Writing Effective Book Endings

I'm sharing thoughts on how to write effective endings! Disclaimer: I'm a bit scared to talk about endings because they're hard for me. I'm not an expert. Regardless, I want to share some common pitfalls for ineffective or bad endings, types of endings that you might want to try, and some troubleshooting thoughts.
TIMESTAMPS
03:48 Common pitfals for endings
06:33 Common/ideal options for endings
12:25 Key ingredients of an ending
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[@jacquig1939]

Author Twitter HATES prologue and epilogues but I like them if done well. Not all plot lines end at the same point

[@Erdnussbuttertoast]

i love them so much! And I'll be honest, I fell in love with prologues and epilogues thanks to Twilight - I just really loved the prologue in that book. I absolutely hate it, though, when a book does one and then not the other. that just feels incomplete to me

[@SingingSealRiana]

I love the possibilities they offer to establishe tone, use a different pov, look into a different time, set up a mystery, not haveing a pov . . . . . or wrapping things up later than would make sense in the last chapter, give perspectiv the pov characters do not have . . .but yeah, it has to make sense and add something and not just be pretencious

[@mad_the_monk]

I don’t know why but I love writing dark miserable endings - I feel they’re very rare but when pulled off are really effective

[@SingingSealRiana]

sometimes they just make way more sense. As much as I might like the characters, I can go balistic if they get a forced and nonsensical happy ending when the story just really really does not give room for one. When they have killed eachothers familiey, it is just wierd to let them get togeather in a happely ever after . . . when the whole story had a motive of sacrefice and consequences. . . I want consequences! The end has to fit the story

[@philipjohnson3942]

My epilogue and prologue actually take place after the story. The prologue is a letter to one character, years after the climax. The epilogue is the response letter. It's so that I can have the characters talk in the First-person and I think it's a cool idea.

[@halfway7690]

So cool I might steal it lol 👀 (joking ofc)

[@anthonyewell3470]

@@halfway7690 a thieving we go?

[@flutefox3177]

ayo what book

[@sarahmorris4575]

THATS SO COOL

[@daxofw]

Me: "My ending is perfect." My editor (after reading): "Huh? That's it?" Me: ok. rewrite. :(

[@JensLemonadeLife]

The worst fear we all have!

[@heatherrainr.8267]

The best ending I have every read was a for a book called "The Death of Antinous." I cried so hard it wasn't even funny. I didn't cry over true sadness but love. It's a Wattpad novel, so I know some people would not give it a chance, but I'll swear by this story forever. The author is a gem, very well-researched and sugar-coated nothing. The novel ends with an epilogue, three years after Antinous, famed lover of the Emperor Hadrian, drowned in the Nile River around age nineteen. His secret lover, Leonides, comes to an intensely grieving Hadrian to ask if he would free Antinous's former slave and close friend, Orodes. After a rather invasive conversation with Hadrian prying Leonides for details of his and Antinous's relationship, he agrees to free Orodes into his care. Orodes comes with a small wooden sword. Leonides says that sword would not suffice in a battle as the two men are preparing to become mercenaries. When Orodes explains that the sword was crafted Antinous when he was a child, Leonides changes his opinion, and whilst holding the object trying to withhold tears, he announces that they must bring the sword with them everywhere they go--that in doing so Antinous will be fighting along side them like he always dreamed. That his spirit will be watching over them. I've never cried so hard. I couldn't look at the page. I had to finish the book through blurry eyes. For another fifteen minutes after finishing I just laid there in bed, make up smeared all over my face, sobbing like a baby. If I could own a physical copy, I'd own like...five.

[@BADDEC101]

I've only written one book but what helped me land my ending was this: As the plot initially rolls out, my color pallet is very limited. I added color only when it served the story. Throughout the plot progression, I gave each character a specific and colorful feature, while in the epilogue, I used those colors as part of the setting description in wrapping up only the 3 main characters arcs. I went from one side of the color wheel in the beginning to the opposite side in the end.

[@DL-idk]

Oh, yes. I hate cliffhanger endings:( Edit: I prefer the story to be somewhat resolute, not forcing me to pick up any sequels the author might be planning. I'm just not patient enough to wait for another two or three years to feel satisfied with a story I'd probably already forget by then.

[@AderuMoro]

On this note, I want to trust that an author can give me a satisfying ending to their series. If they end the first book on a cliffhanger, they lose my trust and I likely won’t pick up subsequent books.

[@bellac6311]

I dont mind a cliffhanger, as long as it feels more like a sneek peak ofthe sequel, than an incomplete ending of the origional. For example, if a books plot finishes, and is resolved, but then another issue arises and that is what leads you onto the next book, its fine. But if they dint finish the first book, then its a problem.

[@lllinai]

Sameeee as someone who wants to write for fun and publish online this is a big one for me. There’s no necessity to make endless sequels when the story can be told in one book, usually ruins the story for me, cause it drags plot points too much.

[@charleshuguley9323]

When my daughter was four or five I would tell her bedtime stories. I had explained to her what a cliffhanger was and whenever I employed one she would exclaim "Oh, no, Daddy! Not a cliffhanger!"

[@Man-ej6uv]

disagree. love it.

[@Kelly-ib1hf]

I am about 15,000 words from writing my ending and I suddenly realize I haven't given it a ton of thought. 🤣

[@annemcintyre9620]

hehe me too. That's an Oh…F moment

[@latehare111]

That's the learning process. You will become a better writer with light bulb moments Kelly.

[@annemcintyre9620]

@@latehare111 What have you done or thought that helped an ending coalesce for you?

