Endings

I recently watched a skilfully animated movie called, “9”. I used to work in animation and so I could appreciate the art, colours, lighting and atmosphere of the whole film. It was no less than gorgeous.

The story hooked me from the start. I enjoyed the journey through adventure. I loved the characters. The action segments kept me guessing and gasping. But then the last segment of the movie fizzled out. It bombed. It was almost as if the writer didn’t know where to go. I felt cheated. All the good work the creators did in the beginning might as well have been tossed into the bin.

Well written endings leave the reader feeling satisfied. The reader wants to read more of your writing. This does not mean we must always write up-beat endings, but they must tie up loose threads, they must show a change in the internal workings of the main character, and they must be a comfortable fit for the story.

Avoid the cliché endings that leave the readers groaning. Avoid the twist endings that make no sense. Don’t let your endings fizzle. Make them explode with a bang, or end with a tidy satisfaction, or as a surprising eye opener.

Can you think of any movies or books with great endings? How did they make you feel?