Endings you like to write VS Endings you like to read

The Chatters
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I want to talk about endings in stories because I finally figured out an ending in one of my WIPs.

Endings I like to write are those that are like, "We still have more things to do to achieve the ultimate peace. BUT things are basically settled and we’re going to be okay. Yeah :grinning: "

Idk why I never write wholesome happy endings. Maybe I’ve had only one so far? Maybe two. But they both have a bittersweet goodbye attached. With “and they all lived happily ever after”, I start thinking realistically. Like, it’s not like that. What about all the stuff afterwards? You don’t capture the big bad, then ride off into the sunset and keep going for eternity.

As for reading, I do like me some wholesome happy endings :stuck_out_tongue: Not gonna lie, after a long struggle, it’s nice to know it’s over, you know?

What about you? Are the endings different or the same for you when it comes to writing them and reading them?

Extra Q:
What are your pet peeves when it comes to endings in books? Don’t talk about specific books.

Mine is open endings, but specifically those that are too wide open to feel good about. Also, MC resurrection when clearly they should have died. Like, it’s okay and it makes sense. I’d be thinking, oh, how sad, they will die now. What a noble ending, oh, wait, nope, they’ve come back from the dead so they could properly tell their love interest how much they love them, or whatever. Yeah…no.

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I love a good cliffhanger. It’s just so satisfying when you reach the real end :joy: although, it’s a pain in the butt if the story gets discontinued

As for stories I write, I usually wrap up a few plotlines and leave just enough open for later books. Some of my stories also have cliffhangers or hints to books much later down the line. Even a few crossovers. It’s just fun watching people go OH MY GOD when the thing happens :joy:

Honestly, while I don’t mind a happy ending, they are sometimes a bit annoying. Especially when it feels forced or like the author only did that to make their readers happy instead of having the happy ending actually work for the overall story. If it works, great. But when it doesn’t work, it’s like “okay, and???”

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Are there any books that just end? Do all of them have some kind of continuation?

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It’s fun to read those oh my god moments :stuck_out_tongue:

Oh! I read a book like that. The story wasn’t ending when it was supposed to because the author wanted to wrap it up into a happy ending, forcing it to stretch on and on, but it didn’t make sense in the story overall for that happy ending to happen. Or to be shown, at least. A new character appeared even. He should’ve kept it to himself :sweat_smile:

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Anything except a diabolous ex machina. There are fewer thing less satisfying than seeing a happily ever after but suddenly the main couple get into a fatal car crash and die horribly.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DiabolusExMachina

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DiabolusExNihilo

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I think I’ve seen a movie like that.

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Did you like it?

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Not car crash, but they died. I remember being shocked and then come to find out it’s one of those movies where everyone dies. Then I accepted it.

Did I like it?

No :stuck_out_tongue: But not because of the ending. In fact, if they didn’t die, the rather good ending would have saved the movie for me somewhat.

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They all have a continuation so far. It’s an ongoing series. The second book pretty much wraps up but there were still enough plot lines for me to start on book 3 and I just kept going after that because why not :joy:

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It isssss. I’m hoping it works out well because this all starts for real tomorrow (first actual published novel :partying_face:)

Yessss. I hate so much when that happens. It’s like “dude you should’ve just left it”

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It’s like the song that doesn’t end…yes it goes on and on my friend :crazy_face: You can make your entire writing career just in that world then. Kind of like Terry Pratchett or L. Frank Baum. That’s pretty cool.

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My entire writing career starts tomorrow because that’s when my published book “officially” goes live :joy: But yeah it is pretty cool. I’ve even got another two series in that world, but I also have a third in another world that does a crossover. And it all works well because I have the endings just open enough to do so :joy: Open endings that continue are fun. Open endings where we get no more answers later suck

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The less happy and the less cliche an ending, the better for me. Even in Romance.

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Endings you like to write: The ones that I actually reach to.

Endings you like to read: The ones that I actually reach to.