[@latehare111]

@@annemcintyre9620 I think a good tip is to review your story through your characters eyes as a memory. That way you can get clarity on how the character will react when it come to the climax and beyond. This short video may also help. Hope Alexa doesn't mind me posting this link. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWWncnSVaq-MidE

[@booktothebecky]

I think endings are hard because there are many variables at play and it's hard to make sure you hit all the right notes depending on genre, your theme, and characters. I'm someone who thinks a lot about endings, mostly because I cannot sit down to write a book or story without obsessively figuring out the end. And I mean obsessively! Usually i have the last couple of scenes planned out and already know my final image, cause I'm that loser. I need to know where my characters end up in order to create a complete (?) character arc for them. I think more often than not, the books that really hit a home run ending wise for me are ones that give me fully realized character arcs and hits their theme like you said. They also don't give me more than I need to know. Idk if that makes sense, but there's something so satisfying about a super crisp ending. I'm always here for the well planned epilogue lol.

[@r.brooks5287]

I'm the same. I had an overall idea for my first book with several scenes in my head but most were around the end. The end has not in depth changed while the start has been rewritten several times. I have to know where I'm going. I even know the last few scenes of the last book in the series even though I've only got book one done.

[@cabbageeternal326]

This video could not have come at a better time for me! I'm completely torn on what ending I want.

[@MsCurufinwe]

Me, too. XD

[@nviz47]

Oh, good luck! Not quite there yet but I'm thinking about it. Am in act 3.

[@Kelly-Martin]

I write horror, and I think horror endings are so difficult to nail down. Endings are most certainly hard.

[@MsCurufinwe]

I know! Horror endings give you the freedom to explore because the audience doesn't expect a happy or normal one, but it's easy to make it feel cheap. The edgier it is, the more thought you have to put into it, or else people can see right through it. So difficult! But that's what makes horror fun, no? XD

[@jonalyngregorio8813]

I am now writing my first book . I already have idea how to end it . And here I am watching this video to improve how my work will end . Greetings from the philippines❤

[@jernylauriceanova8869]

Also from the ph! Hehe❤️

[@siuzannavyshneva6312]

Omg, Jonalyn is such a beautiful name!

[@jonalyngregorio8813]

@@siuzannavyshneva6312 AWW THANKYOU SO MUCH ❤

[@anonymousduck6174]

Oh hi From ph too

[@jonalyngregorio8813]

@@anonymousduck6174 hello

[@brinleyowens2551]

I do not like epilogues, especially in romance, but I actually love cliffhangers. Well, if the next book is already out lol

[@r.nicogorodetzky3084]

If you understand your characters’ arcs, you can make a satisfying ending. My favorite endings in fiction are ones that tie character arcs into narrow endings that broaden into the wider, thematic meanings of the novel. If anyone sees this, I hope it makes sense!

[@AncientMotherBeatrice]

I NEED A THIRD ACT VIDEOO

[@robertrussell4586]

I just finished Brightly Burning and enjoyed your ending! It was a fun ride. On to the Stars We Steal :)

[@AlexaDonne]

Thank you! I'm so glad the ending worked for you :)

[@emilyrln]

omg. I wrote my book's ending, and I thought I was done. Then I wanted to give readers a bit more time with the characters, so I wrote a tiny epilogue for the book (just under 5K words, making the whole thing about 150K I know it's a doorstop please don't judge me). Then I decided to write a bonus feature (about 10K). Then I kept writing, and writing, and writing… and now the bonus feature is over 33K, and I still have things I want to put in it. WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?! *velociraptor shrieking noises* (also, KZbin doesn't have "velociraptor" in its dictionary. wtf??)

[@joy941]

Idk if this is useful but as a writer, I get the struggle of saying goodbye to the characters I created and loved. A tip I heard somewhere was to create a secret ending for yourself, a story of what happens to your character(s) later, maybe even years after the story is done. That way you don’t stretch out the ending too long and put unnecessary epilogues that the readers don’t need but maybe you do (though personally I love reading epilogues).

[@emilyrln]

@@joy941 That's a neat idea! I'll try it if I can't let go at the end of the sequel. Thank you for sharing! I ended up splitting my book into 2 separate books, as the plots of the two groups of characters diverged completely (and they're also kind of different genres lol). Book 1 (romance with a dash of science fiction) is 94K and its sequel is currently 101K with a few scenes to go, but I pretty much know where/how it ends. The _other_ book 1 (literary semi-fantasy, I guess) is 76K and needs another 5-15K (which I have *not* yet figured out plot-wise… eek!). And then there's the completely separate 3rd-person-past urbanepic fantasy (27K), which has a looooooong way to go. Wish me luck! 😂

[@joy941]

@@emilyrln Wow! That’s great! I’m currently working on just one stand-alone novel, nearing 90k words at the moment. I have an idea of what the ending is going to look like but I find ends a lot harder to write than beginnings. Anyway, best of luck with your writing! :D Edit: I’m glad I could help in some way lol

[@emilyrln]

@@joy941 Thanks! Good luck to you, too! (Yeah, endings are not my forté, either. I'm a discovery writer and things regularly happen that I did _not_ plan lol!)

[@heidischlottman643]

I'm working on rewriting my ending right now, so this is perfect timing!

[@breemlew]

I struggle with endings, too. But it ties in with my pacing issues. I tend to rush into the ending.

[@aijamberisabel]

Wow, that’s dedication. I have been writing my first book for almost a year now ( I have not edited it in a while) and making more than one book involves loads of dedication and confidence in your writing.

