On the Endings of Stories

Everything reaches its conclusion. Best friends part ways. Couples break up. Our journeys, which shape us and teach us and take everything from us, finally end.

Stories are no different.

This blog has mostly featured my stories—the ones I’ve lived and the ones I write. But now I want to talk about something related to the craft of writing: worthwhile endings. Gravity Falls ended recently, an animated show about the summer adventures of two twins. In the days after its finale, waves of bittersweet fulfillment swept through me. It was “only a TV show,” but I’m grieving, though I wouldn’t have it any other way. So, what did Gravity Falls do right? What can any of us do right?

1.      Know when to stop.

Don’t you hate it when your favorite story drags on until all you’ve loved becomes desecrated? I’ve heard that Alex Hirsh, creator of Gravity Falls, was asked by Disney to continue his show beyond two seasons. But he refused. All good things must end. So, how do we know when they’ve reached those conclusions?

2.      Fulfill promises.

A story ends when it’s done what it set out to do. The monster is slain. The bomb is defused. The hero finds confidence and gets the girl (or boy, as the case may be). Examine your beginning and see what you promised. The revealing of secrets? A tragic ending? A fun adventure story? Make the ending match. But whatever you do, do it well. Which brings me to another point:

3.      Don’t cheat.

This means several things. First, don’t use a dues ex machina: a contrived solution that resolves the conflict through coincidence or outside interference. Your characters have to solve the problem, not the gods, luck, or magic. It’s the only road to a satisfying conclusion.

Another way writers cheat is through tragic endings. A good tragedy is beautiful, and very difficult to accomplish. But as writers, we sometimes find no way of providing satisfying conclusions, so we cheat and have our characters fail. If we want to succeed at failure, it needs to be spectacular, and it needs to serve a purpose. Which raises another point:

4.      Provide real substance.

An ending should make readers feel something. Grief. Relief. The bittersweet solemnity of a journey’s conclusion. Whatever it is, make it real. In my opinion, one of the best ways to do this is by endearing your characters to the reader throughout the story, then bringing them to satisfying conclusions. Also, make your readers feel like they’ve been journeying with the characters, and that their journey is now over. Readers have experienced endings in their own lives, and, if you remind them of those endings, yours will have more power. For good examples of stories like these, think Gravity Falls or The Return of the King.

I’m out of time, but if you want much better advice, visit the Writing Excuses podcast. Goodbye for now!

Goodbye!