The best way to finish a narrative: three questions that can assist you discover the right ending
The hardest part of writing a story might be figuring out how to end a story. But what makes a good ending? How about a great ending? Is there a difference?
Endings are intimidating. You are laden with all the narrative weight of your story.
And they are so much harder to write than we imagine when they play in our heads.
This is why so many trilogies end with a whimper rather than a bang (Star Wars, Alien): Endings are difficult.
But how do you write that rare, coveted third act that hits every beat and fulfills the hopes and dreams of the audience? How do you close your story, trilogy or series with strength and balance?
Let's dive deep into writing a successful ending by examining three key questions to keep you informed as you complete your next story.
What does it mean "to quit"?
Before delving into the issues specifically, we need to verify the purpose of the end of a story.
This may seem self-explanatory. Isn't the purpose of the end too. . . you know . . . End?
Well, that depends on your definition of "end".
The writer and director Christopher Nolan (Inception, Memento) probably has a very different idea of an "end" than J.K. Rowling does. For some, the end is the chance to answer or solve any questions. For others, the ending is an opportunity to surprise, enhance, and undermine the audience's understanding of the entire work with an ambiguous ending or plot.
Sometimes a writer puts an ending believing they have completely resolved everything in the story, but beta readers are quick to respond with helpful feedback such as:
- "The ending was a little vague for me."
- "It was unclear whether the protagonist lived or died."
- “Did you want it to be unclear? Because I couldn't really see what happened during the big twist. "
This type of feedback is invaluable and will help you know where to refine your story and may even provide suggestions on how to clear up any open questions (learn more about our community of feedback writers, The Write Practice Pro, here !).
To move forward, we'll be working with a unified definition of a story ending that you can use to ensure that your story is completely solid:
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The ending of a story should resolve the physical and internal conflict of a story and provide all of the closure / continuity required for future entries in a series.
With this working definition, you have the freedom to solve what needs to be solved, but also to subvert and surprise as much as necessary, depending on what book you want to write and what future books you want to write.
3 essential questions for your ending
How do you write the perfect ending and capture your story with just the right amount of clarity and punch? These three questions will help you end your story just right, whether or not you are writing a novel, short story, or novella.
Let's finish!
1. How is the physical conflict resolved?
At the beginning of your book you made a promise.
You started with a main character who wanted something (a physical object). Maybe something has changed throughout history, but the theme and genre that surrounds it haven't changed. If the character starts out wanting a better job but ends up robbing a bank, the theme and genre can still be the same: wealth gain.
Every reader will want to know the same thing: is your protagonist getting what he wants? How? And what are the consequences?
Even if the main character somehow steals the money, hides it and has to spend a decade in jail, the reader knows that when that decade is up, the protagonist will get out and have the wealth he has wanted all along.
This is the resolution of the physical goal. It has to be there.
Without it, the reader will experience a simple, irritated sense of dissatisfaction. Some may be brave enough to mutter, "Well, that was stupid." This is the most common response to stories that do not resolve the physical conflict in a satisfactory way.
Your first task in writing the ending of your story is to answer the audience's first question: “Is the protagonist getting what he / she wants? If so, how? If not, why not? Then what are the consequences? "
Answer this question and your end will begin well.
For example: Check out most of the Disney fairy tales and consider the question above. Let's look specifically at Beauty and the Beast.
In this fairy tale, Belle wants more than her provincial life and Beast doesn't want to be a beast. Both win this in the end by falling in love and because Belle's positive influence on Beast pushes him to go through a great arc of characters that proves his change in heart.
The consequences for that ending are positive: Belle and Beast have a happy ending, as Belle's love for Beast transforms him into human and Belle can marry a man she loves and live a more adventurous life.
The final scene in the parade shows this as Belle and Beast dance together, surrounded by people they love and other happy townspeople who have returned to the castle.
2. How is the internal conflict resolved or resolved?
You also made another promise. This promise was a little deeper: the protagonist would wrestle with an inner need.
That need was also relevant to the theme and genre of the story. If the protagonist is desperate for wealth, they may suffer from a persistent sense of inadequacy. All of their life they have been told that they are never good enough, never valuable. After years of trying to find success and failure, they decide to seize value, even if it means breaking the law.
Do you see the relationship here?
As a storyteller you have to become a mini psychologist.
Readers are also familiar with psychology and will determine whether your physical goal and your inner need are not thematically coordinated.
As the physical conflict is resolved, the internal drama must also find a solution, or at least a solution.
Because the inner conflict can or can never be completely "resolved". This is the truth of human existence. We are always plagued with inner demons and struggles.
But the internal conflict in your story must at least be resolved.
Perhaps the protagonist accepts the fact that this inner need, this excruciating pain, or desire or desire will always be with them, no matter what physical pursuit they may undertake. This is its own form of settlement.
Stories that cannot resolve the internal conflict are often criticized more thoughtfully by readers: “It was okay. But it didn't go anywhere. What was the point? "
Again, this is a dissatisfaction that you want to avoid.
Make sure to answer your reader's second, possibly unspoken, question: "What's the point? What did we learn? Why did this all happen?"
And you respond by resolving, or at least resolving, the internal conflict that the protagonist has been struggling with throughout your story.
For example: J.K. Rowling does this masterfully in every book in the Harry Potter series.
While every book masters how to create a twist ending, it's also an exceptional example of character development, best seen by how a character changes at the end of the book.