[@mrplatink]

I LOVE my first book's ending... LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! Only thing is...will the sequels have as good endings when the first book's ending is so compelling and emotionally satisfying? I think someone said to start from your ending and word out/flesh out everything from that. The ending is the root cause for everything else, and once you know and can "see" that ending as though it were on a movie screen, those are your roots, your core, your beginning.

[@emichgarden]

I had a planned ending and it ended up being the beginning of the next act. I just now resolved it with literally a big bang. Thanks for helping me focus!

[@samuellewis2100]

I write noir, and am a big fan of killing my protagonists at the end of my stories. Usually the one plot thread they didn’t tie up finds a way to trip them. Bonus points if it’s first person POV.

[@emiliaross2244]

Samuel Lewis as a reader, oof, but as a writer, nice XD

[@lllinai]

Same but I write fantasy so sadly not always works.

[@gwenminor9244]

Killing your main protag in 1st person POV is just evil

[@dummyaccount9629]

Yes. I'm writing a story and I've already planned the ending which is all the protagonists dying, though a lesson will be learned. The thing is I feel like it wouldn't give such of an impact I would want to give off.

[@iluvlittenanimations2.010]

“so he’s gone, it’s over, I just wish we could have saved him” “no, he was gone a long time ago, there was no man left within him to save”

[@FionaA17]

It’s funny cause I find endings the easiest part - I always have so many ideas and ways to do it in a cool way. Beginnings are the worst for me - any ideas i have are always mediocre and i cant ever get it right. The video was still really helpful, thanks!

[@calypso_lazuli]

It’s hilarious because I always have ideas for endings and don’t seem to have many issues with it, BUT, on the other hand, beginnings/introduction to the novel and the “beginning hook”, OMG, I always have a hard time with the start of a story!!! I don’t know how many times I’ve changed the beginning of my W.I.P. and I’d say I’m not even close to thinking what it’ll ultimately be in the final draft let alone the 2nd or third draft 😂😂... but I already have a great idea for the ending of the novel and I don’t expect to veer too off from it 😳😳😂🤣😅

[@andreannelavoie660]

lol, I have the opposite problem. Beginnings are my thing, but endings, oof! It's probably because I've had a lot of practice with beginnings and much less with endings.

[@calypso_lazuli]

@Andréanne Lavoie ... I think too, when it comes to endings, in my experience, is that each writer has their own style. Obviously you’re not going to have the same ending for each manuscript, but the way you achieve the ending is usually stylized to represent you as an artist.. And, I’d say, this isn’t easy to figure out. It’s almost similar to “voice” and “tone”... Take for example the differences between the ending of Stephen King novels versus novels by Anne Rice. And trilogies, without a doubt, follow different endings than stand-alones, ect. I also think you could play around with your ending more, and use a lot of creative expression there. Why I struggle with the beginning, I think, is I haven’t found the right formula that works for me yet, even through all these years of writing 😂😂, I’m not a published author so maybe that contributes, in addition, each writer has their own strengths and weaknesses.

[@iancossey105]

I think the really hard thing about endings is trying to steer a course between being too pat, too trite, too predictable on the one hand, and being too oblique and unsatisfying on the other. There are no ‘new’ endings, everything’s always been done before, so in a way the crux of the problem is in finding an interesting way to approach the ‘same old, same old’ without it looking ‘same old.’ Also, I do think (speaking from the frustration of experience) you’re in trouble as a writer if you get halfway or more through writing your novel and still have no idea where you’re heading. Even if you don’t know the specifics, there comes a tipping point at which need to know at least the basics behind how you’re going to draw all your strings together, otherwise you’ll find yourself wasting a LOT of time ‘reverse engineering’ things to fit with the ending you eventually do choose. So much of the ending is to do with pay-offs and if you haven’t done the planting for those pay-offs, it can get very messy trying to crowbar them in retrospectively. The opposite is also true, of course - it’s great fun planting ‘seeds’ here, there and everywhere at the start, but you need to be sure you’re going to pay them off later, which usually means you have to know how and where, which in turn means having a grip on where you’re going. That was my problem: throwing everything I could into the bucket in a fit of excitement only to later realise I couldn’t possibly synthesise everything into a satisfying whole unless the book was going to be the size of ‘War and Peace!' (I save the 'War and Peace' stuff for YT comments sections! :-D)

[@absolutelycitron1580]

Tysm for this video in particular. I've seen so many about how to write or improve the middle of stories, but few on the ending. I can see why the middle is a struggle for so many, but for me, it has definitely been the climax and ending

[@ace_of_cups4096]

I have rewritten my ending several times and i finally believe i've got the best one for my book! I'm so happy!

[@rueroxanne972]

With my current story, the first image I was saw was the ending. I enjoyed this discussion as always.

[@elishia2526]

I cannot say this more enthusiastically - THANK YOU! YOU HELPED ME FIX MY ENDING. I've known something was missing from my ending for a while, betas have hs said so, but they or I haven't been able to quite marry the ending I want and the ending a reader needs. This video gave me the idea. Thank you, your videos are a constant source of inspiration!

You pointed something out that resonated with me. Now I know how to improve my ending, thank you!

