Every story deserves a good, satisfying ending. But what elements make up a memorable ending?
The Hero should Solve his Own Problem
The resolution of the novel should logical and should, at least
in part, be brought about by the hero (or heroine's) quick wit, thinking or reaction. It is unfair to the reader to have the
problem solved too easily, or by chance or circumstance. For example, if the hero is in a shootout
with the bad guy, it would be disappointing if a brick suddenly fell from an
overhead building and instantly killed the bad guy for him. This would certainly make the hero’s day and
solve his problem, but it is unsatisfying because the hero has done nothing toward
saving his own life. It would be much better if the hero had made a plan in
advance, perhaps rigged the brick so that it would fall, then lured the bad guy
over to the spot where it will land. In any event, the hero should use his wits
in some way to save his own life. His
actions should make sense and be products of his own logic, not fate.
Resolve
any Subplot
By the end of the book, any subplots, such as romantic
subplots, should be resolved. If the
hero has a fight with his girlfriend, do they reconcile or are they forever
estranged? Other subplots that should be
resolved by the end of the book are conflicts with family members or major life
decisions. Readers are interested in
even small details about the hero or heroine.
For example, in your novel the heroine might be looking for a new house
to buy. This may be only a minor aside,
yet the reader wants to know and will
be disappointed if the heroine has not found and purchased her little cottage
by the sea by the end of the book. Keep
the subplots hanging until the end of the book, but not indefinitely.
Tie
up all Loose Ends
“And they lived happily ever after.” It is customary for a novel, especially a
genre novel, to have a happy ending, or end on a positive note. The ending is usually a time to assure the
reader that all the wrongs have been righted.
However, a book does not absolutely have to have a happy
ending. In fact, some of the greatest novels of literature end on an unhappy
note. If your book does not have a happy
conclusion, then it must be in some way satisfying. The hero must have grown or learned some
valuable truth about himself. By the end
of the book, the problem that plagued the hero should be resolved, one way or
another. The hero should either be on
his way to a happier life or have in some way come to terms with, and be at
peace with, the decisions he has made.
End
with a Strong Sentence
The ending is a good place to provide a kind of
closure. What has the hero learned (or
not learned) about himself? Has this
experience made the hero a better person in some way? If possible, end with a
deep thought or emotion
In A Tale of Two
Cities, when Sydney Carton commits the noble act of dying in another man’s
place, the words "it is a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done,
it is a far, far better rest I go to than I have ever known,” will stay with
the reader long after the pages have closed.
And who can forget the ending line of Gone with the Wind, when Scarlett O’Hara pronounces, “After all,
tomorrow is another day!”
Tips for making a good ending:
*make sure the ending is logical
*the hero should solve his own problem
*resolve any subplot
*tie up all loose ends
*leave the reader with a strong sentence, thought or emotion
