“There Is Always an After”: Kristen Twardowski on Writing Endings

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In “The Trouble with Writing Endings,” author, publishing analyst, and Book Riot contributor Kristen Twardowski wonders when it’s best to stop telling a story.

The trouble with writing endings is that endings don’t actually exist. Not really. Instead there simply comes a moment when we stop telling the story.

Knowing when to stop has always been hard for me. In my head, I can’t help but carry the narrative on. What happens to the hero after she defeats the evil king? What happens after the protagonist gets married? What happens to the soldiers who were part of the losing army? What happens to the rest of the universe when the brightest star in a galaxy explodes?

There is always an after. And an after the after. And another after after that.

But the writer still has to stop telling the story at some point.

Read her post. When do you know it’s time to end a story?

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45 Comments

  3. The Universe is always in motion, eternally, the energy interacts with itself, and becomes in things, and things in energy; Alternating between action and rest, between sound and silence, between the presence of the Light and without it, all immersed in One.

    Liked by 7 people

  6. Very good post! Indeed it is very difficult to “end” a good story. I think our human nature is always looking for the “what happen next?” with the characters involved in the storyline. You can see that in so many novels, TV series and franchises. It seems that you always can “start all over” according to a different point of view.

    Liked by 7 people

  8. Completely understood. I feel as if I’m great at beginning a story, but the ending to me is always a huge struggle to construct. You’re right. There’s really no such thing as an end, because there’s always a person or an action or a sentiment that continues to linger. Well done!

    Liked by 7 people

  11. The after brings the beginning to another after. Thus, we are always doing a rewrite of the afters. After inverse begins.

    Liked by 6 people

  19. I am glad you are making this point. My son has been writing on his novel for over three years. I have prompted him to close, and publish. He will, but it may be in twenty years. I may be gone by then.

    Liked by 6 people

  34. Same problem with my stories. The only tip I know is just to wind things down with something that ends that ppl can relate to, like sunsets ending a day, or a character settling in at home. Once at this point, readers realize there’s nothing worth mentioning afterward.

    Liked by 1 person

  38. “Instead there simply comes a moment when we stop telling the story.” I just love this sentiment, and how it not only applies to the written word, but also the whole
    of our lives experiences. Thank you for sharing!

    Liked by 2 people

  41. Amazing piece… It’s so obvious that stories do not have an end. It’s just that at a point of time we realize that we have to sum up our point or we have to give an end to our story. In fact if we compare end with our lives, then also we don’t know where is our end. We just keep going with the flow. Great work. Keep going.

    Like

  42. Like an artist with a statue. I would never feel the painting was finished either. Nor in singing, always wanted it to be better.
    The inspiration lives on and in the human form, we yearn for the perfection which cannot be found here on earth.
    The artist of any media, writing, music, paint must therefore release their work at some point when they believe they have done their very best at that moment.

    Never thought of it as you have. Thanks for the new perspective.
    Arlene

    Liked by 1 person

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