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Q&A

Posts tagged ending

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Q&A 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...

6 answers  ·  posted 4y ago by Mark Baker‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by Kevin‭

Question fiction ending
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Q&A Where do I write 'The End'?

Background Woohoo! I literally just finished right now my masterpiece trilogy that I have worked on for what seems like, ages... I'm a bit vexed as to where I should write 'the end'. The epilogu...

4 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by Daniel Cann‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How do I end a comedy sketch?

I have a premise, which I think is funny/clever. I want to write this as a comedy sketch, to be acted out or shot on video. I have three "scenes" which are basically three different re-capitulatio...

3 answers  ·  posted 7y ago by user151841‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How do I write a fitting ending for an anti-hero?

My protagonist is an anti-hero. He's manipulative, cunning, kills, and sacrifices others for the greater good, which is to destroy an oppressive regime. I'm at the point where he has destroyed the...

3 answers  ·  posted 8y ago by DarkYagami‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question characters ending
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Q&A Ending a PhD thesis by saying "there is more to do"

I am ending the conclusion of my PhD thesis by saying something like this (not even remotely in these words): There was a lot of work gone in the thesis, yada yada yada, however there is room f...

4 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Shahbaz‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Story resolution issue - A symbolic gift for two new friends

I'm nearly at the end of my story, and I'm struggling to finish it. Ashley (male) and Anna were best friends since childhood, until they grew apart and didn't talk to each other for many years. Whe...

1 answer  ·  posted 10y ago by Lou‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question plot ending ideas
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Q&A How to tell if my story is finished, or needs more?

Slightly obtuse title, let me elaborate. I'm writing my first screenplay, and I'm trying to keep it simple while making it simultaneously wonderful. It's just a rom-com. But as I write and modify...

1 answer  ·  posted 11y ago by temporary_user_name‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A 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 g...

1 answer  ·  posted 11y ago by Amin Mohamed Ajani‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to improve the ending of my short novel (mostly dialogue)? [closed]

In a previous question, I asked about how to improve the opening of my short novel. The following is the ending: "Can I talk about something that makes me feel strange?" he asked while search...

1 answer  ·  posted 12y ago by Alexandro Chen‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question ending dialogue
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Q&A What is the use of "Ends." to indicate the end of a document?

I recall seeing the word "Ends." placed at the end of documents to indicate that, obviously, nothing else follows. Is this acceptable standard usage? It feels rather archaic (not that that's necess...

3 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by SabreWolfy‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A 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 trage...

4 answers  ·  posted 13y ago by Axarydax‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A 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. M...

4 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Liquid‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How to end a story without reaching a new status quo?

A popular writing theory states that any story worth telling describes the movement from one status quo to another, and that major uncertainties in the inception and conclusion should be avoided. ...

6 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Weckar E.‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Should I let my hero die with the villain?

I'm writing my own fantasy novel and the way I want it to end is with the villain showing his humanity to the hero, begging for mercy, and when the hero is about to spare him the villains stabs him...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Vítor Carvalho‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A 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 t...

5 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by noClue‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Prepare for more after the "ending"?

In my story, there's this big bad, who needs to be destroyed. That is the main goal for about the last third of the video game. So the group of heroes manages to destroy him! ... but I don't want t...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by noClue‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A 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 ...

5 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Tom‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question ending romance tropes
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Q&A Anticlimactic ending as a surprise after climax?

Note: my story is for a video game, but that should hopefully be irrelevant to the question itself. Our heroes spent a long time fighting their way to the evil demon king. The hopes of all the peo...

6 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by noClue‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question plot videogame ending
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Q&A Should mystery stories have resolutions?

I'm working on the finishing touches of a story that has as part of the plot a possibly-supernatural mystery. I'm feeling rather nervous about the whole thing though because said mystery isn't the ...

4 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Wendigo King‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A 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...

6 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Adi219‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question ending trends
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Q&A Should the opening of a short story mirror the ending?

