There are a zillion ways to begin and end a story -- narration, dialog, conflict, setting, showing, telling, reflection, action, quotations and so forth. Like the other articles I've posted, this one is a mix of subjective and objective criteria, so it may or may not resonate with your criteria for crafting a story. At the very least, however, it might sharpen and clarify something you already know, or call attention to something you'd like to know. This article focuses on ways to begin and end your story but not the middle. The middle of a story is the bridge between the beginning and the end, but I'm skipping it because I want to focus your attention on my criteria that 1) The beginning of a story can and probably should be embedded in the end of the story; and 2) The reverse is also true, that the end is subtly or explicitly embedded in the beginning. Let me deepen that idea by referring you to the phrase Story Arc, sometimes referred to as Narrative Arc, which is typically defined as the sequence of events from the beginning to the middle and end of the story. Most definitions differentiate Plot from Arc by explaining that Plot is the events of your story, whereas Arc is the sequence of events. Kurt Vonnegut is famous for calling attention to the shape of a story's arc... https://nofilmschool.com/2016/11/emotional-arcs-6-storytelling-kurt-vonnegut Most definitions of Story Arc, however, say nothing about the front and back matter of a story, nor do they call attention to the title, an essential part of every story. The following is food for thought regarding the front and back matter, the beginning and ending, and the title of your story. BEGINNINGS Foreword > someone other than the author introduces the author and the book and typically recommends both. Positive feedback from a reviewer, famous or not, can enhance the likelihood that a reader will be encouraged to read your story. Preface > the author explains the origin of the story, introduces the main characters and overall plot, and acknowledges people who helped with composition, editing and research. Charles Eliot, an editor of the Harvard Classics, brings this into sharp focus. "No part of a book is as intimate as the Preface. After the long labor of work is over, the author speaks directly to his readers, disclosing his hopes and fears, seeking sympathy for his difficulties, offering defense or defiance against the criticisms he anticipates." You can also use a Preface to promote other stories you've written, such as the next story in a series. Rick likes to play his guitar and travel around America meeting people, making friends and helping them with problems they can't be fixed by calling a lawyer, a private detective or the police. In [Story Title] Rick convinces Beverly to join his team of troubleshooters. If you like this story, download the next adventure of Rick and Beverly at... [Link] Prologue or First Chapter > the narrator or main character sets the stage with a preview of coming attractions -- something that happens later than what happens in the first chapter to create suspense, to make readers eager to get to the scene where the flash forward event happens. "To heck with suspense." wrote Kurt Vonnegut, "Give your readers as much information as possible, as soon as possible, and start as close to the end as you can.” Well, okay Kurt, but your beginning can foreshadow coming attractions without laying all your cards on the table. And you can't craft the beginning or the ending of your story until you have a rough draft of what happens between your beginning and ending. As mentioned earlier, the end of a story should reflect its beginning, and vice versa. The same is true of your Title, so wait until the arc of your story from its beginning to its end is in place before you brainstorm a title. It's the opening line of your story because it's the first thing a reader sees so it should grab their attention and leverage them into your Prologue, or your first chapter. It should also reflect the arc of your story from beginning to end. Whether you begin your story in your Prologue or in your First Chapter, start with a compelling character in conflict with a unique, attention getting problem. Something that foreshadows your character's struggle with inner and outer conflict. Something that sets an exciting, relevant stage for your story's middle and end. Something that makes them eager to turn the page to whatever happens next. Something that implies they are about to take an emotional, intellectual journey in which they'll be inspired to see the world and themselves differently than they did before they read your story. If you decide to put your opening sentences in a Prologue, make sure the difference between the who (character), where (place) and when (time) of the Prologue and the who, where and when of your first chapter is clear to your readers. The segue between a Prologue and your first chapter, in other words, should not confuse your readers. ENDINGS Epilogue or Last Chapter > The narrator or main character brings closure to the story so that readers are not left with a confused or to-be-continued feeling (unless it's a series). Finish in a way that resonates with the beginning so your readers see the deeper significance of the story. Afterword > the author engages the intimacy s/he began in the Preface by speaking directly to the readers to solicit feedback and/or to inspire them to think more deeply about the effect your character's journey from the beginning to the end had on them. It can also be used to put the story in the context of the next book in a series. So [Story Title] ends with everyone living happily ever after, right? Well, we don’t know, do we? And we don’t know when Rick and Beverly’s day will come. But we do know it’s not the end of [Series Title]. The next episode is waiting to run wild in the theater of your mind at... [link]
