I've thought about this in real life before, but it's never really translated to reading or writing. But the whole mantra of when one thing ends, another begins is really true in storytelling.
I'm a firm believer that stories don't need to be completely closed to be satisfying. Yes, I need the drama to be wrapped up and the conflict resolved, but I don't need to know what happens five years after the book ends or anything like that. (Jeff touched on this earlier this week. I loved THE ELEVENTH PLAGUE for exactly this reason. I could imagine what else happened based on the superb storytelling Jeff had already done.)
I adored everything about Harry Potter except the fact that we know exactly what happens 19 years later. I wanted to imagine what I wanted for Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione and their kids/lives.
I think the best storytellers weave the elements of the story so tightly with the elements of character that the reader can formulate that perfect ending in their head after the main conflict is resolved.
Those are the kind of endings that create new beginnings for me. Those are the kind of endings I enjoy reading. Those are the kind of endings I try to write.
What do you think? Do you like the author to tell you exactly what happens, or would you rather construct that for yourself?
Theme Week: Twist Endings
I love the Twilight Zone—and all well executed twisty stories—but, let’s face it, the very title of the show has become synonymous with cliché and trope. That’s not to say you can’t write a great twist ending anymore. (Or enjoy a good TZ marathon.) Films such as the Usual Suspects and Memento are classic because of their twists.
But for a twist to work, it has to happen because it’s what needs to happen. That is, the ending needs to be organic to the story. The twist should add another layer of meaning, but at the very least it can’t be just for the sake of the gotcha.
And you have to play fair with the reader. Lay the groundwork for the twist in your story, but don’t make it too obvious. Don’t make all the characters too idiotic to figure out what’s going on. Don’t deliberately hide a fact just to prevent the reader from figuring it out until the very end. Don’t have a character wake up and find it’s all been a dream (or virtual reality or a book). The reader doesn’t want to feel fooled or tricked—or feel like you cheated. (Or didn’t know what you were doing.)
Some readers, though, are gonna hate the twist no matter what. Just like some people hate ambiguous endings or cliffhangers. But plenty of us like all three—as long as they’re well done. SyFy still runs a Twilight Zone marathon every New Years (and at least one other time a year). I can’t be the only one watching it!
How do you guys feel about twists? Any favorites (or not)?
Endings Week: New Beginnings
Was thinking about endings and ran across this list of the 50 best movie endings. It's a fun list and I generally agree with their choices. My personal favorites are ones like Say Anything, Casablanca and The Silence of the Lambs.
It struck me that each of these movies actually has a similar ending, in that they each end with a beginning. Lloyd and Diane boarding a plane into the unknown. Rick and Louis embarking on a beautiful friendship. Hannibal Lector free and getting ready to have an old friend for dinner.
In each case, the story is complete in a satisfying way but the ending makes it clear that life goes on, these characters are still out there, still having adventures. I think it makes for a powerful ending, allowing the characters to live on in our imaginations.
And now that I think about it that's actually what I was trying to do with the ending to The Eleventh Plague. The world has completed one transformation and that has opened the door to a new world for the main characters. (Being just slightly vague for any of you that haven't read it) People have mixed feelings about it to be sure. By far the most frequent question I get in emails is along the lines of "But what happens next?!" and "Will there be a sequel where you tell us what happens next?"
I think people naturally want to have things tied up and all questions answered and can be a little frustrated when they don't get exactly what what they want, or all that they want. As a writer though you're sometimes in the position of, hopefully, giving them something that might be more satisfying in the long run.
What do you guys think? Any endings that frustrated you initially but you later realized worked really well?
It struck me that each of these movies actually has a similar ending, in that they each end with a beginning. Lloyd and Diane boarding a plane into the unknown. Rick and Louis embarking on a beautiful friendship. Hannibal Lector free and getting ready to have an old friend for dinner.
In each case, the story is complete in a satisfying way but the ending makes it clear that life goes on, these characters are still out there, still having adventures. I think it makes for a powerful ending, allowing the characters to live on in our imaginations.
And now that I think about it that's actually what I was trying to do with the ending to The Eleventh Plague. The world has completed one transformation and that has opened the door to a new world for the main characters. (Being just slightly vague for any of you that haven't read it) People have mixed feelings about it to be sure. By far the most frequent question I get in emails is along the lines of "But what happens next?!" and "Will there be a sequel where you tell us what happens next?"
I think people naturally want to have things tied up and all questions answered and can be a little frustrated when they don't get exactly what what they want, or all that they want. As a writer though you're sometimes in the position of, hopefully, giving them something that might be more satisfying in the long run.
