The Sense of an Ending?

[Paul Whybrow]

A while ago, I posted a thread titled How do your Stories make People Feel?, which was posited on Carl W. Buehner's observation that: 'They may forget what you said—but they will never forget how you made them feel.'

As I near the end of writing my fifth Cornish Detective novel, there are going to be good surprises and terrible shocks, with my widower protagonist starting a new romantic relationship, after eight years alone, only to get stabbed and at death's door ten pages later; this story will close with his life in the balance.

I'm glad that I've chosen to end things this way, but I keep on trying to imagine the effect on the reader. Just writing the passionate and violent scenes is affecting me—and I know what happens next!

Looking back at the endings of the previous four stories, for the atmosphere engendered by their endings, I see that the first story concluded wistfully, but with a sense of hope, for the closing sentence is 'He was starting to believe in happy endings.'

Book 2 (which I actually wrote first) ends in a contemplative mood, as my hero is exhausted by a complicated investigation, but more appreciative of the need to get on with his life.

Book 3 closes with my detective surprised that he's feeling happy and more content, as he rebuilds his life as a single man, heading back to his new house.

Book 4 again ends with him glad to be returning home, but this time he's lonely—partly as it's Christmas. This ending sets him up for falling in love in my WIP.

I've no way of predicting how readers (who dey?) will react to the happy-sad ending of the latest story, though I imagine that some will feel annoyed with me. That's how I felt when reading the second story in a gangster trilogy by one of my favourite authors Dennis Lehane. The Coughlin series traces the rise and fall of the son of a police captain, who defies his father by climbing the ladder of organised crime. In Book 2, he has some real struggles, particularly to do with being safely reunited with his wife. This appears to have happened, making me breathe a sigh of relief, only for her to be unexpectedly killed off in the closing pages. This made me furious! Then I recalled that Lehane did something similar with the opening story...bumping off likeable characters. Sure enough, the final book closes with the mobster protagonist being rubbed out. It almost felt like the author was getting a kick out of spoiling things for the reader...or at least defying advice from his publisher about furnishing them with a happy ending.

The mood created by the last few pages can be powerful, staying in the reader's mind and affecting whether they read another of your books.

Do you give any thought to how the ending of your story will affect the reader?

Has this made you pull your creative punches...or did you continue full bore on the road to hell?

Can you recall any books you read, where you felt cheated by the ending?

 

[Amber]

Do you give any thought to how the ending of your story will affect the reader?

Yes.

Has this made you pull your creative punches...or did you continue full bore on the road to hell?

No. Option B.

Can you recall any books you read, where you felt cheated by the ending?

Not off hand. But if it ever see them again....

 

[Nikky Lee]

Hmmm, I found that Japanese manga and anime artists are not afraid to pull their punches at the end of their stories. Often their conclusions are chilling or downright heart wrenching (e.g. Children of the Fireflies ). However, they also leave you thinking for a long time afterward. I've seen this in Western writing too, but not as frequent (that said, it could just be my choice in books!).

In terms of being cheated by an ending: I recently finished reading (well, listening to) Ian Irvine's mammoth series The Well of Echoes and after listening through 60+ hours, it's ending was a bit meh. The loose ends are resolved, but he ends it with a twist that acts as a cliffhanger for the next mammoth trilogy.

 

[Carol Rose]

Do you give any thought to how the ending of your story will affect the reader?
Well, I write romance so the endings of all my stories are already known.

Has this made you pull your creative punches...or did you continue full bore on the road to hell?
No creative punches here. Now if I wrote a different genre, I'd do other things.

Can you recall any books you read, where you felt cheated by the ending?
Nights in Rodanthe. First and last Nicholas Sparks book I ever read, especially once I found out they all end pretty much the same. Let's just string our readers along with two characters who are perfect for each other and then kill one of them off without rhyme or reason. Um... no thanks. And yes, I realize The Notebook has a reason. I just don't care for stories like that. YMMV.

I also felt cheated by a few of Stephen King's books. It comes to mind, but there are others. Big build up and then the "monster" is so mundane and silly it's like he just tacked it on there to finish the book.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Paul, I'm dying to know. Who tried to murder your protagonist?

After falling in love and lust, my protagonist surges into a dangerous situation on a wave of elation, not appreciating the threat posed by a sinister art dealer he's been investigating. Although this man is suspected of two murders, he's physically weak and rather effete in manner, so my copper foolishly turns his back on him...only to be run through with the 2' blade of a sword-stick that the art dealer uses to get around with.

 

[Webbwalker]

My current novel has an ambiguous ending (not happy, not disastrous) that's a necessary set-up for the next in the series.

Do you give any thought to how the ending of your story will affect the reader?
Not really. It goes where it goes. I personally generally (not always) prefer a happy/proper ending to a tale, than a clever twist. Happy or sad, I like a satisfying ending - an end that feels like an end, that ties up the package in some way that feels natural. I don't as a rule (never say never) enjoy overtly clever endings that try too hard, that spoil an otherwise well set-up denouement.