SO I hated the ending of my novel. I've put a lot of time and effort into this since 2011 and worked very little on anything else. I'm really torn over the ending. I have been for months, which is why I've worked tirelessly on everything leading up to it and am feeling really confident in the story. But the ending sucks, no matter how I consider it. So recently, a friend suggested I throw out my happily-ever-after plan and go for something more bittersweet. As he was talking, he could have had no idea (never having read the book) how spot on his suggestion jived with the story leading up to the ending. Wow. BUt now I have to execute it.
How do you feel about a bittersweet ending? How do you feel knowing the MC was innocent of his "crimes" and he dies before he gets to make his point?
The story follows a man who commits a series of crimes against the city and government, all to effect social reform. In the end, the social reform occurs, but the MC is accused of these serious crimes and basically postmortem, stripped of any dignity he might have had. His family suffers, his wife suffers, and his father retires from his career as a lawman, all because this man led a crusade to reform the social structure of the city.
Also, when he dies, everyone close to him knows he was either innocent or is shocked he "could do such a thing". At the end, he looks to have tried to assassinate a city leader, when in reality, he saved the man's life. BUt it looks to everyone present, like he tried to kill this guy and failed to do it well enough. The man is injured but limps away. My hero however, is dead and can refute nothing.
How do you judge whether an ending is a "good" one or not? I mean, my story is a bit gritty and difficult, twists around every turn. Would a bittersweet ending fit better in that case, or would you prefer to see the MC survive, live to see his own success, and live happy ever after? Or after a gritty story, is it enough to know he won, even though to everyone else, it looks like he lost everything?
How do you feel about a bittersweet ending? How do you feel knowing the MC was innocent of his "crimes" and he dies before he gets to make his point?
The story follows a man who commits a series of crimes against the city and government, all to effect social reform. In the end, the social reform occurs, but the MC is accused of these serious crimes and basically postmortem, stripped of any dignity he might have had. His family suffers, his wife suffers, and his father retires from his career as a lawman, all because this man led a crusade to reform the social structure of the city.
Also, when he dies, everyone close to him knows he was either innocent or is shocked he "could do such a thing". At the end, he looks to have tried to assassinate a city leader, when in reality, he saved the man's life. BUt it looks to everyone present, like he tried to kill this guy and failed to do it well enough. The man is injured but limps away. My hero however, is dead and can refute nothing.
How do you judge whether an ending is a "good" one or not? I mean, my story is a bit gritty and difficult, twists around every turn. Would a bittersweet ending fit better in that case, or would you prefer to see the MC survive, live to see his own success, and live happy ever after? Or after a gritty story, is it enough to know he won, even though to everyone else, it looks like he lost everything?