How do you end a book (just a novel not a series) well?
Choose from these, OR SUGGEST A BETTER ONE:
a death
a kiss
a mystery
a quote
uh...SUGGEST
2007-03-01 12:29:54 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Oh, lol, THIS IS FOR FANTASY BASED IN THE FOURTEENTH CENTURY
2007-03-01 13:28:16 · update #1
It's impossible to say without knowing the novel, or at least the type of novel it is.
A quote is rarely a good idea, and having a mystery at the END might frustrate many readers (though you'd not be the first author to do it).
Typically, you want to wrap up all your lose ends at the end. Make sure that everything you've written logically and emotionally leads up to the conclusion. The book should feel well-rounded - people should be able to tell they've reached the end even without the clue of "there are no more pages after this one."
You could end on a death, a birth, a conversation that clears up [something that needed to be cleared up], a kiss, a wedding, an everyday scene... you could even have an epilogue that shows your characters ten (or so) years in the future, to show how their lives developed after the main plot ended. (Ken Follet does this in "Eye of the Needle", to name just one example.)
Another good possibility is a scene that somehow mirrors the opening scene (or a very early scene), but in a way that shows how the characters have developed. For example, say you have a very shy girl being bullied in the opening scene. During the book she lives through many challenges and grows as a person. At the end, you show her back in her normal life, and the same bully challenges her - but this time, she just laughs and walks away, or has a witty comeback, or beats up the bully (depending on HOW she developed during your book). This is a nice way to let the story come "full circle".
The possibilities are endless - you need to find the one that's right for your book. Maybe outline a few and then develop the one that feels right. Trust your gut instinct.
Good luck! :)
2007-03-01 12:57:29 · answer #1 · answered by Ms. S 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well, that's not enough info, is it. Nix the quote. Forget the kiss. Death only if it's the villain. As for the mystery, well, as long as it doesn't negate the whole book. Your reader deserves closure after reading for hours. A little mystery - like, say your hero turns out to be quite different than he was painted throughout the book - perhaps related to the family or the deceased, but in a way that makes many facts in the novel flash through the reader's mind as perhaps taken for granted when they pointed in the wrong direction. But it is important to tie up all the loose ends, so the reader gets their "money's worth".
2007-03-01 21:10:22 · answer #2 · answered by Miz Teri 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well except for the quote why not all three.
Or for just one:
Death for shock
A kiss for suspense
Or a mystery to have a sequel
But in my opinion I would choose a mystery
2007-03-01 20:42:12 · answer #3 · answered by Futureguy51 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it depends on the type of novel... depends what message you have...
a romance? or a romantic "comedy"? would end normally with a kiss.
Tragedys normally end with death
history? quote- a mystery?- that's probably for horror stories-
but to be honest- I can't tell you - it depends on your story + people like being suprised with the ending- you can break the molds I just mentioned
good luck
plus- other endings can be:
wedding
ride to the sunset
"and she smiled"
"never to speak again"
"that was the last time they met"
or anything like that...
"and thus begun their ??? (married life, business, I don't know waht's your story) - but that's another story for another time"
good luck
2007-03-01 20:46:13 · answer #4 · answered by Mogli 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would depend if you'd like to do a sequel. If so, then a mystery would be good.
If no sequel, and you want a sad ending, then of course, a death.
If you want to keep people talking about your book, then close with an enigma. (ambiguous ending).
2007-03-01 21:28:09 · answer #5 · answered by concernedjean 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mine aren't based on anything traditional. It's usually based on how the previous conflict had ended or something entirely different.
2007-03-01 22:14:52 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
why can't you do all of them? you could have two scenes going on at once, one with two people falling in love, and then one with some person being murdered, and no one knows who the murderer is... then you could end it with a quote.
.....It would be FABULOUS!!!
....though i wouldn't suggest THAT as your quote...
2007-03-01 21:35:01 · answer #7 · answered by Alysse 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a quote
2007-03-01 21:01:03 · answer #8 · answered by Decoder333 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Are you asking if you need major help?
2007-03-01 20:34:11 · answer #9 · answered by Roy Staiger 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