[@kylben]

I like epilogues that describe the long term outcome. For instance, if your character solves his problem, beats the bad guys, gets the girl, the climax resolvles it and the denouement deals with immediate consequences and emotional release. Then an epilogue might show the character as an old man reflecting on the happy life he had once the problem was out of the way, the kids he and the girl (now his wife) had, the prison sentences the bad guys served, etc. Not always necessary, but some stories have long term consequences and knock-on effects the reader will be curious about, even after the story itself is satisfyingly over. As an aside, 'The Time Traveler's Wife' subverted that in a very interesting way. A thought, if you need an epilogue to wrap up loose ends, it might be a 'code smell', a hint that something about your story is missing, or that those characters and/or subplots don't need to be in the story in the first place.

[@wattpadusergeek342]

I guess the best tip I was told once is to actually end the book, especially a draft. After that you can fine tune it and maybe even change it. Just finish first. 😅😜

[@chancer9170]

Currently editing my second draft of my first ever book and this was so so so helpful

[@daniadominguez8770]

Me too!

[@johannagulliksson5761]

How does Alexa continue to read my mind and publish videos I need at that time? She’s a magician. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

[@siriusblack2648]

Thank you! I always have trouble with endings and beginnings.

[@Erdnussbuttertoast]

i'm currently trying to find out what my ending should be for the characters. should one die? should both live with an unhappy ending? happy ending? so this video is definitely helpful, though I fear I might have to re-watch it a few more times, and listen to music that fits the mood after the climax to figure out what should happen!

[@heyryanisonx3141]

For the cliffhanger ending, I would recommend Daphne du Maurier's works 100%. She tends to start her stories with a sort of epilogue/introspection from the narrator after the story has taken place in a way that teases the ending without giving too much away and setting up suspense. Then, the story starts back from the beginning and it ends on that final twist/cliffhanger that leaves on a high note and makes the opening chapter gain new meaning and provide resolution/breather.

[@w.holyheart]

Alexa : thank you! I love your transparency, I love your honesty. I love that you are so genuine to us, you look like such a good person! I have spend so much time with you I have the feeling that I know you. You're somehow one of my "cheering friends" and that is exactly what I needed to keep me motivated. Thank you :)

[@kerneywilliams632]

Am what I call a roadpost author (plotter/pancer combo). One thing I've found on my book is that I wrote the ending first and it has changed the least (two MCs sit down for a friendly chat with a frenemy pychopomp) I wonder what other experiences people have had with this technique. Also, have Brightly Burning on my tbr pile and am now curious about the ending.

[@katiestewart7926]

It's so true that endings are subjective! In one of my manuscripts, my mum really didnt like the ending of one of the characters, she wanted this character to get caught and punished, while my other readers really liked the fact that she got away with it because this character, while evil, was also a fun character (think of a forty year old harley quinn). The manuscript I'm querying right now had a very abrupt ending until I fixed it in the last revision.

[@carlolabell]

You came just right on time. Thanks for this!

[@lindapenttinen3382]

Starting a story is easy, continuing it is easy but ending it in a way that it is satisfying to you...that is hard. That is why most of my short/longer stories are on hiatus for that reason I simply cannot figure out endings that ties all loose ends together.

[@latehare111]

Thank you Alexa. Your videos are always a great help.

[@amandaspell14]

I loved this video, Alexa! Something you said helped trigger an idea that I believe will make my ending that much more fulfilling for the story. It may not be the perfect ending that everyone would expect, but I think it is the one that best follows my main character's morals.

[@Caz_Hamilton]

This helped me decide that in my book I'm planning that the king won't die he just will have to give up his kingdom. And take it back at the end.

[@misconceptionofyours2409]

I found this a rather interesting video. And a good ending is something that makes me take an interest in an author TBH. And I have been writing since I was little, and have never been very good at what makes an ending that is satisfactory. Then again, until a few years ago I never shared what I wrote with anyone. So, with the information you have parted, I think I can go back on my novella I am working now and see what I can find to help make a decent ending even better. Thank you! (also, cliffhangers are not bad, just the patience of waiting is a virtue not much exercised)

[@lainehalle1039]

i freaked when i saw Wilder Girls on the shelf behind her!!! I love it!!!!

[@kevinmiles5611]

I've been needing this!!!!

[@FaithMurri]

I needed this right now!!!

[@msg7142]

I think I'm pretty good at endings. It's the beginning that drives me nutty. I might realize I'm not that great with endings, by the end of this video😁

[@ronspark4195]

This is another great video!

[@sherrithorne9771]

Endings are hard. I found that I was not sure if I wanted to end my novel on a cliffhanger, because I know there readers that don't like cling hangers.

[@crystalpeake]

Another great video!👏👏👏

[@loveisanopendoor3532]

The best endings iveeee seen was hunger games 1 and 2 with "there is no district 12" or them getting thrown back into the arena. It was so incredibly well done and had you at the edge of your seat but it also made sense to the plot and wasn't fake Nd was followed through effectively in the next books.

[@danidino1645]

From the beginning of my first story(fan fiction) i had a great idea for an ending but what i didnt know i would struggle with is writing the ending ending of the ending (the last paragraphs of the last chapters). I've been stuck on that for 4 months now :o

[@GameExplorer0115]

I feel that. Finding the right words to finish off anything is tough. Catching the tone and attitude of the product presented to the reader I think is key to a satisfactory ending. It would be either a section that focuses on either the Truth that a character comes to accept for a lie that character chooses to believe and reflects on the outcome. Narrative cohesion is the most important thing at the junction your at, after all these last sentences are the send off to your journey that you design. If you found those words I wish you the best, if you haven't I hope this helped you a little.

