Now all you need is a good ending.
But what kind of ending? All this time writing you may have never even considered what kind of ending to write. It was just all going to come to an end and everything was going to be all fine and peachy.
Endings aren't that simple though. Just as the beginning line, that first sentence, grips your reader and sends them off on an epic journey through the pages of your book and gives them many exciting, sleepless nights, the ending also has a function.
In fact, endings can have several functions. It all depends on how you want to send your reader off.
Through reading many, many books, here are some ending types I have found.
First, the typical,
Peace has arrived. Tomorrow is another peaceful day...
Don't-Worry-B-Happy Ending or DWBH
For example,
Labyrinth by Kate Mosse
In this story, the MC Alice, who is a volunteer archaeologist, makes a discovery in an old cave; two skeletons, strange inscriptions on the walls, and a labyrinth pattern.
Then we go back in time, eight hundred years to France. A young woman named Alais (you do see the suspicious similarities in the names, don't you?) who is given a book containing the secret of the true Grail and a ring which will identify the guardian of the Grail. Alais must keep the secret of the labyrinth safe as crusading armies gather outside the city walls...
(thank you Amazon.com for helping me out on this one.)
after a bunch of turmoils...
"In the distance, a white moon is rising in the speckled sky, promising another fine day tomorrow."
These types of endings are pretty common. A new day comes and it is going to be peaceful and nice like today so we have nothing to worry about anymore.
Don't worry :)
Be happy :)
Another type of ending is...
OMG, so much tension, so many questions, this is still continuing, isn't it?
This Is A Series Ending or TIAS
For example,
Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
A rebellious girl called Lyra sneaks into her uncle's meetings and finds out about a peculiar thing called dust and that through the northern lights, you can see parallel universes. When her friend Roger disappears, she hears about Gobblers who take children. Then she meets Mrs. Coulter who takes her in. The Master of the college she lives at give her, in secret, an alethiometer which, if read right, can tell the truth. Mrs. Coulter wants this device but Lyra refuses to give it to her...especially after she found that Mrs. Coulter is the head of the Gobblers.
Lyra must now find a way to save her friend while escaping Mrs. Coulter's clutches.
(thank you to Wiki for reminding me the order of events)
So, after a bunch of turmoils...
"So Lyra and her daemon turned away from the world they were born in, and looked towards the sun, and walked into the sky."
Although the turmoil is continuing, it is kind of a peaceful continuation ending because it is description of the situation rather than two characters talking. If it had ended in conversation, there might have been more of a sense of urgency.
such as
"Pantalaimon?"
"Yeah, Lyra?"
"Are we going in there?"
"I think we are."
"Alright then."
End of book.
Don't you think there's more of a sense of urgency when it's just talking and not just description?
Here's another example.
Warriors: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter
A story about a kittypet (house cat) who has a dream of chasing a mouse in the forest. Drawn to the forest, he meets a clan of cats, ThunderClan whose leader Bluestar, takes him under their wing despite some protests within the clan. There he is named Firepaw after his red-orange pelt. Firepaw becomes an apprentice cat, learning to hunt, fight, and getting his way around the forest and learning of the other three clans, ShadowClan, RiverClan, and WindClan.
Working twice as hard to drop the "kittypet" nickname from other clan members, he soon becomes a warrior, Fireheart and takes on an apprentice of his own. Yet, one ambitious member in the clan, Tigerclaw is plotting something dangerous that could lead to a war...
(I wrote this blurb all from memory.)
"Fireheart was ready for the challenge."
This is the mega-continuation ending. Tension packed. We can tell that the tensions have not yet ceased and will not for possibly a long time (which is true). We wonder what will happen next and quickly dive into the next book. Warriors series are full with these sorts of
This Is A Series Ending or TIAS. Often tension-packed with a billion questions still unanswered. We are left as tense as the MC.
Next is the good old "and they all lived happily ever after."
Like A Fairytale Ending or LAF
For example,
Enna Burning by Shannon Hale
Enna Burning is the story of Enna, friend to Isi who appeared as the MC in the first Books of Bayern series. Isi, Queen of Bayern, can control the wind (wind-speaking) and talk with animals (animal-speaking). Enna learns of the secrets to "fire-speaking" but soon this power goes out of control. When the neighboring country, Tira invades Bayern, Enna wants to use her powers but sometimes she loses control and comes dangerously to burn herself. What will happen with Bayern, Tira, and fire-speaking Enna?
(thank you Wiki for helping me out with this).
"She was home."
The THE END ending.
This is where you then see the end roll screen going by and feel relieved and happy.
LAF is all about those happy-ever-after feels.
Last is...
There are still some questions we can ask and there are still some things we might wonder about.
But, this is the exact place the main character wanted to end up in the first place so there you go!
Questions Still But Goal Accomplished Ending or Qsbegae (kews-bee-gay)
For example,
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Starting with a 90-something old man in an old people's home, we see bit by bit the life of this old man in his youth. We find he had hopped onto a train which happened to be a circus train and ended up working there. He falls in love with a woman who does acts with animals but she has a fiance who has serious mood swings and is also the boss of the circus. No one opposes him. Until they buy an elephant from a circus that had fallen. The old man remembers how he cared for the elephant and how things started to look up for him. But where is he now? In an old people's home and his family won't come to visit him. There is a circus going on outside. Where does he want to be?
"It's like Charlie told the cop. For this old man, this is home."
Basically, the ending leaves us asking more questions than the rest of the story.
BUT
We don't have to address them BECAUSE it is all fine and peaceful now. The old man is where he wants to be, so...okay, THE END. I won't ask how he's going to live there, I won't ask what his family will say, I won't ask what if the cops find him again, I won't say isn't it better for his health if he stay in the old people's home...
Despite me basically blowing the ending for you, it's a great read. Not for kids, for teens and up. Check it out :)
Summary:
Peace has arrived. Tomorrow is another peaceful day...
Don't-Worry-B-Happy Ending or DWBH
OMG, so much tension, so many questions, this is still continuing, isn't it?
This Is A Series Ending or TIAS
The good old "and they all lived happily ever after."
Like A Fairytale Ending or LAF
There are still some questions we can ask and there are still some things we might wonder about.
But, this is the exact place the main character wanted to end up in the first place so there you go!
Questions Still But Goal Accomplished Ending or Qsbegae (kews-bee-gay)
Depending on what kind of feels you want to give the reader at the end, you will need to use a different ending. It is going to end all peacefully? Or is it a series? Happy-ever-after story? Or, there are still some unanswered questions yet the goal has been accomplished so it's fine?
Choose your ending wisely :)
Happy writing! :D
P.S.
If there are any types of endings I missed, let me know :)
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