I must admit I probably wouldn't have either. (I hope someone tests me so I can prove my own literary acumen!) The answers to yesterday's post quiz: 1) William Gibson 2) John Banville 3) Don Delillo, 4) Henry James, 5) Cornelia Funke, 6) James Salter, 7) Willa Cather, 8) Neil Gaiman.
Did you notice any common elements in these endings? I chose a very odd assortment of genres and time periods, so you wouldn't expect too much similarity. This is what I observed:
1) Most of them tell what happened instead of showing it in a drawn-out scene. Most of the time when you are writing, it's best to stay in the moment, right in the thick of the action. That last line is a place where it's okay to compress time a bit.
2) Most of them are dramatic. No one is dawdling around after the excitement is over.
3) Most of them convey a strong emotion or theme. Finally, you get a chance expose the heart of your story so the reader closes the book with the feeling still resonating inside them.
4) Most of them seem to be written with the sound and rhythm of the words in mind. Read the Banville and the Delillo endings aloud. Do you hear it? There's a real difference in rhythm and it isn't accidental. And yes, we'll get into that later.
Next post, I am going to give you a truly awful ending. Naturally, I had to write it myself to be sure it would sink to my low standards.
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