Hey there, fellow writers! As someone who has been writing stories for a while, I understand how crucial it is to a story’s success to end it in a way that is satisfying. Crafting a good ending can be a challenging task, but it’s not impossible. In this article, I will share with you 5 creative ways to approach crafting endings that will make your stories stand out.

1. Bring the Story Full Circle 🔄

One of the most popular ways to end a story is by bringing it full circle. What this means is starting and ending the story with similar themes, characters, dialogue, or imagery. This approach helps to give your story a sense of completion and can leave the reader with a feeling of satisfaction.

For example, if your story starts with the protagonist refusing to give up, you can end it with the protagonist achieving their goal, never giving up despite all odds. This creates a satisfying conclusion that reflects upon the beginning of the story.

An image of a circle made out of words, "Full Circle"

2. Subvert Expectations 🤯

Another way to approach crafting endings is by subverting the reader’s expectations. This approach involves misleading the readers into thinking that they are going to get one ending and then delivering something completely different.

For example, if your story has a character that the reader has grown to love and expect them to have a happy ending, you can take a completely different turn by giving them a tragic end. This approach can come as a shock to the reader and leave them thinking about the story long after they have finished reading it.

An image of a broken chain, with the word "Subvert" in bold letters on one side and the word "Expectations" on the other

3. Leave Room for Interpretation 🤔

Sometimes, the most satisfying ending is one that is left open to interpretation. This approach involves ending the story with some ambiguity, allowing the reader to draw their conclusions and make their sense of the ending.

This approach can work well if your story deals with themes that do not have clear-cut answers or if you want to leave the ending up to the reader’s imagination.

For example, if your story is about two characters stuck on an island and ends with them looking out at the horizon as a rescue plane flies overhead, you can leave it up to the reader to decide whether the characters were rescued or not.

An image of a question mark with various interpretations circling around it

4. Have the Characters Learn a Lesson 📚

Another way to approach crafting endings is by having the characters learn a valuable lesson. This approach involves making the conclusion of the story symbolic by having the characters change.

For example, if your story is about a character who has a bad habit of lying, you can have the character learn the value of honesty by getting caught in a lie that severely damages their relationship with someone close to them.

An image of a graduation cap with the word "Lesson" printed on it

5. Use an Epilogue 📜

Finally, you can craft a closing chapter known as an epilogue. An epilogue is a section that comes after the story and is used to wrap up any loose ends or provide closure for the reader.

For example, if your story is about a character who has gone through a lot of changes, you can use the epilogue to show the character many years later, so the readers know what has become of them.

A picture of an old scroll with the word "Epilogue" written on it in calligraphy

That’s it for now! I hope these creative ways will approach help you craft satisfying endings for your stories. Remember always to try out different methods to find the one that works best for your story.

An image that represents all the methods together