I love any story with a twist in the tail, and I often write toward unexpected endings. But it’s a fine line between giving a surprise and making the reader feel like they’ve been cheated or excluded.
I liked the Olympic gymnast metaphor! Endings are tough! Sometimes it feels like you are abandoning a story—but not like abandoning a bad habit, more like abandoning a loved one in a time of need. Two great endings that came to mind at once were "Salvador Dali Eyes," by Douglas Campbell, and "Zoo," by Jeff Landon, both of which you have shared on your Substack. And just today I finished reading Ada Limón's "The Carrying," a book of poetry, and endings are one of her strengths. Sometimes I didn't love a poem until I got to the end, at which point I went back and reread it, this time enraptured by its halo.
I love any story with a twist in the tail, and I often write toward unexpected endings. But it’s a fine line between giving a surprise and making the reader feel like they’ve been cheated or excluded.
Yes. And I love 'twist in the tail.'
I liked the Olympic gymnast metaphor! Endings are tough! Sometimes it feels like you are abandoning a story—but not like abandoning a bad habit, more like abandoning a loved one in a time of need. Two great endings that came to mind at once were "Salvador Dali Eyes," by Douglas Campbell, and "Zoo," by Jeff Landon, both of which you have shared on your Substack. And just today I finished reading Ada Limón's "The Carrying," a book of poetry, and endings are one of her strengths. Sometimes I didn't love a poem until I got to the end, at which point I went back and reread it, this time enraptured by its halo.
Yes! I just pulled out one of Limón's books of poetry (inspired by your great comment) and you tell the truth. Her endings are masterpieces.