This is just something that's occured to me as I work on my WIP. Under my structure, the book finishes in a pretty downbeat way - i.e. whilst the story's completed, it's clear that the main characters aren't going to get it together, the good guys have actually lost and have split up and my heroine's life is under threat.
Part of the reason is that I want to leave the way open for a sequel (you know, for the "inevitable" two book deal that will bring me untold riches and something ... ) but also because I've always had a soft spot for darker endings (I blame Empire Strikes Back). However, even in books planned as trilogies or series, downbeat endings don't seem to be par for the course (although interestingly, open endings do seem to be quite comment).
Anyway, I was just interested in knowing what people here thought about downbeat endings in general and whether they were appropriate (or completely and utterly inappropriate!) for YA fiction.
MM
Part of the reason is that I want to leave the way open for a sequel (you know, for the "inevitable" two book deal that will bring me untold riches and something ... ) but also because I've always had a soft spot for darker endings (I blame Empire Strikes Back). However, even in books planned as trilogies or series, downbeat endings don't seem to be par for the course (although interestingly, open endings do seem to be quite comment).
Anyway, I was just interested in knowing what people here thought about downbeat endings in general and whether they were appropriate (or completely and utterly inappropriate!) for YA fiction.
MM