I’ve always figured the ending was pretty important. Like, it should be an epic battle of epic proportions–preferably with an epic soundtrack. Right?
Recently I’ve been reading and reviewing books from a variety of genres. The authors are varied, some new to writing, some experienced. I’ve noticed a trend among these books. Quite frequently, the ending just kind of, well, trickles off and fades. No epic battle of epic proportions. No epic soundtrack. Just a squeaky school band that, for lack of a director, slowly grinds to a halt.
And here I thought the epic battle was universal. Apparently making the ending epic is something a lot of people struggle with.
Here are a few tips for making your ending epic. 😉
- Make sure you delay the biggest battle until the end of the book. It doesn’t have to be a physical fight of good vs evil, but if you bring it in too soon, you’ll sabotage your ending.
- Make it hard. Everyone knows the hero always wins the last battle–but it should look like he might not. Keep us on the edge of our seats!
- Keep the emotional pull of the book as part of the battle. Stereotypical examples of this is the “save the girl,” or “save the planet” emotions. But, you know, whatever is the main thrust of the story.
Camille Esther 