An Ending.

Why is an ending so difficult? In art and in life I find that endings are the hardest part. Now this isn't going to turn into a lovelorn rant about the one that got away, no, in this case, I am mostly concerned with endings of the creative kind.

I had the first session of my new writers group last weekend, and as we were discussing our strengths and weaknesses as writers I mentioned my neverending (get it?) battle with creative endings. I will plan a story, know the characters, the plot, the movement and the language of the piece. I will even know where and how it is going to end, but then as I am writing steadily, and I build up towards the inevitable crescendo, everything just starts to fizzle out. Nothing bad happens per say, there is just a general petering out of enthusiasm that makes for a very poor finish. It's true. Even in high school I would constantly get essays back with comments on them like "strong ideas but loses focus towards the conclusion"..... And so on.

I have started wondering if I am frightened of reaching the end of something. Because the hard creative slog is one thing, but wrapping it up, pitching it, and then letting it loose into the arms of the public is another thing entirely.

Or perhaps it is the fear of having the 'wrong' ending. Everything seems too predictable. Is a happy ending too trite? Do we feel that we have to veer towards a tragedy just for the sake of being less predictable? Or do we try to be ambiguous and risk losing the reader at this last crucial moment. Oh for the perfect ending.

I think that melancholy has its place. And on the other side of this I think that happiness has a place as well. Somewhere in between is the elusive perfect ending. At this stage the only suggestion that I have is to stay true to the characters and the story. Hopefully the ending will take care of itself.