wrapping up the tale

byMKearns

7.6K followers

5 years ago

Tidying up a story is an essential way of telling it. The ending of any story often says a lot more than the story itself.

The description of the circular ending in many ways makes no sense. The story that I have read that comes closest to this setting is Stephen King's Dark Tower series. This 7 main volume series is craftily written as it hints at a progressively perfecting spiral. This gives hope and purpose to a one dimensional flat scheme. The reader is left with the insinuation, "maybe this time" after going through the door to the original setting and memory is taken away.

The moral ending is a reflection on the progression of character growth. This is shown especially in serialized stories like Indiana Jones. The character at the close is a successful transformation of the starting character.

The surprise ending rewards curiosity with a bonus impression. The reader is left with an unexpected twist. There is shock value involved here which helps set the stage for subsequent serials. At the least the novel can be a keeper!

When the story winds up on an emotional note, the twist can really resonate. Take romance, for instance. I have a novel that ends with emotional victory in a difficult romantic situation. Not only is it a keeper, but I've read the cover to cover several times. The back cover is gone and several pages are worn and missing!

A reflective final note magnifies the characters' growth over the story journey. Often the steps of progress are reviewed. Different scenarios of progressive tracks are aired and evaluated.

When a story winds down with a cliff hanger, it stays with the reader. The old Flash Gordon serials often ended this way. A situation is arranged in certain doom if carried out. You wait for the next weeks show with bated breath! There always seems to be some way you don't think of to effect escape.

Humorous endings affect different people in different ways. Sometimes when the tables are skillfully turned it's possible to root for the antagonist over characters that are erstwhile protagonists. Stephen Kings' escape sequence portrayed in the Shawshank Redemption is a prime example.

An ending can play out in an uncertain note. This forms a question that often begs for a resolution that can only be provided in a subsequent serial. It is all the more effective if the question is resolved in a profound way at ultimate resolution on the next go round.

Images can really resonate and burn an impression in the reader's mind. This is most effective in movies or videotaped narratives, Stories with excessive visual content and images can leave this impression A movie filmed with a handy cam, The Blair Witch Project, used this technique to great advantage!

Endings with a dialogue from a principal character are most effective in putting an entire story into necessary perspective. This is often done in older era novels. HP Lovecraft was a master of this technique. The dialogue narrative is usually italicized in bold to set of its uniqueness as a mark of distinction.

A good ending can make or break a story. The same goes fort he commercial impression when used for your business. It comes down to the ability to craft a tale Ike a master!