What great advice. I usually know the ending of my story but never thought to write that discription out. Doing this will flesh it out so much better and bring it in more focused. Thanks. Looking forward to Teachers Write. Thanks for your time.
Jo, my current wip is a lot of non-fiction.....but I'm learning that there is "story" within all the facts and there needs to be some shaping as I write it. So, this is helpful even as I progress in a non-fiction piece. Thanks!
YES. I should have clarified that. This applied to all genres. In nonfiction, it's about thinking where you want to leave your reader. Motivated? Inspired? What is the most important thing you want them to learn? How do you hope they might change from having read your work?
I just did this exercise, and I actually unearthed a few details that I didn't expect and that surprised me. This is a concept for a middle grade novel I've been struggling with for a long time. Thank you for this helpful exercise!
Molly started carrying crates and boxes to her car, stopping only to pull her burgundy-tipped hair into a ponytail as the Florida heat shimmered off the pavement. It didn’t take long to load her Corolla. At last she was down to a few personal items that would travel in the seat beside her: her purse, her water bottle, her Bright Star CD, Rosie, and her Reba boots. She knelt in the foyer to tell Decatur goodbye, rubbing her ears and then scratching her belly, before leaving. “Love you, girlie” she whispered. Mama was waiting, trying to be brave, and they walked out together. One last hug and “I love you.” One foot in front of the other to the driver’s seat.
Molly looked back at the house she had grown up in one more time. Memories danced in her head. The best man she had ever known had drawn his last breath there. She opened the car door, settled behind the steering wheel, and heard her Daddy’s voice say, “Go get ‘em, Cowgirl.”
I think this is a great image to write toward. I would probably rewrite it a bit once you get there, to be more specific. For example, "The best man she had ever known had drawn his last breath there" is pretty vague and I presume the reader will learn all about this person in the context of the story, so the phrase wouldn't really work anymore. But for now, it's totally fine. I also think perhaps you need a little more conflict so that this doesn't feel "too" perfect of an ending. When she says good-bye to the dog, for example, would there be more of a pause here? Would this be particularly difficult? And what about her mom. She's trying to be brave. How does this make your character feel? Is she proud of her mom. Scared for her? These are just some things to consider as you move forward and develop these characters and their relationships.
I am writing a biography in verse. I've written 3 different verses that I think could be the end, so these questions are helping me to flesh out what I want my readers to feel by the end.
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Molly looked back at the house she had grown up in one more time. Memories danced in her head. The best man she had ever known had drawn his last breath there. She opened the car door, settled behind the steering wheel, and heard her Daddy’s voice say, “Go get ‘em, Cowgirl.”
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