“What a great ending!”
When did you last have that thought at the close of something you read or heard?
On the contrary, you may have said, “If I’d known it would end that way, I wouldn’t have wasted my time!”
Why are endings so challenging?
Let’s review five of the most popular strategies for clues as well as some direction moving forward.
Strategy #1: You Couldn’t Make It Up
A remarkable story will captivate audiences—if the components of that framework (fact or fiction) all support a plausible conclusion.
A self-published author learned that lesson with his first novel. Writing about his own childhood, he told how circumstances led a five-year-old to solve a major crime. Although it really happened, the outcome seemed unlikely for such a young boy. Inevitably, the author contracted with a publisher that required one main revision: the clever kid turned twelve!
Bottom line: Credibility missteps can turn fans into critics.
Strategy #2: Surprise, Surprise
Too often, creators either go to the extreme or lose their inspiration. In both instances, they drum up endings that don’t resonate.
“It was all a dream,” for instance, informs the audience that they invested their time and mental energy in something which never happened. Another tactic is the blow-up-everything device. The implications could be literal, such as out of nowhere, a bomb killed all the bad guys, or figurative, as in all the problems just went away.
Bottom line: After a story has grabbed an audience’s attention, priming them for a major moment, people don’t want to be let down because the director skipped over key areas and/or took an obvious shortcut.
Strategy #3: Just Hang On
“Tune in on Tuesday for the big reveal!”
Some creators are known for setting high expectations, milking the anticipation factor for as long as possible. Others ramp up excitement for finales that fizzle. Followers may fall for such ploys for a while, but they won’t hang on forever.
Bottom line: Cliffhangers—suspenseful endings that leave outcomes uncertain—can be quite effective in keeping people engaged, but earning a loyal following comes from fulfilling promises.
Strategy #4: I’ll Leave You with This
Seeking ways to wrap up their stories and lessons, many speakers and writers present takeaways in the form of closing bullet points or sayings. Unfortunately, such parting remarks—now more than ever, courtesy of AI—come across as the kinds of platitudes found on dorm-room posters.
Bottom line: The quality of the leave behind directly correlates to the presenter’s expertise on a topic, its value to an audience, and one’s motivation to use it in service to others.
Strategy #5: It’s All About the Journey
Granted, the journey is important, and enthralling stories often aren’t linear. The pace can also change. Problems, however, occur when creators aren’t skilled in connecting each segment. As a result, they can take people down confusing winding roads that lead nowhere.
Bottom line: Every step should transition easily to the next and culminate in a logical, rewarding destination.
Pick Any Strategy
The successful ending focuses on why—the mission—and not, how—the strategy for achieving it. That is your primary takeaway.
If your mission is rock-solid, then your role as the guide should come naturally to you, and choosing the strategy should be rather easy. Otherwise, why would you lead the endeavor in the first place?
Otherwise, why would you lead the endeavor in the first place?
Before I leave you, here’s one more thought:
Countless influences, whether little drops of inspiration or major events, can spark revisions.
And then what?
If you’re compelled to alter your narrative, if only a little bit, then put on the brakes and reassess. Your fresh perspective may beg for a different ending.
Thoughts or questions? Please contact Sallie Boyles, owner of Write Lady Inc., to exchange ideas about effective communications and gain from professional writing and editing services. Receive monthly tips and insights by subscribing at https://WriteLady.com.
