I HATE the End

[filamena]

I hate ending stories. Short stories, novels, it doesn't matter. I hate ending stories and I think that's mostly because I -know- my endings are never as strong as my beginnings, and I hate that about my writing.

So I heard something neat about problems with your writing. Find writers who do it better, and then read them until you figure out

Comments

[planetx]

Elmore Leonard has great endings, usually involving one line of dialog or action that manages to sum up the story as a whole completely and totally. I recommend Riding The Rap and Pagan Babies for examples of endings that are satisfyingly on both a reading and an analytical level.

As for short stories with great endings, look no further than McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury Thrilling Tales a vertible compendium of humdingers and China Miéville's Looking For Jake and Other Stories.

All of these can be borrowed, should you need them.

[zephrin]

Isaac Asimov always wraps things up nicely, also Tony Hillerman (murder mystery).

Endings

[kendrayk]

Y'know, when I think about endings, I can't help but think of the author whose books I love everything about, except the endings, Daniel Keys Moran.

[luminousalchemy]

This will be terribly predictable, but...Terry Pratchett. His endings I've always found very satisfying.