Runtime: 2:41:42           Original Class Date: 3/27/2021          Class Handout: HERE

Your ending is as important as your beginning. Nailing your ending determines the success of the piece.

Many of the best stories have memorable beginnings, but endings are equally important to creating a cohesive piece that resonates with readers long after they have put it down. The best endings should both satisfy and haunt readers. In this video, we look exclusively at endings. If you can nail your ending, you have solved the hardest problem of storytelling.

This recording covers endings and their role in the story, looking at examples of effective endings, common mistakes in developing endings, and exercises that help us construct and revise endings that feel both inevitable and surprising. There will be examples from published texts and questions to prompt thinking about what makes something an effective or haunting ending.