[@heatherheather600]

I recently finished The Lincoln Highway. Audiobook came up 1st and the voice acting 😮. Idk if I would’ve liked as much if I’d read. I tend to skim during tough emotional investment passages. The ending at first seemed sudden. But I took a breath and realized it was perfect for the story. I just wanted to continue the journey with them .

[@xx__maggieg_xx]

My friend and I are working on the ending of our first book and we're so conflicted about how we want it to end and it's so stressful

[@evennot]

My favourite endings are abstract ones. They can be a coup out, the reader will see desirable things there. Too bad they happen mostly in non-literature forms: in theater plays, in games and in movies. I'm talking about the things like Year Walk ending. But it's applicable even in comedies. For instance, there was an old light hearted comedy with a tragic undertone, that grow bigger and bigger by the ending. But the abstract ending scenes (like in a mockumentary) allowed to save light tone even though everything looked doomed. But like Alexa said, a lot of people don't like particular styles of endings, no matter how good they are implemented. So it's not a silver bullet

[@hiralsingum998]

I love endings that leave something unresolved and are jarring to readers (to me they are fun to both write and read) or endings that change the meaning of the entire journey. Happy endings are not my preference because I like feeling emotionally affected by the book and without a ending that makes me go “wow” or “what!” makes me question the point of the journey in the first place. Again it’s just my opinion and I’m trying to learn more about good endings too.

[@NiveaCow]

The ending I hate the most is the "X years later" kind of epilogue. I want to get the resolution from main characters after the climax, not them having children. I understand why it's done, but it can be twitted about after the book. Or mentioned in some kind of appendix as an info. It happened a lot to my favourite stories and I still kind of lack closure to them. And it haunts me. Most popular example is Harry Potter: ok, Voldy's dead, but hey, look at 6 kids you don't care about going to Hogwarts. Like, why would I care? I would rather have Harry and Ron becoming Aurors or some other thing concerning the main three there if J.K.R. wanted a time skip that badly... And since she loves Twitter so much she could go "Hey, Dimbledore's gay. BTW. Harry's kids names are XYZ."

[@michaelblatherwick5324]

An epilogue can be a nice soft landing for some forms of cliffhangers, or bleeding plots intended for a sequel. If done well, it can be cut from a first submission by an editor as long as the main story is not affected by its omission. Be wary of using and sticking to absolutes. A well written story can break and bend "hints and tips".

[@Supvia]

I just read all the endings of my favorite books. I like the endings most, where the characters reflect on their future and that it will be brighter than anything they have suffered throughout the book. Or even if they didn’t overthrow the villain, they might reflect on how they are planning to do this (The Warehouse, Rob Hart), where a happy ending would just not serve the severe topic justice.

[@lanalytch]

Great video, thank you!!!

[@zeropaloobatheuber1572]

I’ve written 5 books too. That’s almost 500,000 words, not including rewrites (do they count as words written??) and I agree with Alexa in part. Regurgitating other people’s knowledge is fine if your audience comprises novices. I’m discovering that most of what I see on KZbin, I’ve already worked out for myself. These days, it’s really only the true experts (million selling authors and academics) that enlighten me.

[@stephanietopp1106]

I've found a lot of guidance from John Truby's "The 22 Steps of Storytelling". According to Truby, with a character-driven story, the ending should reflect the "new equilibrium". The character(s) has/have gone through some significant changes (positve or negative) and he/she/they are settling into a new norm. For example, an alcoholic who's sobered up, but is learning to confront the motivations/emotional trauma/whatever that drove he/she to drink in the first place. This would be a positive ending, because the character has wrestled with their demons and has learned to fight on (as opposed to a tragic ending) and has come out better. To write a meaningful, satisfying ending, one could to look to the beginning. Where did the character(s) begin? What are his/her/their weaknesses and deep "needs". "Needs"in this case refers to a change the character must undergo but is not yet aware of. In the alcoholic example, some addicts know that they need to stop drinking, but the "need" is what is motivating them to drink. Until they become aware of this need and confront it, they will continue to drink and spiral downwards. Throughout the book, the character's attempts to sober up and fix their life will be thwarted by this unaddressed "need". Truby refers to the "self-revelation" which can, depending on the story structure, be in the same scene of the "battle" or climax of the story, when the character has to undergo a painful struggle against the antagonist. The self-revelation can be a very gruelling process of the character seeing him/herself truly. I won't take all that Truby says as gospel, but it's a great guide, recommended to me by published authors, and I've found it applicable to my own stories. Thanks for the video, Alexa!

[@carterwillis6624]

I didn’t think I was going to write my ending first but it’s the high point of the book and it just sort of happened. Watching this to make sure it’s good enough, and going to go back and begin unfleshing out these characters. Can’t wait

[@frnkrry8938]

Something I’ve learned recently while writing is that when you are confused about what pacing is appropriate in important moments like the climax, it helps to have a very clear idea of the “architecture” of your story. For example, there are 6 major defining parts in my story, so for the ending I decided to work it in that same 6 part structure, so it feels like the climax and resolution are structurally summarizing the whole story and giving it a feeling of completion and like it belongs there. Similarly, I replaced the filler in some less important scenes with nods to this structure and I was able to replace the filler with foreshadowing by vaguely showing the audience which direction the script would be taking.

[@yeshs4399]

I don't know what you call the asoiaf's book endings. They feel so incomplete, most of the POVs end in cliff hangers and grrm takes literally a decade to solve them. yet they're enjoyable. Ha, the wonders of the world...

[@susanbuckminster282]

Thank you!

