The End ~ Of a novel

by Neeraj V Murali
30th November 2013

Let a novel belong to various genres, how would you start thinking about the end of it? Happy one, sad gloomy one, mysterious one or anything else....

Because a novel had to end somewhere even though it may not be the last word of the story!!

Replies

I never would like an exciting novel to end....

Thanks all. I have got a gist of what to do with my novel!

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Neeraj
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Neeraj V Murali
04/12/2013

I struggled with my ending with Jatshah. I came up with a bunch of alternative endings, none of which I was satisfied with.

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nadia
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nadia siddiqi
04/12/2013

I love this topic, I was reading a blog about endings yesterday.

Damien nice ending for your novel.

There is something therapeutic about typing in 'The End' for a novel. my first novel worked out its own ending as I wrote it, though I am not sure readers will like it, as this is the part that hasn't been read by my beta readers, who have read half way through.

My second novel, the idea which came just as the time as my first ended, occurred as a dream and the end of the novel. I wrote the last chapter first and then worked backwards. It is fun knowing your ending, as it helps the structure of your novel, the plot and the pacing.

I can't help referring (yet again) to 'Gone with the Wind' which is famous for its ending. I read recently that Margaret Mitchell wrote the last chapter first and then worked backwards one chapter at a time. Her novel is such transformation for her MCs and has a really sad and unexpected ending. I just read Ingrid Betancourt's memoir, 'Even Silence has an end' which I couldn't put down the last two days. It is over 700 pages long and weaves in the most unexpected love story (no spoilers, promise). The final scene stops before the famous video taped meeting with her children after 6.5 years in captivity. Very very poignant, I didn't want the book to end.

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03/12/2013