Writing Endings: How to Wrap Things Up
Learn how to approach writing your story ending, including wrapping up loose ends, deciding which things to leave, and what elements make a strong closing sentence.
This is a recording of a live class with a few edits for brevity.
Very often, writers get to the two-third or three-quarter mark in a work and bog down, sometimes abandoning it to move on to something shinier. Why does this happen? It's a place at which we move from raising questions for the reader to needing to answer them. This change in mode requires a different set of tools than the beginning of a story, while needing to appear part of a seamless whole. In this workshop, we'll look at how to wrap up loose ends, decide which things we can leave dangling, and what elements make a strong closing sentence.
Class requirements: You need an interest in writing fiction, but you do not need to have written or published anything yet. You also must be able to use Zoom on a computer. (Note: You don’t need a web camera, although they’re useful, but you do need a working microphone, the internet and some speakers so you can hear us.)
Writing Workshop Grant: In each of my short fiction classes, I offer one or more seats for a person of color of a marginalized gender or sexuality, funded in part by my Patreon supporters. For this class, I have one chair reserved. This includes, but is absolutely not limited to, women of color, trans or gay men of color, nonbinary people of color, and more. If you are uncertain whether you are eligible, don't self reject: fill out the application! To apply, simply fill out this web form.
Recording of live class
I've listened to Mary Robinette before on Writing Excuses, so I was familiar with some of the things discussed, but to hear it all collected and arranged int...
Read MoreI've listened to Mary Robinette before on Writing Excuses, so I was familiar with some of the things discussed, but to hear it all collected and arranged into a single lecture was very helpful. It provided necessary perspective on writing one of the most difficult parts of any story for me, long or short, and I'll be keeping the tools and concepts that she discussed in mind. Definitely recommend if a similar course comes along again in the future.
Read LessMRK has a way of teaching that not only provides you with that AHA moment of how to improve your writing, but she does so in way that is implementable and w...
Read MoreMRK has a way of teaching that not only provides you with that AHA moment of how to improve your writing, but she does so in way that is implementable and with genuine care for her students. MRK is a master of writing who is both approachable and open to questions. If your debating taking one of her courses don't, just register. Trust me you'll be glad you did.
Read LessI absolutely adored this class from Mary Robinette Kowal. It gave me the tools I needed to turn the draft of my ending from a hot mess to a considered and sa...
Read MoreI absolutely adored this class from Mary Robinette Kowal. It gave me the tools I needed to turn the draft of my ending from a hot mess to a considered and satisfying finale. Highly recommend!
Read LessThis course was full of exercises I could repeat on my own in short stories or full length novel manuscripts, that help me get different views on my ending....
Read MoreThis course was full of exercises I could repeat on my own in short stories or full length novel manuscripts, that help me get different views on my ending. Also, full of one-liners of advice that totally help me keep going, like "you may be just tired" :) Thanks Mary Robinette!
Read LessThank you for helping me sort out my MICE quotient nesting!
Thank you for helping me sort out my MICE quotient nesting!
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