[@justalittleme]

I intend my book to be somewhat thematically rounded. There's a character haunting the narrative throughout the story, her decisions and actions impacting everything that comes later. The other characters are kind of walking in her shadow, trying to make their ways in a world meant to chain them down. I want my ending to be rounded, to compliment the main theme of the story (which I don't have completely figured out, but it's something along the lines of unescapable change in the face of traumatic experiences and loss, and trying to remain human in the face of horrific atrocities) and I'm not exactly sure how to do that. Granted, I haven't started the first draft or finished creating my cast, but I know (sort of) what I want. This video helped me kind of draft that ending and how to make it the kind of ending I think I want. Thanks!

[@seeyouspacecowboyx]

I like a good epilogue. And I love a denoument. My first experience with a book that ended too abruptly, was reading Sabriel as a teenager. I loved the story so of course I was planning to read the sequel. Sabriel didn't end on a cliffhanger, it just stopped as soon as they defeated the Big Bad. No breathing room at all. I still have fond memories of reading the whole series, but I also vividly remember my panic the first time I read the first book, seeing how few pages were left, and worrying about how they were going to succeed in just a few pages. I was afraid I'd got a bum copy of the book that had a chunk of pages missing from the end! Then when I finished reading, I was a bit disappointed. I guess as a girl reading a book with a thin romantic subplot written by a man, I was hoping for a little more resolution to that than just "then they killed the Big Bad the end." In the next book they're older and married with kids, and they do have a nice dynamic, but it doesn't satisfy what I was hoping for from the first book.

[@hollyscherillo4129]

I loved that book! Hmmmm... but you're right... I didn't think of that in the end

[@LauraWrites]

This is such an interesting topic for me because endings are usually one of the first things I come up with before I even start plotting or outlining. I always just see the ending as soon as I come up with the concept. Have you read Jessica Brody’s Five Point Finale in STC Writes a Novel? I found it EXTREMELY helpful with working through act 3 to get to that final scene I already had in my head.

[@TheDuckHasArrived]

Hello, thank You for your thoughts. Best ending for me is when one journey is finished / concluded but there is another one possible / available at the horizon. I can then go further with my imagination and given character, even when the book ends. I tends to do that when I liked the character and his / her ways of being. Worst ending is when main character … woke up after everything and all I was invested in turned out to be just a dream. It is SO disappointing and lazy on the part of the author.

[@SysterYster]

I'm scared people will hate my ending. XD But it's not the END end, because there's a book two coming. :P But I think I did nail the return to the status quo, because the story starts with the MC going to a big city, and it ends with him returning there, but in a much different state.

[@JensLemonadeLife]

The ending on my 1st book is extremely tough. I'm writing based on a dream I had and your brain just packages it up nicely and fades into the night...but people want a big bad, and realistic risk, not holding hands and hugging it out lol. I know it will have a sequel, possibly a third. The notes I originally wrote for the sequel are literally only about the ending...so that needs to be worked backwards lol. Even if I still need to tweak the end of the first, I think I've reached a content resolution while still leaving you asking questions for a second. The big "what if".

[@chaosworld60]

I like to give a happy ending that is open ended for more. Like the wedding idea but something can happen in the next book after the wedding.

[@amylynnsgraphics]

I'm really into thrillers and I'm writing one, but one thing I've noticed as I've read other thrillers is that they are often left open ended, and most of the ones I've read were stand-alone and not series or have sequels. I'm the type of person who loves my ending wrapped up nicely in a bow, and it doesn't have to be happy, just closure, I hate when I don't get closure and stuff lingers.

[@solarsailer4166]

Hi Alexa, I don't know if you'll ever see this comment, but I wanted add to the discussion. On endings, I think it's very important that the author step back and look objectively at where the book has gone, marking the starting and ending positions of the characters in terms of ther personal growth. Do we see pronounced change? Are the characters taking steps to be new or better people? Have the events in the book made a real difference in their life (positive or negative)? I think that's a good place to start. Then handle the subjective stuff. For me, a book has to have a solid objective foundation and then the subjective material can lay on top of it. Anyway, just my thoughts. Thanks for the video.

[@blanglangdon]

Do you have a video where you go through your quibbles with the beat sheet? If not I need that in my life.

[@johnnyv7898]

The ending should meet the promises that are given at the beginning in a fulfilling way. Usually this means something positive, but it might be negative.

[@ZxraJxnnings]

Can we get a third act video? I'm personally finding act three is the hardest one to grasp.

[@uglystupidloser]

uhm, as much as i appreciate your enthusiasm and experience, i feel like i can help you on this. i'm watching a lot of the youtube channel, film courage, which focuses on the interviewing people who work on tv and movies. and, so, the topic of writing and how it affects the audience is a fairly common ground to tread there. recently, there was a video about naomi beaty saying that there is a central question, or dramatic question that gives purpose to the movie, as the audience experiences it. her example was, i think, silence of the lambs, where the special agent has to find the serial killer. once that is accomplished, the movie is, effectively, over for the audience. the audience came for a thriller genre, they got presented the dramatic question, and it has been resolved. naomi beaty also mentions in a different video, but, i think, the same interview, that each act is setting up the story. and inspired me to think of each act being seen like a round of sports, or maybe even a round in a board game. for each act, the stage and players could change, but all of this SHOULD ultimately be to serve how the stakes are being affected for the protagonist and antagonist, or, at least, the forces or ideals representing them. therefore, an ending should address your dramatic question, be the stage where the stakes are addressed in the climax, and deliver the audience's expectation of the general genre that got them to pay for a ticket as well as the promises and mysteries that you set up in the way. in the end, an ending should give your audience a feeling of satisfaction. whether that satisfaction is for a cliff hanger, a plot twist, or morally ambiguous, that feeling of satisfaction should match the tone of the story that you were going for. if you are trying to end a horror story, you don't need necessarily need a romantic conclusion, or vice versa, because that probably isn't the focus for both your audience and story. the plot can end, the moral or theme could be addressed, and the audience should be able to leave fairly confident that they enjoyed what this experience offered them. otherwise, your product is not delivering the most optimum experience. and we can argue that our self indulgence is worth it more than realizing and implementing the little tricks that make a story connect with our audience... and i understand some writers and directors prefer to not consider the audience while developing something, and i can also understand the cynicism that can be attached to the idea of trying to manipulate the audience. i just felt like you were really meandering in this video, hoping that you could eventually give some kind of answer... which, funnily enough, is echoed in your writing style for one book of your that i've read. actually, most of the authors on youtube actually present ideas on paper that really echo their style on presenting information. the personality and priorities really come out. ... don't worry if you feel like i've insulted you. i think brandon sanderson sucks too.

