Bite Size Writing Tips

Don’t overdo your ending

Don’t go beyond your story’s natural ending e.g. in a horror story, it’s more effective to finish with the girl thinking she’s got away only for the monster to appear right at the end, its jaws drooling, than it is to go into graphic detail about how the monster finished her off, the hours all her friends spent looking for her, how her beloved dog pined for her and so on. There’s no need. Your readers will know exactly what’s going to happen to her and will be able to imagine it for themselves in their minds.  

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15 responses to “Bite Size Writing Tips”

  1. I have a major issue with the ending of the Hannice Knight trilogy. I mean, should one kill off a one’s MC in a first-party narrator work and if so, how? I guess we’ll all have to wait until after next Easter to find out. 😉

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    1. You are a tease, Keith!

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      1. Perhaps, but it is a problem – and I’ve rewritten the last chapter at least three times already.

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      2. Oh no! Good luck with it. I’m sure it’ll come together.

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  2. I am working on the ending of my Anglo Boer War story, Esther. It’s called A Ghost and His Gold. It is coming to you so you will be able to comment on whether I got it right or not. Endings are difficult.

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    1. I agree; it’s not easy to get them right. I’m looking forward to reading it.

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  3. I am wondering whether my detective story needs a tidy up last chapter?

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    1. Are you happy with your ending, or doesn’t it feel right?

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      1. I love the ending, but maybe it is a bit abrupt… in view of possibly writing a sequel, I may add a rounding off chapter…

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      2. Hope it comes together 🙂

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    1. Thank you for the reblog 🙂

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  4. Good lesson (I often use far too many words and descriptions)
    Suggested other endning…
    She grinned a sharp slight twist to the right of her lips, and drew the clean blade from the long pocket in her trousers
    ‘I thought you’d never catch up with me. Enough with the play acting. Time to dance,’
    (I love twists in twists)

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      1. We just love our words 🤗

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