So, yesterday, I submitted my revised ending for book 2, formally known as The Chemistry of Fate, and changed things up pretty dramatically. Previously I'd left things hanging for one of my main characters (I'll expound more on this once the book actually comes out). Now, I've wrapped things up more for both MC's, and only left the fate of the bad guy hanging (he's got a role to play in book 3--spoilers!). I'm not upset about this at all, and it's totally understandable why I had to make things change, but it does make me think a little about endings in general.
For me, the perfect ending is the one in the movie Inception. I loved that! I love how there are all kinds of hints throughout the movie and last scene that tiptoe around what could have happened. Ah, it's just perfection! (And not that my previous ending was anywhere near that epic, but it was what I had in mind when I wrote it.)
I brought this up on facebook yesterday and thought I'd mention it here, too. What kinds of endings do you like and why? Are you all about the HEA (happily ever after) endings? Or do you like the kind where things are left a little unsettled?
(And you may want to follow me on facebook--I tend to do random little giveaways over there that you might be interested in!)
Endings are not my forte. They are so hard to get right. Personally, I don't like cliffhanger endings, or pretty pink bow endings, but endings definitely need to offer a certain amount of satisfaction. I did love the ending in Inception too. It still had that question, but left me satisfied.
ReplyDeleteI liked the fact that it allowed for discussion--that's probably why it's my favorite. If you think about all the little pieces, there's a lot to talk about. Same thing for books--I like the opportunity to discuss it, which is really fun for me. Having everything neatly tidied away makes that hard to do. Of course, a ton of build-up for nothing is maddening, too. You're right in saying endings are hard to get right!
DeleteI like endings that aren't wholly resolved, but that leave the reader satisfied too... I think some things should always be left to the reader's imagination!!! :D
ReplyDeleteIt's such a fine line between satisfied and hanging! But when it's done well, ahh, perfection! :)
DeleteI like the hope of happy endings because nothing is ever tied in a neat bow (and also I write about teenagers who have a whole lot of life left in front of them)
ReplyDeleteVery good point! If life goes on, well, then it's never going to have a neat little bow!
DeleteI weighed in on Facebook, but I'll add here that I've been disappointed in endings that are too happy. Like things just all work out for everyone. It doesn't feel real to me that way. I feel like I've read a lot of series over the last few years which have these rosy endings for the last book. It kind of weakens the impact of the rest of the books for me.
ReplyDeleteA little bittersweet kind of makes it more real, and who wants to read a book (or books) that don't feel real? That makes it lose all its fun.
DeleteThe recent finale of Fringe was essentially perfection in my eyes: it had a happy ending, with just enough tragedy to leave a bitter aftertaste in the back of your throat, tying all the important threads while still leaving a few extraneous details, along with a little corner of blank canvas that leaves you wondering. Inception did the same-- all the threads of the story were, in fact, tied up, but that last bit with the top made you wonder if there wasn't another story entirely.
ReplyDeleteWhile I'm not big on purely 'happily ever after' endings and tying things up all at once in a neat little bow, it bugs me when I'm reading/watching something, getting invested in that story, and then being thrown a bunch of sequel bait (Prometheus was absolutely absurd in this regard). It's one thing when something is advertised as part of a series, but when we're made to believe something stands alone, I expect it to deliver.
I haven't ever gotten into Fringe--maybe I will have to check that out :) Sounds like the ending would please me though. And don't get me started on "sequel bait" endings (unless that's known beforehand)--they make me nuts!
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