[@alx_writer6257]

I’ve been stressing over my own ending since I don’t feel so good going into the second draft without getting the end end down.

[@johnpauldagondong2720]

gone girl movie does the best mirror image ending.

[@ratanasorn8080]

My favorite ending of all time: The Lady or the Tiger. Oh my god

[@PeterMilko]

Im having trouble with this for my game Dwerve. Should I end on family or the state of the world? hmmm

[@vinod.kaul.maverick]

I do not know the ending of my book till the end. In the past I have gone with 'life goes on' nothing much is really changed but many readers feel this ending is abrupt and feel let down. I am looking now in my next book to weave in a twist.

[@GameExplorer0115]

Something I focused on in my fanfiction when I first started was my ending. I started with the construction of the truth the character will learn through his journey. Because I think if I rewind I can trace my way back to the area I want by then creating the lie to be the inverse of the truth. I think keeping it simple but not predictable is the hardest part about it all really. I think I came to the realization that I needed to know where I will end in order to know where I need to begin to tell a convincing narrative. Endings are the end offs of the sets of characters you get to know and learn about and trying to reinvent their arch for a trite sequel is definitive method of killing all tension. The change needs to be pronounced and real. It could be something simple as changing the way the characters speak ot a more subtle of changing the way they phrase things to reflect a different outlook. Endings are the whipped cream at the bottom of a good cake. If you take too long to eat that cake you ruin the consistency of that whipped cream underneath.

[@etjwrites]

I got really used to abrupt endings in fanfic, and so I've come to dislike really long winding endings in trad books. I personally like a happy medium - I'm all about the epilogue!

[@baru8234]

Me before this video: cliffhanger ending and epilogue Me after: rewrite 🥲

[@ryanthegamer4455]

Coming from the wings of fire fandom here (a fandom very experienced with endings that are atrocious darkness of dragons hint hint) Cliff hanger bombshell plot twist endings are not always bad in poison jungle(no I’m not going to do anything grammatically correct) you are like how is this gonna drag out two more books how is one battle gonna last two whole books?(yes I believe that is the first thing I did grammatically correct) then the last couple happen and your like this went from the the best end to a book three in any ark yet and now it’s the worst with a cliffhanger we are currently waiting until March 24 2021 for

[@lykhra2178]

Oh I hate Darkness of dragons, The villain’s end was treated like a complete joke and light hearted fun!

[@fadedpages]

It also depends on what the writer is trying to accomplish. As an artist, it is most important that my ending reinforces the themes I have spent the book exploring and encourages discussing (thus critical thinking) from the readers. The reader feeling a sense of closure is secondary to this goal. Therefore, I'm perfectly willing to leave a reader on an abrupt cliffhanger or a neat ending all depending on which conclusion serves my theme best.

[@misteryA555]

Endings feel really easy for me. I’m sure it helps that I’m an outliner at heart. About half the time I come up with the ending before anything else!

[@annika8223]

