Finally, you are nearly finished with your book, and all you can think about is the glorious moment when you'll write the words "The End." You're going to jump in the air and shout. You're going to hug the cat. You're going to ride your bike to your friend's house and spend the night eating Pixy Stix, and the sooner the better!
Not so fast. The ending is one of the most important parts—maybe the most important part—of your masterpiece. Your ending can make the difference between a book that's just okay and one that is great. So take some time now to make your ending as good as it can be.
How do you know a good ending when you see it? Shoot for these two important qualities. First, a good ending is unexpected. It should take your readers by surprise. Second, it should make perfect sense. When your readers think back over the story, their reaction should be something like, "Wow! Of course! It had to end this way. How could I not have known?"
But how do you create this perfect yet astonishing ending? One of my favorite teachers, the science fiction writer Damon Knight, gave me this simple but excellent advice.
- Step One: Think of an ending.
Step Two: Think of another ending.
Step Three: Think of yet another ending.
Step Four: The last ending you think of is the one to use.
Good luck, and write on!
Nancy Etchemendy was born in Reno, Nevada in 1952. Deserts, sagebrush, horses, real cowboys, and Indians, abandoned silver mines, and the occasional mobster were everyday parts of her childhood. Nancy now lives and works in Northern California, where she leads a somewhat schizophrenic life, alternating between unkempt, introverted writer of weird tales and gracious wife of John Etchemendy, Stanford University's Provost. Her latest release is Cat in Glass and Other Tales of the Unnatural , which has won the ALA Best Book for Young Adults and was a Bram Stoker Award Finalist.
