Word Witch Wednesday - endings

Finding a book with a fantastic ending is difficult. Most of the time, I know what to expect. The hero will triumph, hope and light will pull them through, and romance will deliver a happily ever after/happy for now. Hopefully it ties up all loose ends and circles around to link with the beginning. Knowing how stories will end doesn't stop me from reading them, but I do get frustrated when I come across horribly done endings and love it when I discover a marvelous ending.

No writer is flawless. Even some of my idols like Stephen King have books with endings I dislike. I won't name any off as not to give spoilers, but even certain classics have bad endings.

Endings are difficult. I know many writers that spend a lot of time on beginnings, and those are important too. Yet so many just give the expected ending without any twist or flair. I try to add in exciting twists, and there have been a few times I've created such a great villain, I don't see how the heroes can defeat her. Then it's back to rewrites.

I recently finished the final book in my Totem series. I worried a lot because, as a pantser, I had no idea how it would happen. When I finally wrote it, I sat back in my chair and stared at the screen in awe. Yes, this is one of those amazing endings. Circular, emotional, thrilling, and elegant. (I might be a bit biased. We'll see what my readers think once it's released.)

Stories and characters stay with me. Few endings have ever wowed me. One that stands out in my head is the spectacular climax of the fantasy series, The Troy Game by Sara Douglass. It came together in such a tension-filled, complex, and beautiful way.

What are your favorite endings from books? What are some of your most frustrating ones?

#IWSG for June 2017

The Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) is the brilliant idea of Alex J. Cavanaugh. The purpose of the group is to share doubts and insecurities and to encourage one another. Please visit the other participants and share your support. A kind word goes a long way.

This month's awesome co-hosts are: JH Moncrieff, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Jen Chandler, Megan Morgan, and Heather Gardner!

The June IWSG Question: Did you ever say "I quit"? If so, what happened to make you come back to writing?

Oh writing, I can't quit you. *said in a really bad twangy accent*

Yes, I've turned my back on the computer and threw up my arms. Sometimes in our writer's journey, everything seems against us. No sales, no reviews, no friendly comments. All doubt, frustration, and heartache. You feel like you're screaming into the abyss, and it's not even staring back at you.

I couldn't quit even if I wanted to. Stories will always be forming in my head just like they have been all my life. I'd keep writing even if no one ever read my stories. Why? Because it is the essence of who I am, my very soul. I create, and it is through words which I do this.

I made it to the end!

I just wrote "END" on the Totem series!

This final book was 8,000 words longer than the others. A whole lot went on, and wow, as a pantser, I just kept surprising myself over and over. My muse is clever, though. It all made sense. She has a way of making things work even when I have no idea what she's doing.

I'm so excited to finally be finished. It was an exciting journey, but I'm eager to start something new.

Of course, there's revising, editing, formatting, and publishing these last three books left to do. Books will do that themselves, right? ... RIGHT?!!