As a person reads a story, tension should build. And build. And build. Until the reader has no fingernails left. What do we do with all this tension at the end? We release it. That’s the main purpose of the ending. To release tension. If you don’t, you’ll end up with frustrated readers.
How do we release tension?
While there are many ways, I’m going to discuss Dwight Swain’s method. Keep in mind, this is just one way.
One Way to End a Novel (Four Steps):
1. Place your character in a situation where he must choose between two specific, concrete courses of action.
Option A: material gain. This is the easy way. Practical considerations back this choice 100%. By choosing option A, your character will gain what he’s worked so hard for throughout the novel. Seems like the obvious choice. What’s the catch? There is a moral/emotional price to be paid by choosing option A, and the price is HIGH.
Option B: principle/morality. This is the hard way. If character chooses option B, the consequences are disastrous. He will lose everything he’s worked to accomplish by choosing Option B.
What your character chooses will determine if he’s worthy of reward. For maximum tension, create a choice that really nails your character to the cross. Think through-the-roof high stakes and consequences for choosing option B.
A very simplistic, lame example:
Joe has been saving his money for the past five years to buy this awesome boat. After facing all sorts of obstacles, he finally has the money he needs. But guess what? He just found out his girlfriend’s dad needs back surgery, and insurance won’t cover the cost.
Option A: buy the boat
Option B: use the money to pay for the surgery (no boat)
2. Force your character to make a choice.
Here are two possible ways to do this: urgency and gimmick (I will cover gimmick next Monday). This is where we force Joe into a corner. He HAS to choose between buying the boat or using the money to help his girlfriend’s dad.
3. Translate that choice into an irrevocable climactic act.
Make your character act on his choice. Make him do something. Make this something important and irreversible. Once he acts, there’s no going back. Joe might think about doing the noble thing, but thoughts don’t amount to much if he doesn’t ACT on them.
Important note: If character chooses option B, this often translates into his black moment, when all seems lost and your reader’s worry comes to a head. If you made the stakes high enough and the character proved himself worthy, the reader will be rooting like heck that this character gets his reward. For example, if Joe gives his money to his girlfriend, all hope of him getting his dream boat are lost. Black moment. And reader will root for him to get the boat, since he proved himself worthy of reward.
4. Give him his just reward.
If your character chose the easy way, punish him. He doesn’t get his reward.
If your character chose the hard way, reward him. Give him his heart’s desire (the boat).
How can you do this?
Use a reversal:
The reversal must include three ingredients for it to work:
– It must be desired. The reader must want your character to win.
– It must be unanticipated. If the reader can see it coming, the reversal loses its power.
– It must be logical. Don’t throw something into the mix that makes no sense and has no connection with the story. Your readers will roll their eyes and think, “Give me a break.”
The reversal for Joe’s story might be a number of things. If he proves himself worthy and gives his money to his girlfriend, maybe Joe inherits his grandfather’s boat, which is what made him fall in love with boating in the first place. If he proves himself unworthy and chooses personal gain, maybe he finds himself caught up in some sort of scam and doesn’t get the boat. I don’t know. Whatever fits with your story. I told you, this example is lame.
Escalating tension throughout the book + release of tension at the end of the book = deep, satisfied sigh from your reader.
Question to Ponder: What is one of the most satisfying endings you’ve seen or read? What made it so satisfying?
[…] I thought this was pretty clever advice from Dwight Swain. The gimmick. To fully understand this post, you’re going to want to read last Wednesday’s post about writing the perfect ending. […]
Thanks SM Blooding! I'm so glad this was helpful!
This is a FABULOUS post!!! I have to admit, I struggle with the last chapter. The last and first chapters are the two chapters I hate the most, so this post was perfect! Awesome!
It's funny how many of us can't remember incredibl endings. I had the same problem as I was typing up this post. I think I remember movie endings more than I do books. I wonder what that's about.
Erica – I have to agree with you. I LOVED While you Were Sleeping's ending.
And Marybeth – for sure Sixth Sense. That gave me major goosebumps!
Thanks for all the comments. I really appreciate you stopping by and reading my posts!
i'm going to bookmark your post on endings. i actually should just buy this book, it sounds like. but it'll come in handy when i finally finish Blessed. 🙂 all this dang plot changing though…that seems a year away.
