2 Strategies for Writing Great Story Endings

Preheader text [Web Version »]( &p1=%40ugDaziePguCvoBBnP4tNyfijUpnxB12aG5Av%2BrU7txg%3D) [header]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [Name]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [Grand Finale: Two Strategies for Writing Great Story Endings]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) NaNoWriMo has ended, and we're nearing the end of the year, which means many stories -- both literal and figurative -- are drawing to a close. Powerful, unexpected story endings will leave readers hungry for your next novel. Consider the following techniques to help your story resonate long past the last page. The most gratifying story endings leave readers more than satisfied -- they leave them awed. Which is to say, you need to plan your conclusion just as carefully as every other part of your story. In fact, Joyce Carol Oates once said, "The first sentence can't be written until the final sentence is written." Whether her process works for you or you prefer a more organic method, by the end of the story your primary and secondary plotlines have to reach their proper conclusions -- with no loose ends dangling. All character and thematic questions must be addressed, all conflicts resolved and any moral quandaries settled. Most stories end when the subplots twine around the primary plot to form a seamlessly unified conclusion. Ideally, your ending should be, as Margaret Atwood put it, "completely unexpected and inevitable." This kind of ending leaves readers enthralled and breathless and clamoring for more. The two approaches discussed in this article can help you achieve this lofty goal: "Unreliable Narrator, Revealed" explains how to optimize the complexity of an unreliable narrator to form a finale bothexciting and thought provoking, while "A Wider Lens" intrigues readers by opening up their perspective from a narrow view to a broader one, as the context shift s and expands. Now, let's dig deeper into each individual strategy. UNRELIABLE NARRATOR, REVEALED Unreliable narrators allow authors great flexibility in determining how to relay information—what to withhold and when to reveal it. Such a device keeps readers guessing, unsure of what's really going on. If the groundwork is laid properly, readers will be staggered by the shift in perception when the true nature of the unreliable narrator is finally disclosed. There are five viable types of unreliable narrators. Understanding how the narration in each of these categories works will help you develop a fitting final twist. These types are: 1. THE INNOCENT, UNKNOWING OR MISUNDERSTOOD. This category includes children, developmentally disabled adults or anyone who comes from one culture and is plunked down in the middle of another. A child, based simply on their limited experience, lacks the knowledge to fully grasp some of what they see and hear. So, too, might someone with lower-thanaverage intelligence or someone unfamiliar with the environment in which they find themselves. A character might not know some of the vocabulary or cultural references, or they might miss the meaning in nuanced repartee. Another character may understand a word's denotation but not its connotation, or might report the words but not the intonation, missing cues that identify sarcasm or irony. Let's say you're writing a heist story. You have a character, Daisy, who pays for a cup of coffee with a $100 bill. The cashier asks if she has anything smaller. Daisy pulls out a $5 bill and lays it on top of the $100 bill. "No," she says in a serious tone. "They're all the same size." Daisy's literal interpretation of the cashier's question suggests that Daisy misunderstands the question. Won't readers be surprised when they learn at the end that her apparent mistake is actually a ruse designed to trick a mark into relaxing his vigilance? 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[Read More...]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [Behind Bars: Working with Inmates as Fiction Writing Sources]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [Story 3]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) Author Demian Vitanza recounts his experience working with an inmate to take his sensitive story material and turn it into a novel. He reflects on the unique considerations writers may need to make when using people who are in prison as writing sources. [Read More...]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) Advertisement [ ) Unlock the potential of your manuscript! Helga Schier, PhD, published author and professional editor offers effective, personalized, constructive and comprehensive editorial services. Contact:helga@withpenandpaper.com, [www.withpenandpaper.com]( ), 310.828.8421 [The Key to Getting Published: Perseverance]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [Story 4]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) As anyone who just wrapped up National Novel Writing Month knows, perseverance is the key to conquering any writing challenge. Here, author Lisa Preston shares her experience leaning into perseverance and succeeding with a dash of luck. [Read More...]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [Story 5]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [Your Story Contest 95: Submit Now!]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [Story 5]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) Write a short story of 650 words or fewer based on the photo prompt. You can be poignant, funny, witty, etc.; it is, after all, your story. Impress the WD editors and you and 9 other winners will appear in Writer's Digest magazine! [Read More...]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [The 2018 Writer's Digest Holiday Gift Guide: 30+ Gifts for Writers]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [Story 2]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) From books, briefcases, headphones, bookends and games to services, subscriptions and videos, this guide offers a compendium of creative experiences, learning tools and gifts for writers of every genre and persuasion. [Read More...]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) &p1={EMAIL}&p2=162977210 &p1={EMAIL}&p2=162977210 &p1={EMAIL}&p2=162977210 [Black Friday]( ) [Your Weekly Writing Prompt]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [prompt]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) The Town of Soft Rains: A soft breeze stirs a leaf that has fallen on the pavement. Otherwise, the street is tidy and beautifully maintained, just like the quiet houses arranged in neat rows along its sides. Just like the vacant shopfronts along quaint Main Street nearby. Just like the silent playground. Where is everyone? [Post your response (500 words or fewer) in the comments here ...]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) [Jess Zafarris]( &cid=DM88788&bid=889457951) Jess Zafarris Follow [@jesszafarris]( ) Jess Zafarris is an energetic multimedia journalist with more than 8 years of experience writing and editing, and the online content director of Writer’s Digest. Please do not reply to this email. 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