I’ve written about starting a novel or short story, and what you might need to know or do to get started writing or what elements readers will respond to in the first sentence, paragraph, or page, but I’ve written very little about endings beyond part of some musings on the three act structure in which I dare you to ask: Was it worth it? In that post I said:

These are people, agents and editors, who are accustomed to reading first drafts, and so will be forgiving of typos and whatnot, but not terribly forgiving of flat, lifeless endings. If you’ve convinced one of these busy professionals to read past the first chapter, kept them in over the last 90,000 words or so in the middle, then drop on them a “to be continued in Book II: The Seriesing” or decide that endings are “unrealistic” and…