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Best Book Endings

I don’t know about you but, for me, the best ending to a rollicking good story is either one that sends a shiver down your spine or one that makes you say OMG!  I wasn’t expecting that!

One closing line that I first read when I was 15 and has always stuck with me belongs to Margaret Mitchell.

“Tomorrow, I’ll think of some way to get him back. After all, tomorrow is another day.” From Gone with the Wind and more recently …

“An excellent year’s progress.” Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding.  OK … two of my favourite authors.

I have celebrated finishing my first novel twice now.  The first time was when I finished the 1st complete draft … how ridiculous was that?  

The second time was after the 1st re-write … even more bonkers.

I have just finished a 2nd re-write but I am not celebrating.  I have a long way to go yet.  The re-writing has only just begun and the ending needs honing.  Actually, I need to choose which ending … at the moment … I have four.  I am working on the explosive, but will settle for a big bang, or maybe even a sparkler but, after two years of blood, sweat and tears, I refuse to finally give birth to something that ends like a damp squib.

William Goldman, sums it all up in a nutshell:

‘The key to all story end­ings is to give the audi­ence what it wants, but not in the way it expects.’

As soon as I achieve that, it will be time to celebrate.


Filed under: Writers, Writing Tagged: Best book endings, Bridget Jones's Diary, Gone with the Wind, Helen Fielding, Margaret Mitchell, William Goldman, Writing is Rewriting


This post first appeared on My Alter Ego And Me, please read the originial post: here

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Best Book Endings

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