1. dreamca7cher

    dreamca7cher New Member

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    Writing a good ending that leads to the second book

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by dreamca7cher, Oct 4, 2015.

    The last few pages of my book were rushed. The scene can be expanded easily since the concept is there, and it’s a first draft. But the issue is that the ending feels, lacking, although it's supposed to transition to the second book. It feels as if the characters are moving too quickly so to speak.


    Quick background; the antagonist is defeated, the four are confronted by the voice that has been guiding the main protagonist, one of them has to stay behind and help the world get back in shape, the other three must accompany the main protagonist to other worlds, but they must leave immediately through what's called an astral gate. An astral gate is a wall made of light that you walk through, which it allows you to move through space and time to another world with another gate.


    Since the time here is rushed, and mind you the book has a lot of suspense. I feel it's exciting they have to move forwards, but will probably make the reader forget the importance behind all the events that has occurred. What factors should I keep in mind to make the ending keep the build up?
     
  2. ddavidv

    ddavidv Senior Member

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    Would any of the characters have second thoughts about going through the gate?

    The ending of my one novel that I chose to make into a series ends thus: My female MC was all set up to "live happily ever after" with the male MC. That was my original ending. What I did instead was had her sitting in a car mentally debating if this was really the right thing to do. Was she considering staying with the guy because she loved him or wanted the kind of life he could give her? The book was mostly about her growth towards being a better, stronger person and ultimately she chose personal morality over personal gain, literally driving off into the sunset and leaving him behind but not until she had thought out the decision for several paragraphs. I gave so many pros and cons to her decision that the reader couldn't predict what she would do until the last two sentences.

    Don't know if that helps or not.
     
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  3. dreamca7cher

    dreamca7cher New Member

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    The three wanted to travel over the summer anyway, so they see it as an opportunity/reason to continue on. I should add pros and cons to them leaving so soon although.
     
  4. Daemon Wolf

    Daemon Wolf Senior Member

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    My advice:

    1st book: Stand-Alone book that has everything wrapped up in a neat bow at the end.
    2nd book: Another event occurs that needs the characters from the last book to group up again and has a cliff hanger ending.
    3rd book: Finale to the 2nd book and wraps everything up nicely in a final epic tale.
     
  5. dreamca7cher

    dreamca7cher New Member

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    That is perfect! There will be 7 books although, so stretch the concept?
     
  6. Daemon Wolf

    Daemon Wolf Senior Member

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    Yeah I would assume. For 7 books I would suggest having one overall goal (Like the Harry Potter books) but I would personally have it show up in the second book and still have the first be stand alone.

    ex: The first book is a group of friends questing for a power crystal to save the MC's mom. They win! Second book: There are more!

    I am sure you could figure something out. The second would give them the arching goal for the rest of the books.
     
  7. Viridian

    Viridian Member Supporter

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    All the advice I've seen so far is to make sure your first book can stand alone if you want to get it published. I was told (not me personally but through lectures i've been watching online) that if you're a new writer you shouldn't concentrate too much on writing a series of books. Put ALL of your good stuff into your first book, DON'T save it for the second or third. This does of course only apply if you are a first time writer and do want to be published. Otherwise, you can do what you want. But I do think @Daemon Wolf's advice is good either way. Give the first book a clear ending but tie it in to the second book some way and then make it into a series. Also bear in mind that if you are looking to be published and write 7 books all tied into the one story, and then you can't find a publisher that likes your story (for whatever reason, i'm not saying they won't) then you are stuck with seven books. If you feel like you have seven books in you, then maybe write the first one, write a couple of others (but different stories) then look for a publisher. If they don't like your first book you have two other completely different stories to pitch instead six more of the same thing.

    Hope that makes sense, feel like I went off on a tangent a bit :oops:
     
  8. dreamca7cher

    dreamca7cher New Member

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    No this is very good advice. It helped create a few scenes in mind, and gave me a different, or even a better dynamic to approach this. It even removed a bit of clutter from different scenes in my books. Thank you so much!
     
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