don't know. I am sappy that way.

Click to expand...

I would love to have some help with my daughter's story. Maybe one day when and if you have time you can help me with it.

There are so many failures with drug addiction, people need hope. I guess that makes me sappy too. And, your welcome.

"and then the sun exploded. The End." Works every time.

beezle said:

"and then the sun exploded. The End." Works every time.

Click to expand...

LOL....yes it does

maestrowork said:

Thanks Casi... I tend to like to write things that leave people with hope and love. I don't know. I am sappy that way.

Click to expand...

Which is why your flash pieces in here so far have included at least three murders and one assasination?

Just sayin'

Why sad endings in flash/sudden fiction? Well, "...they died," is four words shorter than "...and they lived happily ever after."

However, truth be told, I do have a 100 worder that's supposed to be humorous.

Bayou Bill

I think we're proving this idea in the response (or lack of) to the new challenge.

I'm still hashing out ideas of what I might do for this one. It's definitely harder than the drabble challenge!

I've just been very busy, but I do plan to do a story for this challenge as well. . .

Eric

Oh, me too Eric. Must admit, even though I set the challenge, I'm a little stumped.

Still, it's a learning thing, no?

Sad Is Not The issue

Issue is not sad or happy, issue is satisfying, complete, logical given characters, situation, themes ...

Another (or maybe not)