Sometimes people think I am crazy, the rest of the time everyone knows it. One of the things that stands in the way of my writing a Marty Stu is everyone would say ‘Oh come on. That’s just not plausible. Even in fiction. And no one is that pig-headedly stupid.’ This is not a necessary feature of being a writer, although to be fair, pig-headed stupidity helps.
I am at 83K through the next book, that I estimate will be 85 K (so maybe even 5K longer because endings always stretch.) But usually by this stage I am settling in for an all nighter, because the end is so close I can taste it, and I know exactly what has to happen, I just need to write it down. And here I am, trying to write my Monday Post. Not a situation which is guaranteed to produce anything coherent…
However, one of the criticisms that has been leveled — probably fairly — at me is ‘the ending feels a bit rushed.’ That might well be because I am pushing headlong to get there. Maybe having to write this is doing me a favor, or readers a favor. Another suggestion – which I really liked because that means it is not just me doing a lousy job, was that a reader said to me: “I wish you’d gone on for another hundred pages. I didn’t WANT it to end.”
I’ve been there myself (even enough to start the book again from the beginning, immediately, or to read every word of the appendices. That’s why I tend to include that kind of thing -because I read them, not wanting the book to end.)
So, the question I wanted to ask is this: Do you favor epilogues? Tidying-up chapters? Should the reader be left in uncertainty over whether the kidnapper gets his come-uppance and heroine gets married and lives happily ever after?
Yours, approaching the end. Hopefully just of this book…
Mad Genius Club 
19 responses to “The Short and the Long of It”
I think it was Dan Hoyt that called it the ‘cigarette moment’ at the end. I like that. The warm chapter dwelling in the afterglow of success, getting to see the rewards of all of the pain and efforts up to that point. Even in series where I know that it’s not the end, having a happy moment of peace before the struggle begins anew in the sequel comforts me the reader (and writer, as I try to craft this into my books as well).
THIS
Yes! I’ve read too many books where the “falling action” basically resembles falling off a cliff. We have the final battle, “andthentheyalllivedhappilyeverafterkaybyenow.”
I think I also tend to like a capper at the end of a good book. A sort of ‘what was the impact?’ moment that shows, at least in broad strokes, how it all worked out after the main adventure was done.
I recently ran into Eric Flint’s short story follow-on to David Drake’s Ranks of Bronze novel. One of the things I liked about it was it really does serve as that cap-off to what happened with the lost Romans.
It’s weird knowing they’re both gone now.
I like a ‘wrap-up’ chapter, but a bit of ambiguity as well. For me a classic example of overdoing it is the epilogue in Harry Potter – it was just too saccharine, and the reader doesn’t need to know every single thing that happens to the characters. Suppose in the last paragraph Harry felt just the faintest twinge in his scar? Evil never really goes away.
In mysteries there is usually a thread hanging to lead into the next book, and in epic series as well. Character X’s issues are not completely resolved, or the villain escaped the final battle. In a standalone, maybe the final outcome of a subplot can be left open. But I agree that the end of a book should give the characters a feeling of accomplishment and success in resolving the main conflict.
I prefer not to be left with uncertainty over the big issues at the end of the book. I rather like it when the main characters have survived some ordeal and then get to wallow in happiness.
Me, I wrote three epilogues for the new book I just published. Two of the epilogues don’t quite fit in the book itself, so they go to newsletter subscribers.
I’ve got a work I’m revising where there are two sequel novelettes because if I cut them out I could resist the impulse to put them in the epilogue.
No one likes to be left hanging. For example, take those movies loosely based on historical events. I always enjoy the text blurbs at the end telling how the characters lives played out. In fact one of the things that bothers me about your typical Hallmark RomCom is that the final scene is always the couple sharing a kiss then fade to black and end. A precious few will then cut to One Year Later for some resolution, but even then in my head I’m thinking “yeah, but now the real work starts.”
Dave my good friend you’re a story teller, so tell the bloody story. It’s rather difficult to recommend you for another Prometheus until you finish the thing.
I like epilogues and everything tied up neatly at the end. Unless the author plans to use the ending as the springboard for the next book. You know. Book “n” ends with the hero splattered over the landscape apparently dead, and book “n+1” opens with the hero reconstituting from bits and pieces and primordial ooze to go for round two. I view deliberate ambiguity as legitimate as a tool for setting up the next novel.
For history (what I write)? Not so much. I do want stuff tied together there.
I like a good denouement.
They can elevate a good story to great (the credits of “Doki Doki Literature Club”) or largely redeem a bad story (The ‘00s Sci-Fi channel remake of “The Prisoner”).
That said….
There are a whole lot of epilogues that shouldn’t exist. Many of which seemingly exist only to blunt the emotional impact of the story. (Elizabeth Moon’s “The Speed of Dark” is a great example. The story ends on a beautiful bittersweet note, of the MC walking alone in a park, and us knowing that whatever the result of the brain-rewiring therapy will be, the character we’ve come to know will cease to exist. It’s perfect. Then you hit the epilogue, which tries to make you feel good that the character you no longer recognize survived and is doing super great, really. It’s saccharine, and it directly undercuts the story.)
Yes, I want resolution. And try to supply it in my own. And often add bonus scenes.
Dave, I am there with you. I have a book and a short story both waiting for proper endings. Problem being, I don’t want them to end. I want to stay and hang out.
This is always a problem for me. Therefore, every book so far ends with a party. Pizza party at home, the grand ballroom at the Royal York, fun shopping trip, something to provide a closing to the book so that everything has gone back to “normal” and the immediate world-threatening disaster is finished.
You go through such events with characters, you want to see them well-off when the uproar is done. That’s my thinking, anyway.
I like epilogues. And tidying up chapters. But I also like just a bit of unfinished business *for minor characters*, even if there won’t be a sequel.
Easy solution, write more books. (grin)
Think about who does the communicating in any sort of an epilogue.
1) Straight up epilogue, in narrative voice. “What happened to X and Y?”
2) Addressing the reader directly, in authorial voice. “I hated to say goodbye, didn’t you? Here are some things that happened afterward…”
3) Blurb teaser for next book (in a series) that hints/declares answers for some of the hanging threads. [“I guess they must have gotten married…”]
4) Direct tease, in authorial voice. “What happened to X? Not gonna tell you. Check out the next book/see this short story.”
5) It’s a big world out there, in authorial voice. “I like to wonder about what happens to X. I hope (—-) but, there’s always (—-) to consider.”
6) Personal reveal in authorial voice. “I was surprised myself when I realized that X had to happen to make things right. Stories have a life of their own.”
—
The point is to be a storyteller, and probably ideally in the form you like to receive stories. Then make that your flourish/persona/brand/trademark. Whether you do something planned like that, or nothing at all — it all carries your marks on it.
Lots of short story writers used to cultivate this sort of thing. Think of Alfred Hitchcock Presents , or Rod Serling. It doesn’t matter that the medium was radio or television — it was the authorial presence and commentary that lingered.
I’m a fan of “the cigarette or cuddle afterwards.” If you kill the BBEV, and then just type “the end” you piss me off a bit. It’s getting up, taking the money off the dresser and walking out while putting on your clothes.
As an author myself, I understand what we are, and now we’re just negotiating price, but at least be a high class version, and show a little consideration.
I just extended the ending of the next Elect novella because I wasn’t sure if it felt rushed. Half my beta readers said, “It feels rushed.” So I shifted some things, added a bit of hinting here and there, and that should make later readers happier.
I’m a fan of the follow-up chapter (denouement I think is the English class word?).
I like seeing a glimpse of the characters happily ever after.
Denouement is good.