Writing [Tutorial] How to Make THE END

[OokamiKasumi]

How about descriptions, characters, environments, etc. How much is too little and too much. Which ones to describe and which to ignore. I think I have the gist of it figured out, but I'd like to hear your opinion.

Actually... I do have a tutorial on how to write tight, sneaky description. Are you sure that's what you want?

 

[greyblob]

Actually... I do have a tutorial on how to write tight, sneaky description. Are you sure that's what you want?

Y-yes?

 

[ConcubusBunny]

If you're writing a 'character focused' story, then the characters getting their shit together and learning to work together is a perfectly fine ending.

It's also the most common ending in any '4 man band', the '5 man band' and superhero stories.

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Thanks for the encouragement but the my cast of multiple Mac's is more than a five man band. Also do you have any advice on how to diversify and flesh a multiple MC story any advice would be great

 

[LostLibrarian]

Hmm. I never really had problems with endings but that might be because I start with the central theme of my stories. Most tightly written stories use a simple (what if) question as the central theme and the ending is just the answer the author wants to give.

I think the reason a lot of people have problems with ending is less a pantser/plotter question but one of the starting point. Most plotters know their central theme of the story and therefore the answer they want to give. But a lot of pantsers (especially with long-running webnovels) start with a setting ("guy reincarnated as X has fun") instead. So then the question of the ending becomes the struggle to find a central theme that still fits after half the story is already written...



I think no matter whether it is plotter or pantser, the first question should always be the central theme. Because once that is defined, picking the right setting or genres will also become a lot easier. And a central theme will also help to keep the webnovel on track or make it easier to get back on it.

It doesn't need to be something special or unique, but even "Guy is reincarnated, doesn't want to fight and teaches children instead, children kill demon lord" is already enough to define the ending itself. And from there, everything else can still be full on pantser-mode.

Problems start, when the central theme becomes "Guy is reincarnated as bread"...

 

[OokamiKasumi]

[Do] you have any advice on how to diversify and flesh a multiple MC story any advice would be great

I don't write multiple MCs, so I can't help much, but there are tons of anime and TV shows that went on for years with large casts. From what I've seen, once the main character's story settles into a routine, they go into the individual stories of the MC's companion characters, and sometimes the villains too.

I suggest watching a few of the longer playing anime series and taking notes on which characters they do this with, and how those individual stories tie in to the main story. A good example of a TV series would be Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That show ran for an ungodly long time, and had a massive cast. I haven't watched enough long-running anime beyond Naruto, and Inuyasha -- both of which actually ended -- so I suggest picking your favorites and paying close attention to how they did it.

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Hmm. I never really had problems with endings but that might be because I start with the central theme of my stories. Most tightly written stories use a simple (what if) question as the central theme and the ending is just the answer the author wants to give.

Yes, yes, yes...!
-- I love discussing storytelling with plotters!

I think the reason a lot of people have problems with ending is less a pantser/plotter question but one of the starting point. Most plotters know their central theme of the story and therefore the answer they want to give. But a lot of pantsers (especially with long-running webnovels) start with a setting ("guy reincarnated as X has fun") instead. So then the question of the ending becomes the struggle to find a central theme that still fits after half the story is already written...

You know, I think you definitely have something there.

I think no matter whether it is plotter or pantser, the first question should always be the central theme. Because once that is defined, picking the right setting or genres will also become a lot easier. And a central theme will also help to keep the webnovel on track or make it easier to get back on it.

It doesn't need to be something special or unique, but even "Guy is reincarnated, doesn't want to fight and teaches children instead, children kill demon lord" is already enough to define the ending itself. And from there, everything else can still be full on pantser-mode.

Agreed! Very good point.

Problems start, when the central theme becomes "Guy is reincarnated as bread"...

*Face-palm.*

The crazy things some people come up with--! They had to be on recreational pharmaceuticals, or very drunk, to come up with some of this stuff.

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