What do you guys think? Any endings that frustrated you initially but you later realized worked really well?
Theme Week: Endings, really?
I was recently talking about endings on my other blog, and a friend commented that when they were younger (12-ish) they wanted everything wrapped up neatly. They needed to know that it all worked out - even if it wasn't necessarily happy (Old Yeller, anyone?) But, she noted that as she grew older that became less and less important. And, now she prefers some mystery, some loose ends, some unanswered questions in her endings.
Well, I've been thinking about this - cause I tend to write endings with loose ends and unanswered questions. And, one of the things that hit me was - of course - I like life! And, life is one sort of frayed, raveled blanket that has no neat, tidy end.
That's it you know... I like books that remind me of the mysteries of life. There are no absolute answers - no one knows anything really for sure. Certain episodes of life have endings - or beginnings if you will. Falling in love might end in marriage - and then that's a beginning. Then there's a baby - and that's an end of a couple and a beginning of a family. Then the baby grows and leaves home and that's an end - and a beginning... and so goes life. There's birth and death - beginnings and endings - but honestly, who's to say which is which?
Before I get too esoteric... let me just say - I like my endings real - and that doesn't necessarily mean they will be neat and tidy. Life sure isn't!
What do you like?
Well, I've been thinking about this - cause I tend to write endings with loose ends and unanswered questions. And, one of the things that hit me was - of course - I like life! And, life is one sort of frayed, raveled blanket that has no neat, tidy end.
That's it you know... I like books that remind me of the mysteries of life. There are no absolute answers - no one knows anything really for sure. Certain episodes of life have endings - or beginnings if you will. Falling in love might end in marriage - and then that's a beginning. Then there's a baby - and that's an end of a couple and a beginning of a family. Then the baby grows and leaves home and that's an end - and a beginning... and so goes life. There's birth and death - beginnings and endings - but honestly, who's to say which is which?
Before I get too esoteric... let me just say - I like my endings real - and that doesn't necessarily mean they will be neat and tidy. Life sure isn't!
What do you like?
Theme Week: Endings
Last week we talked about beginnings. This week, we're talking about endings.
When I was an English teacher, I had to teach about the NC Writing Exam--a two-page essay every tenth grader was required to complete that was then graded by the state. This was the bane of our existence: like any teacher, I didn't want to teach to the test, but my administrators wanted good scores, so I had to teach to the test, at least to some degree.
But I tried to teach some actual, you know, writing while working on that test.
The state essay was broken up into three parts: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. In a lot of ways, the conclusion was the least important. In fact, some teachers advised that students just forego it if they ran out of room on the essay form.
But I stressed to my students that often a good conclusion was the difference between getting a passing grade and getting a perfect one.
The same is true with books. A good conclusion is the difference between an okay book and a life-changing one.
And when I write conclusions, the first thing I think about it the same thing I taught my students: find a way to come full circle.
Just like The Hobbit is "there and back again," you need to, on some level, come back to the beginning of your book. It could be a literal return, like in The Hobbit when Bilbo Baggins goes back to the Shire.
But it could be symbolic. The character who started out hating her hometown can end up returning home happily--or leaving it altogether. The character who started out lovesick and end up independent and happy.
If you're struggling with your final chapter, go back to your first one. Find out a way to bring some element--a feeling, an object, a person, a thought, a wish--from the first chapter back into the last chapter. It can be different, but it needs to be there. In your first chapter, you can start with an innocent kiss--but your last chapter can be an impassioned one.
When I was an English teacher, I had to teach about the NC Writing Exam--a two-page essay every tenth grader was required to complete that was then graded by the state. This was the bane of our existence: like any teacher, I didn't want to teach to the test, but my administrators wanted good scores, so I had to teach to the test, at least to some degree.
But I tried to teach some actual, you know, writing while working on that test.
The state essay was broken up into three parts: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. In a lot of ways, the conclusion was the least important. In fact, some teachers advised that students just forego it if they ran out of room on the essay form.
But I stressed to my students that often a good conclusion was the difference between getting a passing grade and getting a perfect one.
The same is true with books. A good conclusion is the difference between an okay book and a life-changing one.
And when I write conclusions, the first thing I think about it the same thing I taught my students: find a way to come full circle.
Just like The Hobbit is "there and back again," you need to, on some level, come back to the beginning of your book. It could be a literal return, like in The Hobbit when Bilbo Baggins goes back to the Shire.