Hey writers! I am a fourteen year old (fairly new writer) and I was wondering if you could tell me how this is? I’m sure there are grammar mistakes but I just want overall tips. This is meant to be the most emotional scene in my book and has proven to be the most difficult to write. The backstory is Rachel is saying goodbye to someone she loves (Noah) he is being beat by his dad and has to go live far away with his mom. And also this is just a fraction of the story but the reason Rachel struggles to say I love you is she has believed her whole life that her grandparents loved each other. (Her grandfather disappeared 50 years ago and she’s finding out her grandmother may have had something to do with his death.) Please lmk, being an author is my dream! My heart sinks as I realize the moment I’ve been dreading is finally here. The wind whips my hair as we venture out onto the dock, through the sea of people. I can hear the whirring of the motor and the dull loud buzz of hurried passengers. A few boys a bit older than me laugh boisterously on the upper deck. A baby cries and a woman argues a man working on the boat, pointing at her tickets and beginning to raise her voice. The world around us was loud. But I could barely hear a thing, as if I’d ducked under water. In this moment, Noah was all that mattered. I open my mouth to say something. But close it, there was nothing left to say. Oh-but there was so much to say. How could I tell him that his eyes were like deep oceans. That I was drowning in them. How could I possibly explain that even before we met I missed him. That there was nothing I feared more than my life going on, and these past few months drifting into a distant memory until it was something forgotten. What if my children never meet him? It felt like such an injustice, like they’d go their life not knowing a piece of me. I didn’t know how gray my world was until he stormed in and made every aspect of it colorful. What if everything we have right here in this moment is something that will begin to fade until it’s all gray again. What if this is all I get? Is this the moment I’ll look back on when I’m eighty years old knowing this was the brightest my world could ever be? That this was the strongest I’d ever feel for someone? How could I tell him that he’s the best thing that ever happened to me, but I wish I hadn’t met him yet because we’re sixteen and we’re going to screw it all up. How could I tell him that he had changed my definition of everything. That his smile sparked a fire in my chest, that I couldn’t tell it was there until I couldn’t put it out. That I felt tied to him in a way I couldn't describe. That I thought I knew what home felt like, until I felt his arms around me, and it all changed. The truest, most wonderful thing I’d ever known was sand slipping through my fingertips. I would always come back to him. Always. Our eyes seemed to speak a secret language and I prayed he understood. Nothing had ever felt more clear. I stammered, “Noah when you go, I-” “Rachel, I’m in love with you.” My breath caught in my throat, and for a moment I froze. I was stunned, completely taken aback. When I was twelve years old, I jumped off the swings in my cousin’s back yard a second too late and landed in the grass on my back. For a moment I thought I was dying as I lay there, looking up at the sun, unable to get a breath in. For a moment that’s how I feel. He loved me? Me? I opened my mouth to say something, what was I supposed to say? What the hell, I knew what I was supposed to say. But what does he mean by that? Does he love me like he cares about me, or does he love me like ‘you’re the only one I’ll ever love?’ I fix my gaze on an invisible point out in the water, trying to solve this puzzle. He was leaving. The words I love you were overshadowed by I’ll never see him again. I nervously chew on the inside of my cheek, trying to gather my thoughts “What do you mean?” I squint at him, perplexed. He’s ubaffled, his eyes wide. “I mean-I mean I-I love you.” He pauses, his mouth open slightly as if he’s waiting for a response. “I just wanted you to know.” He says sheepishly, his cheeks and ears turning pink. For the first time since we’d arrived at the ferry, he looks away from me, and down to his shoes. I look down, his white sneakers were incredibly dirty, and his left one had come untied. I just wanted to disappear for a moment. Lots of people loved each, my mom and my dad, Taylor and Joe, I’m sure Clarice’s parents at some point. But if you love someone you can lose them. If someone had to leave me for forever, I’d rather it not be someone I’m in love with. If you try hard enough it doesn’t have to be love, right? Now I look at my shoes too, an old pair of slip ons that were comfortable to walk in. They were dirty too, I guess we had walked down a dusty, dirt road for the past twenty minutes. “Noah.” He looks up, his blue eyes are watery and his lips are pinched together. “Noah, my grandfather loved my grandma.” I stared deeply into his eyes, searching and praying for him to understand. Silently I plead for my eyes to tell him what my lips couldn’t. I stand there wanting nothing but for him to smile, turn around and walk home with me. He nods meekly, looking back to his shoes. I guess he didn’t understand what I hoped he would. “Kid! If you’re boardin’ you gotta get on now!” A deckhand shouts to him from the bow, cupping his hand around his mouth. Noah doesn’t look up at me before he leaves he keeps his head low as he boards and I see him wipe his eyes with his jacket sleeve. The sun has begun to fall, and the blue sky begins to turn violet. I sit there, shivering on the bench, and watch as the ferry slowly rumbles away from the dock and out into the dark waters. A single tear rolls down my cheek, I don’t wipe it away. I stand up and shout as louder as I can, “Noah I love you!” I can still see him there, leaning against the railing. He’s looking in the other direction, away from me. He doesn’t hear me over the chatter on the boat and the roar of the motors. I yell it out again, my voice cracks and more tears fall. Again. Again. As the boat gets farther and farther away, he blends in with the crowd of people, and I can’t tell where he is, and I watch that crowd until all I can see is the boat. When the boat turns to a speck, and that speck fades into the sky, I still watch. When the stars come out and there’s no blue left in the sky or the water, that’s when I turn to go home.

[@samiittaaiikatudo1469]

Personally? I'm left with a question. Will he ever hear her? Or return her affection let alone come back. I kinda liked it. Otherwise from the lack of personal feelings interpreted through showing and not telling. I think it's nice and has a good flow.

[@KatieMaddalena]

I once read a book where two characters were having a conversation towards the end, and at the very last sentence of their conversation, the book just ended. Just like that. I actually threw it across the room.

[@audreyhenley8920]

denouement: where the reader lets out a breath they didn't know they were holding

[@PaintingMeJosh]

Ever since being forced to read The Giver in middle school, I've actively HATED abrupt endings and cliffhangers. The Giver's ending was so horrendous that the climax happened off page somewhere beyond the final page. Ever since being forced to read the atrocity, I cannot stand it when the climax and ending both happen in the last chapter, the last episode, or the last 5 minutes (movies). I need lots and lots of time to simmer in the aftermath of the climax. I need to see every storyline and character arc brought to a close. So for my book (currently beta reading, though my betas haven't reached the ending yet) the climax happens between the 75-85% mark. Everything after that (which is 6 full chapters) explores the consequences and resolves stuff. I'm aware that some parts of my ending probably drag, but like I said, my betas haven't gotten there yet to tell me if it's too much.

[@hihello6211]

i have a question... i want to end my book with my main character coming out of a coma and the entire story didn't even happen, it was basically just a dream. I don't exactly know how a reader might react to this or if its a good idea, so please let me know

[@deeznuts8659]

What about a series? Should there be a complete ending in the middle of a series