Writing a Satisfying Ending
Posted by annastan on October 26th, 2009. Filed under: Books, Resources, Writing Rants.Since I recently posted on writing a good beginning, for the sake of symmetry, I thought I’d write a bit about endings. I’ll start by sharing some of Orson Scott Card’s brilliant advice on creating satisfying endings. Here’s an excerpt from How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy:
The beginning must make the audience ask questions that are answered by the story’s ending, so that when they reach that ending, they recognize that the story is over.
The beginning of a story creates tension in the audience, makes them feel a need. The ending of that story comes when that tension is eased, when that need is satisfied. So in determining your structure, it is essential for you to make sure your beginning creates the need that your ending will satisfy; or that your ending satisfies the need that your beginning created!
Card goes on to spell out how such connected beginnings and endings can be achieved depending on the type of story you’re telling. It seems simple, but given the number of unsatisfying endings out there, it’s clearly more difficult than it sounds. I couldn’t even begin to count how often I’ve said, “I really liked it, but I wasn’t crazy about the ending.”
When I read a book with a satisfying ending, it feels precious because those kinds of books are so rare. I had that rare moment last week when I finished Fire by Kristin Cashore. In such a sprawling work of high fantasy, it would be easy to get sidetracked, to come to an ending that is a far cry from where the book began, but I felt Cashore kept her promises to the reader and satisfied all the needs introduced at the beginning.
Thinking about endings also reminds me of a quote by Jane Yolen:
The end must be both surprising and inevitable.
The “inevitable” fits in with Card’s points. The elements of the ending have already been set up at the beginning so we know to expect them. The “surprising” part is a result of everything that comes in the middle of the story, all the twists and turns that bring us through the story and make us wonder if that ending will ever be reached.
What satisfying endings have you come across recently? Did they fit in with what Card and Yolen tell us?
October 26th, 2009 at 6:40 am
Great post. I think Jane Yolen is exactly right. And inevitable is the key — it completes the circle, which is how I think of a story. When an ending falls flat I think it’s because the writer hasn’t brought us back to the beginning. Stead’s When You Reach Me, I think, is a good example of a satisfying ending, and of completing the circle.
October 26th, 2009 at 7:41 am
When You Reach Me has a great ending. I almost think of that book as a mystery; we acquire clues throughout the story and they all add up at the very end.
October 26th, 2009 at 6:41 pm
Great post, Anna. Yes, satisfying endings do have to keep the beginning in mind. I have read some many books that have been parts of trilogies this year–but THE EVERAFTER by Amy Huntley had a satisfying ending to me since she answered some of the questions from the beginning.
November 8th, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Good ending — The movie the 6th sense. I love how it just tied everything together. I love “How to write Science Fiction and Fantasy.” He just has so many good pieces of advice. I especially liked what he had to say about world building and exposition.