I loved the ending to "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen. That's a book I read recently that I enjoyed. It was very clever and very tidy.
I’d not considered character actions quite like this before. It makes total sense. However, asked to articulate it, I couldn’t…until now. Thanks for the education. I, too, am having trouble identifying a fine end book or movie. I know they’re out there, but, it’s like putting me on the 6 O’clock news…you know, one of those, “Man on the Street” things and asking me the sum of two plus two. I go straight to deer-in-the-headlights mode.
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
I'm having a hard time thinking of a book I read with a really satisfying ending. I think it's because most of what I read is a series, and the first book ISN'T satisfying. They end too fast, you know?
This is a great post. I'm learning so much from your blog! Thanks for that!
This is one of the hardest things about writing to such a tight wordcount for me. Getting everything in and not skimping on the ending. Also, when I'm writing the first draft, the last day, where I'm racing toward THE END, it's usually so tempting to write a quick ending so I can say I'm done. Believe me, crit partners have dinged me on this one more than once. 🙂
Satisfying endings? I'll go with movies, since those are easier for me to think of right now.
While You were Sleeping. The proposal with all his family watching, then taking her to Florence on a honeymoon. Sigh.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding. How she comes full circle to realize that her family enriches her and nothing can hold her back. And how yummy is Ian Miller?
Great post! And I noticed you changed the name of your blog–great decision!
I love the endings where someone's life is in danger and there's no way out, and then BAM–they're safe! Aaahhh…
I just read a terrific book: My Lord and Spymaster by Joanna Bourne. Her first book is amazing too. Both had superb endings (and middles and beginnings…)
I love the ending of my novel…it was one of my favorite things about it.
But I do agree with Krista, I can't think of one certain book that just made me so happy because it was the best ending ever…
Oh but the Sixth Sense…although it was a movie…killer ending! (That was the only thing that came to mind)
The Bible–b/c the good guy wins in the end!
Sending love. I'll be offline for awhile.
~ Wendy
Some very, very great points today, Katie. I've been disappointed in endings many times. One I noticed recently should have ended about 100 pages sooner. The author climaxed, then the rest was fluff. It takes a great deal of skill and planning to pull off a satisfying ending! I'm not sure I'm there yet, but I'll keep learning and growing!
I like Krista's answer. I love happy endings but I don't like when everything all summed up in one or two pages, including the climax.
I don't think I've often used the ending of a novel the way you mentioned above, but it sounds interesting. You did a good job at summing it up. Thanks!
I've got to say that for more, nothing is so disappointing as a complete rebuttal to tidy up an ending. I'd much rather a few loose strings left to ponder on my own and a realistic compromise, than an unrealistic answer to all their problems.
I love how you broke this down! Thank you so much. I'm not analytical so this really helps me.
One book's ending I'll always remember is a Julie Garwood romance. It made me go out and read all her books.
There was basically a twist where she knew something no one else did and at the very end she says the secret, and it was just so hilarious.
Krista – that's an excellent point! I also like a chapter (short though, I like them short) that lets us bask in the happiness! Great reminder.
Tab – thanks! I'm glad my posts help you girl. 🙂
Ugh, it's hard to note a satisfying ending. Sometimes, to be honest, they irritate me. Okay, so yeah it ends, but the tension builds and builds and builds, and then the author releases it in the last two paragraphs and then nothing. All done. The climax is over, solution resolved. No time to bask in the wonderfulness of the solution. Not even a page or a chapter. I dunno, maybe you want to leave people feeling, "good" and just off that high, but to me, the best endings are when you have that moment, that choice, and you see the happy ending result… then you turn the page and there's one more chapter to help you ease out of the book. But… that's just me.
LOVE your advice here on how to make it happen!
Hey, finally I am first up in the comments, instead of last! Yeah! I knew I had better things to do tonight then go to bed. I hate our time difference. Okay, whine aside, the ending that I loved the most came from the book Tuesdays with Morrie by Mich Albom. The whole way through the book the author makes no secret of the fact that Morrie will die (sorry if you haven't read it) but the ending deals with that death so sensitively and really ties the whole book together incredibly well. There is purpose in the death if you like. The author leaves you with the feeling that one life ended and another has just awoken. A real feel good story. I don't know… I liked it anyway. Katie I love your posts, I swear I am becoming a better writer through reading what you have learnt. Thanks 🙂