Promises

Do you make a promise to your reader when you’re telling a story?

Sometimes you get to the end of a story and you’re stuck. Yes, I know, many people say you should know what your ending is before you start the story. But let’s face it. Sometimes you don’t.

Take a look at your first couple of chapters. Did you make any promises to the reader in those chapters? If so, have your ending address those promises so it will fit your story beautifully, and leave everyone satisfied.

Writing is a series of choices. Every step in the process holds hundreds of potential options, and once a writer makes a choice, a new series of  choices fans out from the decision that was just made. Your choices are what make you unique.  Your writing voice is made up of your series of choices. No one else will pick out the exact route that you do.

Your assignment:

If you’re working on a story, think of five different ways you might end it.

Or, record a TV show, watch it, and pause 10 minutes before the end. Think of 5 ways you might end that show.

If your’re curious about the story I use as an example in this podcast, check out Moolah and Moonshine, available February 14, 2010 at JCPBooks.com

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