Endings that are a pet peeve: Dream-endings, Endings that don’t make sense, Cop-out endings, and those endings where they want you to question everything leaving you with a damn migraine…jerks!

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Endings I like to write: ‘satisfying enough.’ Do the characters end up perfect? No, but they’re equipped to deal with whatever their future, nonbook lives throws at them.

Endings I like to read: conclusive.

Endings that are a pet peeve: In romance stories: last chapter: get back together kiss. Epilogue 1: wedding. Epilogue 2: banter in hospital and poof! baby in arms happy family.

I have a couple of stories with these near the end because readers wanted to read them, but I made sure to frame them with different chapters and put spins on them that made sense for the characters.

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I actually like writing a classic style ending: you know, give a summary of their future lives that I’m not writing. I like reading it, too, but it’s a really old style of writing, and doesn’t fit a lot of modern stories: epilogues are snippets, segueys into the next book, nothing 5hat gives a continuity of these people’s lives way beyond a normal ending.

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So, you mean you’d even prefer a tragedy?

I guess The Giver by Lois Lowry is not the book for you. Or My Heart is a Chainsaw by Graham Jones or The Lock Artist by…I forgot the author.

There are books like that? XD

You know, I kind of like doing that too, sometimes. Not their entire future lives. Just a part of it to show the reader that the character is going to be okay :blush:

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Yeah…probably not.

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Yeah but a tragedy doesn’t have to be sad or be like Romeo and Juliet. It can just be realistic, like the characters didn’t end up together in the end because they weren’t compatible for one another, or something happens between them that causes a wedge.

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Like you, I prefer bittersweet endings… in most books. Depending on the genre and storyline I’m reading or writing, bittersweet endings tend to be more realistic and wholesome to me because it’s a sign that the struggles aren’t over, but that they can be overcome. As a writer, a lot of the stories I write have bittersweet or close to unhappy endings. Unless it’s a romance, which then I use happy endings because if it wasn’t a happy ending, it wouldn’t be romance.

But like, I have a YA contemporary where the MC died (unalived herself) and throughout the last half of the book, she becomes a ghost and realizes she shouldn’t have and just caused herself and others around her more pain. Though she eventually accepts what’s been done and hopes everyone will be okay and move on without her.

I also have a new adult murder mystery that ended on a rather disturbing note. The killer became tied to a tree and was left there unconscious so the MC could go get help (as the police finally arrived). But then… the killer woke up, cut himself loose, and ran away so he’s still out there. This was originally done because I was going to make a sequel, but I never did and I probably never will. :sweat_smile:

And finally, my current project ends on a also disturbing and sad note… mostly because it’s the first in a four book series. The story ends with this “epic battle” sequence and people are dying left and right… until a bunch of demon-looking things crawl out of the ground and capture my MC where he becomes unconscious and wakes up in a dark room where he finally meets the main antagonist for the first time… and then he turns into those same demon-looking things. :sweat_smile: :rofl: But the last book of the series will end on a positive note where things are A-okay… for the most part. xD

When it comes to reading, though, I also prefer bittersweet endings just because it’s more realistic. But I do love a happy ending when it’s told right. Sad endings, on the other hand, aren’t my forte though depending on the story… I may enjoy it. This also includes the death of the main character. I’m all for main characters dying. xD

I can’t stand resurrections. I may be okay with it if there was no clear evidence if they died or if it’s their clone or a robot with their consciousness or if they had a twin that no one knew about because no one knows anything about their family history. But when it comes to a character dying, right in front of you, and then on the next chapter or book—poof! They’re alive again because of a magical stone or whatever… then no. I’m not happy about that. It’s a cheap shock value.

Another thing I can’t stand, which moreso has to deal with Wattpad stories I’ve read in the past lol, would be super happy endings like the characters are married with kids and they got their whole life together. Like, I don’t care if it’s a romance or not, that is too happy. Marriage? I’m okay with. My previous romance novel ended where they were moving in together after getting married and knowing each other for three years. But skipping to them having kids and their careers on track and them knowing what they want to do for the rest of their lives? No thank you.

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