Tag Archives: endings

The structure of the end

November 28, 2012 – 6:22 am

Most novels have three parts: beginning, middle, and end. At least, that’s what Aristotle said, and who am I to argue with a guy whose writing advice has been taken seriously by folks for the last 2000+ years? Today I want to talk about the end. First off, let me point out that the end [...]

By pcwrede | Posted in Writing | Also tagged | Comments (5)

When is it over?

November 30, 2011 – 6:25 am

When is the story over? Really over, I mean, as in “this is the last paragraph, and what comes next is ‘The End’ at the bottom of the page.” This is usually some way after the big climax in which the central story problem is solved (they kill the dragon/blow up the Death Star/arrest the [...]

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Fear

November 16, 2011 – 6:29 am

All writers are afraid of something at one point or another. We are afraid of looking foolish; we are afraid of rejection; we are afraid of overreaching, of not knowing how, of getting it wrong, of not being good enough. We’re afraid of being broke, being taken advantage of, being stuck with something that turns [...]

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The Big Finish

March 6, 2011 – 6:41 am

 Nearly every piece of fiction has one main character and one central problem. Even when the story is told from multiple viewpoints with an ensemble cast, each of whom has a different important plotline, there is almost always one plot problem that is the problem that the reader wants to see solved, and one character [...]

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The End

February 8, 2010 – 10:38 am

What makes an ending “The End”? In a word: closure. At the end of the story, whether the heroine won or lost, she’s not going to get another chance to try.  The Evil Overlord is gone for good, the wedding is on (or off), the murderer has been discovered and arrested. There may be some [...]

By pcwrede | Posted in Writing | Also tagged , | Comments (11)