Does anyone have any advice on how to make a story that comes off as complete? It seems like a lot of the stories I write that feel complete to me seem to feel incomplete to other people. I really feel bad sometimes when this happens, because I don't want to give anyone an unsatisfying reading experience.
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The only way you'll get readers not to clamor for more is to kill off your main character and even that sometimes doesn't work!. It's always been the bane of a successful writer that something they write becomes so popular that the public (and their publisher) forces them into writing a sequel they never planned and often have no desire to write. I wonder what new and wonderful writings we will never see because of such demands.
I'm a firm believer in the Walt Disney quote, "Always leave them wanting more."
Simply put - if it's complete to you, it's complete.
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Complete stories
Have "The End" at the end of 'em. If you want to drive home the point, add, "Really!"
Mr. Ram
Except...
...many ongoing stories have "The End" written at the bottom of each episode!
Killing off the protagonist may work, but only if the story is written in the third person. If it's written in the first person, logic dictates that unless the character's death is dealt with in the third person and tacked on like an epilogue, the character is somehow still alive (otherwise how would they have been able to transcribe their memories?)
Perhaps you could make it clear at the end of the story you have no intention whatsoever of continuing the tale, and if they think it should be longer, invite them to write their own fanfic! :)
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
More
Charlie Parker always said, "Always leave them wanting more." So did Walt Disney, but it's not a new observation. Any well-told story leaves the reader (or listener) hanging, at least a bit, and we only disguise the fact in some stories by adding "...and they lived happily ever after."
In the narrow sense, there are typical story structures:
Dramatic Arc
but some writers consider these "typical" structures mere clichés, so you have to know what you want to do with a story, and what you want to achieve. And lest one become intimidated, we should note that the above "expert's" logo doesn't depict, in fact, a "blue quill," but rather a "blue inkwell."
Some stories have a traditional dramatic arc, and show all the "proper stages," but some are "slices of life," with a structure implied only by where one chooses to start and finish.
Since you're the artist, one can safely say to kibitzers, "You don't like it? Then you write something."
Cheers,
Puddin'
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Speak the speech, I pray you...
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Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
It's not you, Hon
........just about any story that the readers here like gets that. They come to love the characters and want to visit with them again, RIGHT NOW. It's not a matter of being unsatisfied, it's just that we're strung out. Cocaine is always satisfying, until you run out. And I'm the same way with stories I love, and I could go for a peek at what happens when the characters from your most recent excellent short story get to the dance, except I try not to be pushy, plus I like variety + am curious to see what else yer wonderful imagination might dream up, trusting it'll be something good...
~~~hugs, Laika
What borders on pure insanity?
Canada and Mexico.
.
All stories
are incomplete insofar as one can always go on to say what happened at the end of the previous episode, chapter, book whatever.
Killing the central character off doesn't work - I tried that in Bike and got so many pleas to continue, I had to resurrect her.
The end is where the author stops, which may be about a single theme or objective or many, and which might possibly be to stimulate discussion or even uproar. When you think it's complete, end it, or you could end up having to write another 999 episodes!
Angharad
Angharad
Heather Rose, Honey
One of your best stories was a very short piece about shoes. Just write like that.
Make your point, and then slap "the end" on it. If you haven't made your point keep writing until you do or get tired of it.
My best stories are those when I have a main point to make, which I write on a post-it note and stick on my monitor during the entire writing process.
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
As many have said...
A LOT depends on the audience.
This audience seems to SAY "More, more, more, more"... Yet, even when you provide it, they seem to ignore it. (Go figure.) I don't think there's any way to satisfy a significant chunk of our readership.
On the other hand, if you think that in some case, your readers MIGHT be right, but they might not. Do you use an "editor"? If you and your "editor" agree it's done, then it probably is. Back when I was editing for Deryni fan fiction, authors several of them felt they were done, but had left two or three significant threads (in their stories) unresolved. Others skipped over bits in their stories, either because they wanted to get to the "good" stuff or assumed it was obvious. Either of these situations could leave a reader feeling "unsatisfied". If the general writing was engaging enough, they wanted more. Most readers didn't realize why they were unsatisfied either. So, if you think you might fit in this category (or there's a chance you might) consider asking someone (whose opinion you respect, of course) that's not been a beta reader/editor in the story before to give it a read and look for things like that.
All that said, as I agreed earlier, BCTS readers seem to ALWAYS want more. As Angharad mentioned, even killing off the main character isn't always sufficient. She had to resurrect Cathy and A. Conan Doyle had to resurrect Holmes.
Good luck!
Ann
Good Companions
It is always enjoyable to spend time with people you enjoy, even when those people only exist in a story. Therefore, it makes sense that readers wish to spend more time with characters they enjoy. Yet at the same time we as readers are usually hardened to the knowledge that we may never enjoy new adventures with beloved characters.
For me, I try to keep my character's life arc separate from the specific story arc for a character. This provides me a definite end, even if more can be told. My goal is to finish telling a story I have begun, not to stop telling it.
Don't sweat it
Always leave them wanting more. Nothing sadder than running a series into the ground. I'm still glad I stopped watching happy days before the 'jump the shark' episode.