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The End . . .

 

                                     
Th

Two words that provide amazing exhilaration when scrawled upon the final page of a manuscript – be it longhand or via keyboard. A solid table slam. Or tears. A shout. Or a deep inhalation. Those two words bring all kinds of responses from authors and readers.

                      
The Famous One

A common reaction to the end of The Famous One elicited tears from almost everyone who read the novel, and that includes the male readers.

                      
Breath of Life
 
The responses to the end of Breath of Life brought mixed reactions from various readers. Some were saddened for reasons I can't tell because of spoilers to the story, and others reacted to the seeming abrupt conclusion. As the author, I can explain the ending, but I can't change the reaction to it. What I might say could soften a negative response but not necessarily.

The question remains concerning endings. Is a strong reaction a good thing? Yes and no. If the ending causes the reader to immediately dislike the story, perhaps the author gambled and lost. If the ending causes the reader to wish it could've been different for the characters but the reader understands the conclusion, then it could be said the author was successful in creating a realistic ending. If the ending is "too good to be true", that might annoy some readers and please others.

Authors must decide what they think truly fits the story. Whether the ending is vague, pleasant, sorrowful, or happy, it must work with the characters and situations. It must retain the validity of leading the sum total of the story to its viable conclusion. And that choice remains with the author.

 

Father, thank you for inspiration. Those of us who write to honor you know where any and all talent and gifting originate. Again and again I say: Apart from you, I can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

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6 responses to “The End . . .”

  1. BK Jackson Avatar
    BK Jackson

    I would classify endings in two categories:
    The ending that affects the reader due to the characters
    The ending that affects the reader due to the author.
    If the reader finishes the book and their first thought is “What was the author thinking?” then I know they weren’t kept in storyworld.
    If the reader finishes–thinking about the characters, contemplating them whether they would’ve chosen that ending or not, then you know they were hooked in the whole way.
    I’ve read both kinds of books in plenty. Just like everything else about writing, we take a gamble with what we put out there and hope our vision will light fire under the reader. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it doesn’t.

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  2. Brenda Anderson Avatar
    Brenda Anderson

    Admittedly, I’m one for whom a bad ending can ruin an otherwise good book. Endings that suddenly wrap everything up in a tidy bow bother me. Conversely, endings that wrap nothing up bother me too. I remember reading a popular author’s book a few years back and after the last page I kept looking for more pages. I honestly believed my book was missing pages. After reading Amazon reviews, I’ve discovered I’m not the only one who believed that.
    I like how Brenda J described good endings. I completed a novel like that last night, Still Life in Shadows by Alice Wisler (an Amish novel for readers who don’t care for typical Amish fiction). Her characters had wound themselves around my heart, and I didn’t want to say good-bye to them. I was completely immersed in the storyworld.

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  3. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    Good analyses, Brendas.
    An author can get away with a somewhat unsatisfactory ending (for me) if they’ve given me a bookload of good characters with some sterling writing. My one example of this is Dogwood by Chris Fabry. I really didn’t like the ending, but I absolutely loved the book.

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  4. BK Jackson Avatar
    BK Jackson

    And so so endings don’t ruin a good book’s reach. I finally got around to reading To Kill A Mockingbird a few months ago after hearing years and years of hype about it. Overall, great book. But I was not wowed by the ending–and for reasons most people wouldn’t care about. The ending was a little too understated for me but the most important reason I didn’t like the ending was because Jem, who had been a strong force throughout the book, was simply unconscious for the finale. For me, that took a lot of air out of the tires.
    But it’s still a great book.

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  5. dayle Avatar
    dayle

    I like endings that seal the story or has significant meaning in a sentence or word or action.
    One of the best is the ending of Havah. One word brought so much meaning to the road that was traveled by the character.
    The Breath of Life ending is another good example

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  6. Nicole Avatar
    Nicole

    I tend to vote with you, Dayle, because I really do appreciate concise or pithy or significant endings. It’s that we get kinda used to just “endings” that either conclude or leave us in limbo, so much so we forget the really important and well done endings.
    I’m honored you liked the concluding words of Breath of Life.

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