Wednesday's Writer's Tip - The End In Sight

The hero and heroine have been rewarded. The villain has received what he deserves. The story has come to an end. But there is something that needs to be done. Even more than one thing.

Are there loose ends that haven't been tied up? Did you forget about that subplot and leave it dangling? A last read through will allow you to discover if you've failed to satisfy all the points in the story. Leaving a dangling bit can make a reader return and try to find out what happened to a particular thread. Leaving an unsolved bit can bug a reader until he or she writes a letter or a note. The end must satisfy the reader and make clear all that has happened or ended.

There's also that last line, one that sums up the story. Having a final line that releases all the tension you've built up. Now some writers as in mysteries have a character sum up all that's happened and the reasons they've solved the case. This can be satisfying if it's not carried on for pages. Other writers end with an epilogue that shows the characters having their happy ever after. This can work but sometimes seems as if the writer is trying to convince the reader that the story ends happily. Often a single line can release all the tension you've created and have the reader inhale and think all is well.

The final line can be one of fulfillment, or a comic line. The present can be ignored for a glimpse of the future. Just remember the reader remembers what he or she reads last so work hard to make this one that will send your readers to looking for other books you've written.