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Questions tagged [ending]

This tag should be used for questions about the ending of a literary work, such as styles and guidelines relating to a "Happy Ending".

This tag should be used for questions about the ending of a literary work, such as styles and guidelines relating to a "Happy Ending".

67 questions
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Is it a bad idea to have multiple bad endings and only one good ending?

Background: I'm working on a game that has multiple paths for players to choose from. The choices the players make can lead them to very different endings. There are many bad endings but only one true canon ending. Only one good ending,…
user23083
27
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14 answers

Non-trope happy ending?

This is in the idea stage, but I was wondering... In stories involving multiple protagonists (4 or more) that make and end relationships, date each other, etc. during the course of the story, the typical happy ending happens when everyone has found…
Tom
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How advisable is it to end a love story on a downer?

For example, it doesn't end with the leads getting together; rather, one of them dies or the relationship is left ambiguous. I know that taking this approach would be bad if the genre I was aiming for was 'romance', but what if the love story is…
Jack Rabbit
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What makes an ending tragic?

There are questions like, ‘What makes an ending happy?’ Or ‘What is considered a happy ending?’ That’s obviously not what I’m looking for. It’s more the opposite. Tragic love plots gives me cringes while endings like, ‘They live happily ever after.’…
Artemis Silver
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Should cliffhangers be used in every chapter?

This is not a great question but I use a lot of cliffhangers. And I have a habit of making cliffhangers in the end of every chapter that I write just to hook the reader. The question is, is it a good idea? Won't it look monotonous after a while…
Amin Mohamed Ajani
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10 answers

Is it time to start closing up my novel?

I realize this may be a duplicate question. I've seen, for reference [ How long can a first novel be? ] yet I think my situation is a little more specific. I find myself in a similar situation. My novel is a science fiction about the coming-of-age…
Liquid
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Does my protagonist *have* to succeed?

I'm thinking about a YA dystopian novel and have planned it quite thoroughly. However, when I look back, the antagonists tend to always be a few steps ahead of my protagonist, and my protagonist is always just too late to stop the antagonist. This…
Adi219
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Writing a Satisfying Ending

It strikes me that the last chapter (or so) of any story needs to make the reader feel that reading the book has been a worthwhile experience. An exceptional ending might leave a reader with such a warm glow that they immediately search for more…
robertcday
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What is the effect on the young reader when there is no "Happy Ending" in a story for children?

It is a common practice for a story for children to have a happy ending. Would it be considered inappropriate and disappointing for the young reader if his hero/heroine will suffer a horrible tragedy in the end? Or maybe not a horrible tragedy, but…
Axarydax
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What makes an ending "happy"?

In this answer, Amadeus makes the case for happy endings based on their far greater popularity compared to unhappy endings. This leads me to wonder, what exactly makes an ending "happy"? Before I go further, though, let me say that talking about a…
user16226
14
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3 answers

What are key features and pacing in a satisfying ending to a science fiction novel?

My novel has been through multiple drafts and beta reads, and by and large is in good shape. I've learned how to cure a saggy middle, how to stay in point-of-view, how to keep the protagonist driving the action by working toward their want. And so…
SFWriter
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Do Short Stories Need Definitive Endings?

I'm looking to create a few short stories that are in a shared universe of sorts and I'm curious whether or not I need to have a definitive ending to a story. I'm thinking that the "end" would be more of a cliffhanger or something along the lines of…
Dylan Beck
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Is it okay to have a sequel start immediately after the end of the first book?

The sequel to my first book is supposed to start immediately after the end of the first book. Zero time gap. Situation: At the end of book one a missing family member has finally joined the family. No interaction from the joining member occurs at…
Igor
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How do I go about writing a tragic ending in a story while making it overall satisfying to the reader?

I am working on a horror-ish novel in my spare time and want to end it by killing off the protagonist or her failing somehow. For a bit of background, here are the basic plot points of my story, Under the Crow's Song: Alice (Protag) is struggling to…
Allaster
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What type of protagonists get happy endings?

Obviously, the decision on how to write the ending is driven by the overall plot. That said, there seems to be a pattern on which protagonists get happy endings*. I'm not able to put my finger on it, but I get a sense that just from knowing the…
Kalev Maricq
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