Jedi Council Forums - Ending it all (a discussion of endings)

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Author	Topic: Ending it all (a discussion of endings)
Vongchild Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 5/28/05 3:06pm Subject: Ending it all (a discussion of endings)
	Since I'm drawing close to finishing my epic, I was wondering if anyone had any tips on the best way to wrap something up. Show? Tell? Stick a stupid moral on it? Leave things hanging? Any advice is Mucho Appreciende. -----signature----- "Oh," the other clerk said, as if it was nothing new, "You got one of the kid's drawings." http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/21158399 - Mechanical Dreams Apprentice to Zonoma "I'd take a Yuuzhan Vong Warrior over Jacen Solo any day."
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Jesina_Dreis Registered: Nov '04	Date Posted: 5/28/05 3:10pm Subject: RE: Ending it all (a discussion of endings)
	I think it depends on what the plot is. If you have romance - even if it isn't the main point of the story - a wedding or honeymoon or some such sometimes works. Also, a treaty might work, a decisive battle, a debriefing-type of situation. It really depends on the nature of your fic. I admit I haven't read your work, but if you give some description of it, I might be able to help more. -----signature----- Stay safe, Ev Big sister to valin_halcyon Rest in Peace, Jeremy http://www.heatherjanes.com http://z9.invisionfree.com/downtime
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Sara_Kenobi Registered: Sep '00	Date Posted: 5/28/05 3:15pm Subject: RE: Ending it all (a discussion of endings)
	I always leave my readers hanging. It keeps them interested in the fic. -----signature----- Flight of Raven's http://boards.theforce.net/non_star_wars_fan_fiction/b10808/30284518/p1/?0
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Lt_Jaina_Solo Registered: May '02	Date Posted: 5/28/05 3:17pm Subject: RE: Ending it all (a discussion of endings)
	Like Jesina_Dreis said: I think it depends on what the plot is. If you have romance - even if it isn't the main point of the story - a wedding or honeymoon or some such sometimes works. Also, a treaty might work, a decisive battle, a debriefing-type of situation. It depends on what the plot is. I'm also guilty of not reading your work, so I don't know what type of story it is. And thus, I can only state what I normally do: usually, it's a happy ending. A gathering of the main characters maybe, or like Jesina said, a debriefing. I personally like celebration-type endings. LJS -----signature----- Handmaiden Irelynné, Handmaiden of the Crest All links to stories in bio!
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ThePariah Registered: Jan '03	Date Posted: 5/28/05 3:22pm Subject: RE: Ending it all (a discussion of endings) - Date Edited: 5/28/05 3:22pm (1 edits total) Edited By: ThePariah
	KILL EVERYONE!!!!! Oh wait, sorry, that's Ish's job. runs away -----signature----- Eternal Groveler to rhonderoo, VaderLVR64, Knight_Aragorn, Oba, & the SJRS crew Has a postcard from the Dark Side. "I suspect that most if not all the world's ills could be cured by humour transplants."--Karen Traviss TEMPORARY SET-UP!!!
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Vongchild Registered: Apr '04	Date Posted: 5/28/05 3:46pm Subject: RE: Ending it all (a discussion of endings)
	heheh... -----signature----- "Oh," the other clerk said, as if it was nothing new, "You got one of the kid's drawings." http://boards.theforce.net/Beyond_the_Saga/b10477/21158399 - Mechanical Dreams Apprentice to Zonoma "I'd take a Yuuzhan Vong Warrior over Jacen Solo any day."
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Spike2002 Title: Former FF-UK RSA and Arena Manager Registered: Feb '02	Date Posted: 5/28/05 4:41pm Subject: RE: Ending it all (a discussion of endings)
	I usually kill a bunch of canon characters before ending my stories. The only problem I'm having with my current story is that there are only 2 canon characters in it, they both die, and the story's supposed to have a happy ending. -----signature----- "It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him." - Arthur C. Clarke I agree with halibut Master to Louis_Skywalker Proud Recipient of the Golden Elegos™
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sidious618 Registered: Apr '03	Date Posted: 5/28/05 6:28pm Subject: RE: Ending it all (a discussion of endings)
	My advice is simple: do something your readers will never expect. -----signature----- But in purple, I'm stunning!- Londo Mollari, Babylon 5
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ThePariah Registered: Jan '03	Date Posted: 5/28/05 7:38pm Subject: RE: Ending it all (a discussion of endings)
	Ok, not kidding around this time... Endings depend on what type of author and person you are. In your heart, are you a show or tell author? You should ask yourself how you want your readers to view your work--do you want them to make their own assumptions about the end of your fic and/or leave it ambiguous in order to make it more powerful? Or do you prefer for readers to be completely comfortable with your ending by wrapping up all the loose threads neatly and resolving everything concretely? Also, do you want your story to remain open-ended to coax out more plot bunnies, or do you really want to put the lid on this thing once and for all? Lastly, what type of fic are you doing--a regularly structured story or an unorthodox type? The ending should fit the rest of the narrative. -----signature----- Eternal Groveler to rhonderoo, VaderLVR64, Knight_Aragorn, Oba, & the SJRS crew Has a postcard from the Dark Side. "I suspect that most if not all the world's ills could be cured by humour transplants."--Karen Traviss TEMPORARY SET-UP!!!
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DarthIshtar Title: Former CR Registered: Mar '01	Date Posted: 5/28/05 10:01pm Subject: RE: Ending it all (a discussion of endings)
	::Giggle.:: -----signature----- "I feel like a more down-to-earth Pink 5 when I'm writing Leah. Same attitude, less lip gloss." ~Me on how to get in the right mindset for Twilight fanfic.
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