I read an interesting article in Newsweek yesterday. The topic was endings. In this particular article, movies were the focus, but I think the principles are the same.
The writer, David Ansen, talked about how movies these days try to go for the ending that satisfies everyone, not the ending that the story demands. He went after the big, happy-ever-after types, and those that try and whiz bang you into fanhood with millions of dollars of special effects, like a certain trilogy involving Pirates. He gave some examples of good endings, and most of them were obscure titles (I suspected as much when I began the article,) but he cited movies such as Titanic and Gone with the Wind. These two did NOT end happily, as we all remember, but it was the ending that the story required.
The article got the wheels turning in my head. Of course, I thought about the ending of my own story. Is it the right one? I admit that my novel has a pretty happy ending. It is YA, but still. I wonder.
See, my problem is that I am CONSTANTLY analyzing my novel in my head. A scrap of writing advice reaches somehow, in a book, a website, a passing breeze, and I am instantly scrutinizing my story. Truthfully, I am not sure that it is a good thing.
Well, at any rate, I think this advice was needed. I have been examining my ending with a harsh eye. It may still remain a happy ending, but at least I'll know that the flow of the story required it.
4 comments:
Yay for commenting on EE! You made me laugh, and I was so glad to see your name up there.
When you posted that first message in the bar it took me a second...and then it was like, Renee! I felt like I had run into an old friend.
And then I realized I've never actually met anyone here.
But I was still happy to see your name ; )
I know, it was fun to "bump" into you there, figuratively speaking. :)
It's funny because, I felt like the nerd at the party. Like no one would care if I made a comment. Then, I saw you in there, and genuinely felt like, "hurray, someone to stand by."
Renee thanks for checking out my blog! We BYU mom/writers should really stick together. I'm sure we could generate a good list of support.
I'll be checking in with you ladies now. Perhaps we can throw around ideas sometime.
It's actually a really welcoming community of writers if you contribute. Granted, most of them are a little profane, but they're all really helpful and nice.
And insane, but that's fun, too.
And yeah, I'd say let's start another blog, but I've already got three and I think my husband would have me committed!
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