How would you end your story?

[ForestDweller]

Since mine starts from MC's reincarnated birth, I want it to end with his death. If the story is about his second life, isn't it most fitting for it to end with his second death? Mushoku Tensei did it and I loved it.

I feel this is kinda a common problem with isekai stories. It never really knows when to stop. It just goes on and on and on until the author gets bored and stops writing. I wouldn't say any names though. I don't want to be blasted by their fans.

 

[GDLiZy]

The moment I started writing, I already know (or have some idea) how it will end. I have an overarching theme and question to echo and answer, so the plot and the development only need to flow towards that point.

 

[BenJepheneT]

I never start a story if I don't know how to end it. And if I DO know how to end it, it'll usually correlate HEAVILY with the themes and overarching plot. I try to stray away from undeserved sappy happy endings, because there's already enough fantasy in the market and I'm not the author to get that from.

 

[RimuThighHighs]

I also think that ending the story with my main characters death would be a most fitting ending bringing everything full circle considering that they reincarnates into the new world by taking their own life at the start of the story.

 

[averagewriter]

I will end it with a Bang!

 

[Deleted member 29316]

Since I've been a planner, I know my story's ending even before I started it.

I plan to end it in a satisfying manner, since I originally meant it to be a light read. There were parts that meant to go 'dark', but eventually, everything will fall into place...logically, of course.

 

[TotallyHuman]

Ideally, I would end an arc that would resolve all the plot lines that appeared and give everything a logical conclusion...

And then I'd have every character break the fourth wall

 

[Stratothrax]

This seems impossible to say without giving spoilers

The ultimate end I guess.

 

[Draculus-del-Viafat]

Since mine starts from MC's reincarnated birth, I want it to end with his death. If the story is about his second life, isn't it most fitting for it to end with his second death? Mushoku Tensei did it and I loved it.

I feel this is kinda a common problem with isekai stories. It never really knows when to stop. It just goes on and on and on until the author gets bored and stops writing. I wouldn't say any names though. I don't want to be blasted by their fans.

Unfortunately I can't advise on isekai stories for I've never written them. Somehow, a novel's ending comes to my mind first before I start writing the beginning. There is a book I'm going to end with the MC's death, there are happy endings, sad endings, and twisted endings that I love the most. I like to give my readers something unexpected, something they can't predict or don't want to predict, something that ruins their expectations, but still holds their attention anyway. Of course, twisted endings are a cool thing, but you should be careful with them, because they have to be logically understandable and interesting. If they lack explanation, they will make your readers rather dislike the whole story, that's why you should never take away readers' hopes. When you write a story, you manipulate readers so that they hope for something particular, they like particular characters, and taking something they are supposed to love so much away can cause troubles. But if your story goes down a mountain throughout the entire plot, there is no reason you shouldn't twist its end, because readers have a bad feeling anyway.
Talking about MC's death, I must admit it's always a difficult choice, and you should give it a better thought before applying to your book. I personally like happy endings with all characters alive, but sometimes a story needs something like a favorite of a main character's death in order to show how desperate all other characters are, to show the way of things and emphasize the difficulties of the story. It's not a bad thing - to kill your MC or your audience favorite character - as long as you don't go insane about it and kill them for no reason. There always should be a reason.

 

[yansusustories]

I usually know how my stories are going to end when I start them. Then again, I'm writing bl so maybe it's not that hard. It's normally after reaching some kind of relationship milestone whether that's them ending up dating each other or getting engaged/married. As for which one it is and how exactly it'll play out, it depends on the beginning of the story, really. Like, in what situation did the characters start out, what was their relationship at that point, and what other goals did they have?

 

[Cossimeri]

For me, my planned ending resolves most things while leaving enough room for future stories to be told, or a sequel to be written.

I like to leave things open for future me to add to if she wants. However I don't want to leave readers hanging if a sequel is never written.

 

[Discount_Blade]

I usually end mine with plenty of dead people, good and bad. I normally have large casts, of which 90% of will have died before the end, but those who remain ALL get happy endings because the world is dark enough, and I've already put my characters through hell by now, so they deserve a good, long, pleasing/relaxing rest. I've even planned for certain villains to get a happy ending, not where they achieve their original diabolical goal, but one where they DID obtain something else they desired that while posing no more threat to the world any more, will still keep them occupied for a long time and out of the surviving heroes way.

Sometimes I use that as a hint for sequel, sometimes it just ends there forever.

 

[EternalSunset0]

The ending and the final battle/climax are what I come up with first whenever I plan a story/arc if not the main character development arc to be completed. Then, I work backwards to find a way to make that ending and climax work.

I like good endings generally, but I don't mind a substantial body count. I'm not too fond of dark and gritty, though, so I generally keep my planned endings as bittersweet affairs at worst in terms of being downers.

That being said, I can't spoil much for my lone series, but I don't have any intention of doing a kill 'em all ending. My old scrapped stories also have likewise hopeful and positive endings.

 

[Freesia.Cutepearl]

End a story?! What?! People actually do that?

No, no ,no, you NEVER end the story, you just put in a hook for a sequel you'll never manage to write.

Not like I had planned to end things in a giant climax with lots of death too with a hook for a sequel, b- b- b- BAKA!

 

[midnightrainbow]

I like to end with a twist that changes the understanding of the entire story.

 

[Typing...]

Endings can be difficult to fathom. They seem so far away, especially if you haven't even figured out the middle of your story. There is a concept known as Sagging Middle Syndrome. Where at some point it just goes on and on and what was the story about again? As many have pointed out already, it's important to identify what the ending is before you write.

Why is this the case? Because every word you write has to target that ending. If you don't know how things are going to end it will show in your writing. It will look unfocused and aimless. A trap that people often fall into is by setting a short term goalpost. For example, winning a dance dance revolution tournament. Great. Ten chapters in you are now northeast ddr champion. What now?
Quick think of something! Uh, an invitational to ddr cross country! Then you win that. And then the global tournament. Where does it end? When you are competing with aliens in a high stakes dance off on the moon?

If you keep moving the goal post, you will keep running after it for eternity. A story only ends when you reach it.