'The End' when something is not the 'true' ending.

[Razor7826]

I like my Bad End series (http://www.bdsmlibrary.com/stories/s...?storyid=5428),

but it seems as if people generally don't like the endings, as there is a natural inclination to want a 'natural' conclusion. I think this has to do with such early endings being inherently unsatisfying.

Does anyone have advice on how to make early endings that manage to be satisfying, as well?

[GreyJack]

Well, the link was broken, so I can't really judge not being able to read the stories, let alone their endings. Usually though, a story should end when the story has been told. That doesn't necessarily mean a "conclusion" or even a resolving has been reached, if that is the intent of the writer. It just means the story the writer wanted to tell is over. Some people like open-ended stories because that's how life is, it just goes on. Other people like the standard "the end" tales because they want the simplicity of "a beginning, a middle, and an end." You mileage may vary.

One way, writers make endings "satisfying", however, is by foreshadowing how the story will end. There are many techniques for this, using symbols, previous events which turnout the same way, etc. Then if the reader is smart, when the ending is reached they can say "I knew it all along." Personally, I dislike stories like that, but, what are ya gonna do? LOL.

[TheVariableX]

I read a few of the chapters of your story. I particularly liked The True Valedictorian.

I would direct you to... http://www.bdsmlibrary.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9251
... if you haven't already read it.

2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.

You have no characters the audience can root for. They suffer, which I have to assume most of us quite enjoy reading about, but then they lose. They don't just lose, they lose everything, quickly with no hope of recovery in sight. People can feel sad for that character but it's hard to get behind it.

People may enjoy the story format more if the individual chapters were longer and could follow a characters suffering, but if that's not the story you want to tell, don't do it.

7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.

The chapters I read did a wonderful job of conveying feelings of hopelessness, if thats what you were aiming for you hit your mark. If people don't want to read if that's a different matter.

[Razor7826]

Hmm, I guess I need to do something so the forum does not truncate the hyperlinks. They can be found by searching my author name, or just Bad End


Yes, the sense of hopelessness was what I was aiming for. I play a lot of Japanese hentai games. The majority feature many different paths the story can take, with numerous 'Bad Endings' mixed among the good.

Vonnegut's second tip is going to be difficult to follow. One new chapter that I have finished writing (but not editing) focuses on the agressor's POV. She ends up on top, so that might be satisfying in the way the other ones are. However, that breaks what defines the rule.

[Razor7826]

A hopefully working link to the stories.


Those were some of my earliest attempts at linear fiction. In hindsight, I should have used consistent POVs. The chapters that are either First-person or Third-person focusing on a single character seem to be the strongest.

I know there are plenty of people out there that like these types of endings, but there is no simple story code or nomenclature to denote 'Bad Endings'. Thus, it will be difficult to attract the target audience. I had hoped to write a collection of ten of these (only using one or two of those posted here) and see if any of the e-publishers were interested, but that is seeming unlikely.

[Ruby]

I had hoped to write a collection of ten of these (only using one or two of those posted here) and see if any of the e-publishers were interested, but that is seeming unlikely.

Razor,

Your writing has clearly progressed from when you created these original drafts. The stories have great potential and even a nice marketing spin - Bad Endings for Bad Girls.

There is an audience for a set of stories like that.

To make them ready for sale in an anthology:

Each story should be longer. Say 10-15 pages, each with at least one strong XXX scene for readers to enjoy.

The next versions (drafts) should not appear on the web. E-publishers really don't like to publish work that's been given away for free.

A book between 30,000 and 60,000 words with anywhere from 5 to 12 stories would do well.

You'd work with the publisher to determine, which chapter - or two depending on the size of the finished book - that you'd use to promote your masterpiece.

To your success,

Ruby

[Faibhar]

O'Henry had it write/right when he came up with the twist at the end.

[Razor7826]

Razor,

Your writing has clearly progressed from when you created these original drafts. The stories have great potential and even a nice marketing spin - Bad Endings for Bad Girls.

There is an audience for a set of stories like that.

To make them ready for sale in an anthology:

Each story should be longer. Say 10-15 pages, each with at least one strong XXX scene for readers to enjoy.

The next versions (drafts) should not appear on the web. E-publishers really don't like to publish work that's been given away for free.

A book between 30,000 and 60,000 words with anywhere from 5 to 12 stories would do well.

You'd work with the publisher to determine, which chapter - or two depending on the size of the finished book - that you'd use to promote your masterpiece.

To your success,

Ruby

I really think I might follow this advice. My stories have generally been getting longer over the last year, with my most recent project being five parts, about 12,000 words.

"Bad Endings for Bad Girls" sounds pretty good, but the girls aren't particularly bad. Most of them fall over something they did wrong, however slight that error may be.

I think I should work on a 4,000 word sample of a potential story and use that to fish interest with publishers. Thank you very, very much for your advice, Ruby. I can tell I've come a long way in the less than two years I've been writing fiction.

[Razor7826]

To quote more of the Vonnegut rules mentioned earlier:

Kurt Vonnegut - Eight rules for writing fiction:



2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.

6. Be a sadist. Now matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them -- in order that the reader may see what they are made of.

7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.

I'm quite good at 6, and I know there are people that like the extraordinarily mean and dark endings.