Saturday, August 9, 2008

The Ending

I figured it out! I haven't written it yet, but I know how my current book will end.

*big sigh of relief*

I've had some ideas, but my original plan hasn't felt right. Initially I wanted my main character to die, but I keep hearing how readers don't like that and my stubborn side wanted to kill him for that reason. But it got me thinking that maybe he should survive. He can almost die, but then I'm facing the generic "hero almost dies but makes it at the end, possibly waking up in a brightly lit hospital room surrounded by loved ones." I do NOT want to write that kind of book.

Yesterday I didn't do any actual writing, but I did take a page worth of notes and I figured it all out. My ending will wrap up a lose end without turning it into a cliché, and someone will still die.

Ahhhhhhhhhh.

14 comments:

Janna Leadbetter said...

Yay! I'm so excited for you!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks! I especially like that this ending doesn't "give in" to the usual clichéd ending.

Zoe Winters said...

hehehe awesome! I'm glad you found your ending. It's really exciting when the ending crystallizes just right.

Robin said...

Congratulations! Good thing you're not killing your character, because now people can return the book if they don't like the ending. I'm reading Stephenie Meyer's "Breaking Dawn" right now, and I like it so far, but I'm going to return it anyway just to fit in.

Spy Scribbler said...

I love when that happens! It's always a relief when I've got the ending down.

Good luck!

Travis Erwin said...

Isn't it nice when things come together.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks Zoe.

Robin, lol! I feel so bad for her!

Spy, yes. I was getting worried I wouldn't figure it out.

Travis, yes it is. :)

Anonymous said...

Melanie, that is totally awesome and I'm glad your brainstorming worked out for you! Best of luck getting the ending writeen.

colbymarshall said...

Yay! Congrats on figuring it out. I always have such a problem with killing characters, because usually its a character I do like and I absolutely have to force myself to carry it out because the book "requires" me to do it.

Gregory Anderson said...

It is deeply disturbing that you find so much merriment in homicidal crime.

Wait, you're an author.

Never mind!

Aimlesswriter said...

Doesn't that feel good?
Yay!
Can't wait to read it.
Hey, Old Yellar died at the end and that was a classic, so perhaps death isn't always wrong.
Either way, your agent will tell you.
Did you read Konrath's new book? I can't believe what he did at the end! Ahhhhhh

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks Aaron.

Colby, I actually wanted to kill him. I didn't have second thoughts until I started hearing how much readers hate it.

Packsaddle, that's not merriment! Well, maybe...

Aimless, good point. I haven't read it - no new books since Feb.

Anonymous said...

Sometimes you do your best work when you know exactly where you're heading. Congrats on finding the perfect ending!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks Dube!