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Strategies to help with endings

A few suggestions to help with the struggle.

David Gane
David Gane
1 min read

Lately, I've been having trouble with endings, so here are a few strategies I've been playing with:

Start at the end: If I figure out where I'm going—and can visualize what it looks like when I get there, I can use it to work backwards and figure out how I got there.

Write it in 50 words: Once you have your ending, write it out in 50 words. Not only does it help you visualize it, but it means you have to be specific. (Also, I know I have been repeating 50 words lately, but it does ease the pressure off your writing—especially if you are struggling with it.)

Describe the feeling: I found this one helpful. Figure out what you want your reader to feel at the end of the story. It could be an emotion like terror, wonder, or shock, but it can also be understanding or clarity. If you can define it, you can shape what it looks like and reverse-engineer how to get there.

Define the beat: The type of story beat you use may define the rest of your story. How does it impact the tone of your story if you use description, the thoughts of a character, an action or dialogue beat, the narration, or a combination?

Those are four options for ending that have helped with my writing. Do you have any you might suggest?

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David Gane Twitter

Co-writer of the Shepherd and Wolfe young adult mysteries, the internationally award-winning series, and teacher of storytelling and screenwriting.

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