When I was in school, my English teacher told me that a short story's beginning should mirror its ending, or at least the conclusion should in some way parallel the starting point of the story; but...

2 answers  ·  posted 9y ago by Strategy Thinker‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Genre conventions: Which end do readers expect?

I need help with the concept of my story: My protagonists live in a mild dystopia. Think of your own country today ;-) They have the opportunity to kill about 20 persons, which will cause a fundam...

3 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Do romances need to have a happy ending?

Is a book labelled "romance" expected to a have a happy ending? I've heard advice that "romance" novels are meant to satisfy, well, a desire for romance, and so an ending without a "happily ever ...

4 answers  ·  posted 10y ago by Standback‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question genre ending romance
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Q&A How can I make it so that my story isn't resolved so easily? [closed]

I'm writing a screenplay for a project in my film studies class and I'm close to resolving the conflict, but as I near the end, it feels like it's being resolved far too easily. In summary, the st...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Jodast‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Why is it that when I get to the end of writing my book, I get discombobulated and want to give up? [closed]

I've noticed this about most of the books I write, except for my short stories/novellas. When I get close to writing the end, my thoughts become a chaotic mess, and I don't know how to properly for...

1 answer  ·  posted 4y ago by Dawn Kelli‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Given two alternative, strong endings to a novel, how to decide which one to use?

I'm in the final polishing stages of a novel and I have two endings that both blow me away and I feel are very, very strong. Obviously, I can only have one ending. The story doesn't lend itself to...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by Tom‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question novel ending
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Q&A Writing a Story From The End

There is a writing technique where a writer would imagine in her mind's eye where her story should end and will write it 'backwards'. Writing the end and then writing the chapters leading to end, s...

0 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Oren_C‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How can I make a talky, idea-based concept enjoyable [closed]

I'm writing a psychological novel about different characters finding the meaning of their lives. But the ending reveals it was all part of an experiment (properly foreshadowed). Someone was trying ...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Aero7810‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A 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 drivi...

1 answer  ·  posted 5y ago by DPT‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A Should I end my story with a happy or sad ending? [closed]

I am writing a romantic short story and I don't know which type of ending suits my story better. Currently my characters fall in love but one ends up "cheating" (they were never dating or anything)...

2 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by user32795‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question ending romance
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Q&A Of plottwists and endings

While writing my story this has come up in my mind a lot. I have been planning and foreshadowing this major plottwist near the end of my story. But the effects of it might change my world utterly ...

3 answers  ·  posted 5y ago by Totumus Maximus‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question fiction ending twist
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Q&A 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 ...

3 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by robertcday‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A 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 m...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Dylan Beck‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What does the death of a fictional character mean?

When should a writer kill their protagonist off? Inspired by a question about character lifetime and another about what makes the death of a character satisfying for the reader, I have begun to wo...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by System‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How To Settle On An Ending?

I've had a few different ideas for an ending that I've narrowed down to two. They both fit the tone and they both fit the story. But they are also completely different. How do I pick? For example,...

2 answers  ·  posted 6y ago by Lunar Eclyptica‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A What to avoid when writing a happy ending?

I've finally decided to give a protagonist a happy ending, but what is there to avoid? What makes a happy end too cheesy? For example, if the story is about a anti-hero, who destroys his enemies, w...

1 answer  ·  posted 8y ago by DarkYagami‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question fiction ending
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Q&A How to improve the ending of this short story (final scene + flashback)

This is sort of the continuation of this previous question. The full text is here (just in case). Sophia grabbed her bag, and headed towards an entrance in the corner of the room. She walked...

0 answers  ·  posted 12y ago by Alexandro Chen‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

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Q&A How common *are* happy endings?

I'm curious. After reading some other questions, I've been pondering about the frequency and reason for happy endings. That is, a positive and/or hopeful ending, even if not everything went right, ...

3 answers  ·  posted 13y ago by Nick Bedford‭  ·  last activity 4y ago by System‭

Question ending storyline