Not sure how to end your short story? Well, don’t do it this way!
Finishing your story with a cunning twist can make for a very effective ending and leave your readers admiring your brilliance. However, a lot of magazine editors and competition judges complain that they see the same twist endings again and again. Ones to avoid include :
- The main character turning out to be a dog or a cat.
- A spouse’s strange behaviour leading their other half to think they’re having an affair when really they’re organising a surprise party.
- A person who is seen at a time and place they couldn’t possibly have been turning out to have a twin.
These are just a few among a very long list.
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I shall be interested to hear your opinion of the way Knight after Knight ends (early next year as scheduled)
Great – looking forward to it, Keith.
Good tip – and I like the word porn quite –
That is something we were chatting up yesterday – let’s not miss the small beauty in a song – sunset – or like that quite said – “galaxies in coffee”
It’s so true.
No cats or dogs (or twin or party) for me – a robin maybe … intrigued to see a longer list?
I’ll have to work on that then!
Great – I wouldn’t want to be predictable!
You’re certianly not that!
I have never even thought of these items, Esther. I would love to see the longer list.
Eric thought the same – I’ll have to work on it!
I think twist endings can be dangerous. It cannot just be a random thing, there needs to be hints and foreshadowing in the story, otherwise readers will feel cheated.
Very true.
Oh wow, they are a bit lame…