Who says you have to do what’s expected? Your straightforward short story about a father contemplating the passing of time could turn into a wild alien invasion adventure. One of the best things about being a writer is the challenge of inventing new ways to tell stories. But if your short story lends itself to a good happily ever after, then by all means enjoy riding off into the sunset of your narrative.īe a story mad scientist. In the world of literary fiction, straightforward happy endings are a rare phenomenon. If your interest in exploring a particular theme is less about answers and more about the journey, there may not be a need to embrace a traditional ending at all.Ĭome on, get happy. Sometimes, you may not want to tie up your story’s loose ends in a traditional dénouement. Leave the unanswered questions unanswered. Learn more about how to write a story with a twist ending. But well-crafted surprise endings are not soon forgotten. Of course, “quiet” births can also be emotionally engaging.ĭo the twist. If the themes and explorations of your story are in line with concepts of expectation and birth, then a big, high-tension labor and delivery scene might make for a memorable closure of your tale. But keep in mind that if your story ends with a death, readers might feel exploited if that death has no thematic resonance with everything that came before. In some ways, death can be the ultimate ending of a short story. Taking action or making a decision can demonstrate a character’s dramatic change, so failure to take action (or to make a new kind of decision) may indicate that your character has not grown as a person in spite of opportunities to do so. Bonus points if your character’s decision/action is not one that he or she could have made at the beginning of your story. If the arc of your story traces the evolution of your character’s emotional change, ending your story with a distinct choice or action can be a great show-don’t-tell way to imply development. Indicate character change through action. Which direction will get you where you need to go? Time to whip out your virtual writing GPS and ask the Writer’s Relief experts for the best route to a great ending for your short story- you might see your narrative journey with new eyes! How To Write A Great Ending For A Short Story Sometimes, writing a short story can be like going for a drive with no map: You have a solid starting point, but then the highway has multiple exits.
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