Writing a satisfying ending - part two

Writing a novel can be a tiring, lonely journey. But, as I mentioned in my last post, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Sooner or later, you will pen down the words so many authors strive for: "The End." And when you turn and look back, you will not only appreciate your writing journey but be immensely proud of it. As you should be.

The beginning of a novel draws the reader in and sets the stage for the drama about to unfold, so naturally, the end must resolve that storyline and leave the reader satisfied with what happened to the characters. In literary fiction, a good ending has certain elements that leave readers satisfied, meaning that the story arc has come to its logical end and the character has achieved their main goal.

The elements of a good and satisfying ending include:

1. Resolution. Your ending should wrap up and resolve the central conflict you laid out in the beginning of the novel. A reader should walk away with a feeling that the story is complete.

2. Transformation. A story's ending should bring a powerful close to your character development. The main character has learned valuable lessons along the way and the ending should illustrate their transformation.

3. Suspense. A story’s ending is intensified when there’s a moment when the main character might not succeed. That last-minute tension makes the ending more satisfying when the main character overcomes their obstacles.

4. Surprise. Readers follow a character’s story to be entertained. Satisfying endings have an element of surprise. Predictable endings will make a great story fall flat.

Here are some ways you can achieve all the above-mentioned:

Narrow your protagonist’s options.

There should be a building sense of the inevitable here. Your protagonist begins to realise that the path to his or her story goal lies in only one direction – usually the one he or she has been trying to avoid. Allow your protagonist to try other options and fail. The antagonist is important in this part of the book because he or she should create obstacles for the protagonist. The antagonist wins most of the conflicts in this part of the book. Until the final one.

Make everything worse for your protagonist.

Keep the readers wondering whether your protagonist will achieve his or her story goal. The worse the story gets and the fewer pages we have left, the more suspense you are able to build. This makes for gripping reading. The perfect ending of your novel should contain fewer sequels (periods of reflection) and more scenes (periods of action).

Build tension in the lead-up to the end.

Before you get to the climax and things are looking positive for your protagonist, create suspense by making it seem like they might not succeed. Throw in a plot twist that stacks the odds against your main character. This last-minute suspense will make the pay-off even more satisfying.

Pace your ending to achieve the effect you want.

Writers should look to music for inspiration on how to handle endings. A song's tempo often changes as it nears the finish. A bittersweet piece of music will likely slow down as the war between hope and despair settles down and contentment rises to the forefront. This technique also works for novels.

Imagine your novel as a piece of music and ask yourself what type of ending the tune would have.

Whether it’s sudden and wrenching or slow and triumphant, reflect that in your novel.

Concentrate on wrapping up your theme and characters' arcs.

Deciding what to include in your ending can be tough when space is limited. Your story's theme should be the most vital element of your ending.

A novel can have multiple themes. Some will take the limelight, while others will be less central to the story. You should wrap up your main theme and all your other major themes in your ending, because they are the heart of your story. Compare your character's new normal world with how he lived and operated in your story’s opening scene. Also, make sure your message is clearly laid out in the last chapter. By clear, I don’t mean blatantly stated. You shouldn't wave it on a sign in big, bold letters, but it does need to be discernible to average readers. If readers can't distinguish your message, what's the point of having one?

As for characters, the ones who are still prominent in the story should have a place in your ending.

If your hero defeats (but doesn’t kill) the villain in an epic battle right before the story ends, not mentioning the villain after that would be cheating readers. If you can't fit a major character into your ending, consider granting him his own mini-ending beforehand. Plot is more flexible than characters and theme. As long as the fundamental conflict is resolved, you don't have to tie up all the loose ends, and it's often best not to. Unanswered questions will help readers remember your story.

Pull the readers' heartstrings.

Although your characters don’t have to be buckets of tears or go around shouting (which could distance readers because the characters have already done all the emotional exertion), you need to make the readers feel something upon finishing your novel.

Symbols are one of a novelist’s most powerful tools, and can be used marvellously when wrtiting an ending. If your character is a knight who forsakes his bloody past, marries, and becomes a farmer, his sword could be wielded as an effective symbol. As he's organizing his new house, perhaps he picks up his sword and is overcome by disturbing memories, then he quickly stashes the sword at the bottom of a chest.

If you're writing in the past tense, you could try changing from past to present tense in the last chapter. This technique won’t work for all novels and shouldn’t be overused, but it is worth considering, especially if you're writing in first person.

Setting is vital to every scene in your novel, but especially your last scene. Although ending with a sunset is cliché, it’s still a decent example. Does your last scene happen at a spot of old memories? If you desire a dramatic feel, use a storm. If you want a romantic feel, sunshine and swaying grass would be the obvious choice. Work with your environment to evoke the right parting emotion.

Dialogue between characters is one of the best methods to incorporate sentimentality. Perhaps there can be a repeated piece of dialogue or a phrase that now bears so much more weight than it did in the beginning? Something that would make the readers' bulbs light up, making them go through the pages just knowing they read this before.

Whether it’s a happy ending, a sad ending, or a little of both, let your reader feel something. Emotions make a story linger in a reader’s mind, and that can mean the difference between a good story and a bestseller.

Try writing a few different endings.

As you outline your story, map out your character’s journey and the different possible ways the story could end. What emotions does each option evoke? Your character might come full circle, back to the normal life they knew before. You can also create a surprise ending. Steer the storyline in one direction, then reverse course—the unsuspecting reader will realize that the clues were in front of them the whole time. For example, in a thriller, indirectly point to one suspect and then reveal a killer that was hidden in plain sight all along.

Leave room for interpretation.

Cliffhangers are good for chapter endings, but the end of a standalone story should resolve the character’s quest. However, if your book is part of a chronological series, it’s okay to leave some room for interpretation in the reader’s mind.

Ensure your ending makes sense.

Whether you’re writing a thriller, romance novel, or science fiction, the ending to your story must be the result of a logical progression of the plot and your character’s actions. In Greek theater, playwrights sometimes used a type of ending known as deus ex machina, a Latin expression meaning “god from a machine” in which a god would swoop in and resolve the story. Try to avoid using this method. Your readers are invested in your story and want the satisfaction that the character has arrived at this ending by their own volition and actions.

End on a strong note.

The most important thing is to create a sense that the story has ended. The perfect ending does not need gimmicks. Don’t include quirky twists or trick endings. We like it when we can see that the protagonist’s actions have created the ending because of the choices he or she has made.

If we’re still there at the end, it’s because we are invested in the outcome. You want our final impression of your writing to be positive. As readers, we don’t like to feel as if we have been tricked or cheated.

Don’t skimp on the last line.

Like your first line, the last line is a pivotal sentence in your novel. You could take many routes to writing a last line: dialogue, a philosophical statement, a description, etc.

Each ending type has a corresponding emotion that you should reinforce with your last line. For happy endings, convey warm satisfaction. For bittersweet endings, blend anguish with a shred of hope. For tragic endings, break readers’ hearts, but avoid being nihilistic. Give your story a sense of closure. The options are numerous, and how you resolve the story’s events is up to you. Just do it.

However, don't write your last line with too much finality, because this could dampen the homesickness you want readers to feel.

PART THREE COMING SOON!