WWE Fan Fiction Help

Question #4: The Ending

From @AshleyHicks528

          Can you do a chapter about ending a story? It'd be helpful.

          Since this is a fairly generalized question, I'll do my best to cover the basics. One of the most important things about ending a story is the timing. One of the first questions I tend to get asked is, "Can it be too early?" And the answer is yes. However, it can also be too late and a lot of writers, especially on Wattpad, tend to do this.

          In my opinion, at least for Wattpad, stories tend to do best if they are between twenty and forty chapters. In Microsoft Word, this averages out to be around a hundred pages, if you take my word count into consideration. You will find that stories between fifty and a hundred chapters will be drug out. You'll find lots of filler chapters that really have no purpose, meaning you could read the whole book and skip those chapters, and you wouldn't miss anything important. I have found myself clicking on one of these stories and getting bored very quickly. If the storyline isn't  moving, your reader is... To another book.

          Now, just because you don't want to drag out your story, doesn't mean you want to rush it. Nothing can make me want to bang my head on my desk more than a story that goes a little something like this:

Chapter One Overview:

          The main character walks into the arena and accidentally *bumps* into said superstar. "OH MY GOSH! IT'S DEAN AMBROSE!" Main character fangirls and starts talking to Dean. Becomes friends within the first four paragraphs.

Chapter Two Overview:

          Dean asks main character out. Dean and main character go on a date and become boyfriend/girlfriend by the end.

Chapter Three Overview:

          Dean and main character have a fight and get back together.

Chapter Four Overview:

          Dean asks the main character to marry him and she says yes.

          No. Just no.

          I can't even put my anger and disgust, as a writer and a fan, into words when I read something like that. It's like I want to (somewhat) calmly scream at them, "THERE IS NO FREAKIN' STORY!" Not to mention the amount of realism in that is like negative ten billion.

          I do apologize for my sudden outburst, the above happens to be a pet peeve of mine. Anyhow, the point of telling you all that is that you need to be certain you're ready to end your story. One of the things I like to do is read the summary again. Have I told what I set out to tell? Has my main character reached their ending goal?

          There really is no set of rules on how to end a story, it really depends on the writer. However, I will give you some general ideas that may help when you get to that point in your story...

          1. Don't be afraid to add a plot twist! Like I said, there is no set of rules on how to end a story. No one ever said you couldn't add something the reader isn't expecting. It's actually a good thing.

          2. Is it really the end? I've had readers ask me that countless times, which usually lead to sequels, but don't be afraid to leave your reader thinking. Perhaps, you end with a question. Nine times out of ten, you'll leave your reader with a smile.

          3. Change the time. Fast forward a year or two into the future and let the reader catch a glimpse of your characters after a period of time. (Something I tend to do often)

          4. Incorporate your title. This is another one of my signatures. During my book, I like to give my reader clues as to what the title means, and then at the end, I give it away. It may sound silly, but readers think of it as a gift and for some reason, it makes them feel all warm and tingly inside.

          I sincerely hope I have helped you in some way. If anyone has other questions that I haven't answered yet, feel free to ask them below. ❤