But it could be symbolic. The character who started out hating her hometown can end up returning home happily--or leaving it altogether. The character who started out lovesick and end up independent and happy.
If you're struggling with your final chapter, go back to your first one. Find out a way to bring some element--a feeling, an object, a person, a thought, a wish--from the first chapter back into the last chapter. It can be different, but it needs to be there. In your first chapter, you can start with an innocent kiss--but your last chapter can be an impassioned one.
Write the Beginning...Last
Okay, so I don't think it's a huge secret that I'm a bit on the unconventional side when it comes to writing. I don't outline, I don't name characters until halfway through books, I switch up eye colors, etc. (BTW, all that gets fixed eventually. My first drafts are nightmares.)
Writing the beginning is no different. It's simple really. Don't write it first.
Now I don't necessarily write my beginning last, but I don't stress about writing it straight out of the gate either. Let me explain.
So I don't write in order. The first scene I wrote in POSSESSION shows up in the book on page 130. The second scene I wrote is the one before that one. And the third scene appears about page 45.
I don't worry about when I write the scenes. I worry about where they go in the story and how they fit with what else I've got. I worry about stitching them together with transitions. I worry about what needs to happen earlier in the book so that the scene I just wrote will make sense. And so I piece together my scenes, writing notes in between them for what needs to happen, and possible ideas for what could happen later.
I write what's in my head, and nothing more. Beginning, middle, end. Doesn't matter when it gets on the page, just that it does.
Unconventional, I know.
But I think there's something to be learned here. Beginnings do not have to be written first. Don't know your beginning? No problem. Write what you do know. You can work backward to the opening scene at any time.
When do you write your beginning? Are you able to write without having that opening scene down on paper?
Writing the beginning is no different. It's simple really. Don't write it first.
Now I don't necessarily write my beginning last, but I don't stress about writing it straight out of the gate either. Let me explain.
So I don't write in order. The first scene I wrote in POSSESSION shows up in the book on page 130. The second scene I wrote is the one before that one. And the third scene appears about page 45.
I don't worry about when I write the scenes. I worry about where they go in the story and how they fit with what else I've got. I worry about stitching them together with transitions. I worry about what needs to happen earlier in the book so that the scene I just wrote will make sense. And so I piece together my scenes, writing notes in between them for what needs to happen, and possible ideas for what could happen later.
I write what's in my head, and nothing more. Beginning, middle, end. Doesn't matter when it gets on the page, just that it does.
Unconventional, I know.
But I think there's something to be learned here. Beginnings do not have to be written first. Don't know your beginning? No problem. Write what you do know. You can work backward to the opening scene at any time.
When do you write your beginning? Are you able to write without having that opening scene down on paper?
Top 10 Opening Lines in Science Fiction and Fantasy
Great first lines grab the reader by the balls—eyeballs, that is. That line shows the reader a peek at what your story is going to be about. It’s your chance to set the tone, voice, theme, setting, etc. Is it going to be high fantasy or poetic cyberpunk? Is it set in a world unlike ours? Is it ironic or whimsical? Think of that first line as your opening “we’re not in Kansas anymore” salvo.
Here are my favorite opening lines in science fiction and fantasy novels:
Ok, A Christmas Carol isn’t technically considered SF/F, but it does have ghosts in it.
What are your favorite opening lines? Any genre.
Here are my favorite opening lines in science fiction and fantasy novels:
- “The sky above the port was the color of television tuned to a dead channel.”
Neuromancer, William Gibson.
- "It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking 13.”
1984, George Orwell.
- "It was a pleasure to burn.”
Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury.
- "Far out in the uncharted backwaters of the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-eight million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue-green planet whose ape-descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think digital watches are a pretty neat idea."
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams.
- "All children, except one, grow up."
Peter Pan, J. M. Barrie
- "The year that Buttercup was born, the most beautiful woman in the world was a French scullery maid named Annette."
The Princess Bride, William Goldman
- “What’s it going to be then, eh?” There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, that is Pete, Georgie, and Dim, and we sat in the Korova Milkbar trying to make up our rassoodocks what to do with the evening, a flip dark chill winter bastard though dry.
Clockwork Orange, Anthony Burgess.
- "In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”
The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien.
- “Marley was dead, to begin with.”
A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
- “Lyra and her daemon moved through the darkening Hall, taking care to keep to one side, out of sight of the kitchen.”
The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman
Ok, A Christmas Carol isn’t technically considered SF/F, but it does have ghosts in it.
What are your favorite opening lines? Any genre.
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