Take Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
In this book, Harry's internal conflict wrestles with the idea that he 1) may be the heir to Slytherin and 2) is destined to be a dark wizard because the grading hat confirms that he could have done well in Slytherin.
At the end of the story (spoilers!) Harry fights and kills a basilisk by pulling the word of Godric Gryffindor out of the sorting hat – something Dumbledore insists on is proof that Harry was indeed put in the right house for him (Gryffindor) .
Harry matures in this novel by gaining the confidence that his strengths of character, loyalty, courage, and humility make him the kind of person he wants to be – and most importantly, that he has a choice of what kind of man and wizard he is want to be.
Overall, the plot in Chamber of Secrets is an exciting, good story. But it's the combination of the plot and Harry's vulnerability and character arc that makes it a great story – even a timeless one.
3. What are you going to do next?
This question may come as a surprise, but it is imperative that it be answered before you finish your book.
What's your plan with this story? Is it self-contained? Are you planning a sequel? Are you planning an extensive series of ten books?
You need to know this before typing "The End" and clicking "Publish" in KDP.
If you don't, you can write yourself in a corner.
For many authors today, writing and publishing a series of books is a well-trodden path to success. The formula is as follows:
- Write Book 1, knowing that this is the beginning of a series.
- Write Book 2 knowing that this is the continuation of a series.
- Give away Book 1 for free as a subscription bonus to an email list.
- Sell book 2.
- Write Books 3 through 12; Sell books 3 through 12.
- Get rich and buy three houses.
Okay, while this last step is barely certain, the process has worked, and works for a lot of writers, and there is nothing that says you can't be a part of it.
With that in mind, you need to answer this question by making a decision about the end of your book based on the marketing strategy you have for it.
3 strategies for ending a story
Here are the three typical positions you can take and the pros and cons of each.
1. Closed end
You have no future intentions for this story or this book. It's a story in its own right.
All character conflicts are resolved and all deaths / consequences are final. Future projects in this world will be independent and will not be able to change the details of this book. You intend to market and sell this book on your own laurels.
(Can you come back to this world and write a sequel later? Of course! But realize that this book and its ending are not in a position to effectively sell that sequel.)
Many books in general and literary fiction have closed ends. Some examples could be:
- The Great Gatsby
- The hate you give
- White noise
2. Open the end
You have mixed future intentions for this story or book. It is currently a stand-alone story, but certain aspects of the resolution are not clearly clarified.
Deaths and consequences remain somewhat ambiguous. Future projects have the freedom to interfere in this story and interpret these ambiguities.
Your intend to market and sell this book yourself now, but possibly as part of a larger series in the future. Currently, giving it away for free is an inconvenient option as there is no second book to sell.
Also note that every book should have an ending, including in a row. Each book should be able to stand on its own, but that doesn't mean it can't be part of a larger goal.
Take the Lord of the Rings series, for example, and how each book has its own story arc and even separate storylines (more spoilers!):
- The Companion of the Ring follows the Companion in the early stages of their search. It ends up with the community falling apart. Merry and Pippin are captured by Uruk Hai, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli, who are talking, Boromir is killed and Frodo and Sam make their way to Mount Doom alone.
- The two towers have separate storylines, but we still see each arc ending even if the journey isn't over yet. The big moments in this book are the victory at Helms Deep, the destruction of Isengard and the escape of Frodo and Sam from Gondor. The main goal of destroying the ring has not yet been achieved, but the great expectations and battles for the story are over.
- The Return of the King concludes the series and works as a standalone work. The end of the book ends with an epic battle at the Black Gate and the destruction of the ring – and later the saving of the Shire.
3. Launchpad end
You have certain future intentions for this story. It is part of a much larger story, and while the conflict of this specific book is resolved to the satisfaction, larger conflicts in the world of history are not. Certain specific aspects of the conflict (both physical and internal) not only remain unsolved, but are attacked, leading to the end of the "cliff hanger".
Future projects will remain true to the story of this book, but will have the freedom to interpret its ambiguities. You intend to give this book away for free to view the next book, or you are already giving away a previous book to sell this book.
Make a decision
See how your intentions can change, how much is resolved, and why?
See the real difference between an "open" ending (where the reader has to ponder certain aspects of the story that remain unsolved) and a "launchpad" ending (where the reader is starved for your next book and clicks immediately) ? "Buy" on your sales page)?
It is important that you know your purpose before resolving your story.
If you just want to write a single novel and give it a tight "closed" ending, this is great! The ten-book series is not for everyone, and for many authors, completing a single book is the accomplishment of a lifetime.
However, if you want to move on to a lifestyle where you make a living from your craft, you should end every book with an intentional purpose. You're not just bowing your current project; They also increase the anticipation of your next project and your next paycheck.
End well
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"Wow them in the end, and then you have a hit." – Robert McKee
That advice from Robert McKee in Adaptation is so true. We remember endings. We hold onto the emotions we feel during this.
And we tell our friends and family stories with breathtaking endings and encourage them to live them too.
Don't let the ending of your next story intimidate you. Take some time to complete the exercise below and then approach the end of your current job with confidence!
What is the biggest challenge for you when writing endings? Let us know in the comments.
WORK OUT
Take 15 minutes to write about your current work by answering the three questions:
- How will I resolve the physical conflict? What will the consequences be?
- How will I resolve or resolve the internal conflict? What lesson will the protagonist learn or what change will he / she go through?
- What are my intentions with this book? Do you want my end to be open, closed, or a launchpad?
Share your thoughts on the ending of your story in the comments below. If you share this, be sure to leave feedback for your co-writers!
