Ending A Novel

Stirling

Stirling

I am writing the second draft of my kidnap novel, and although I know exactly what will happen, I am finding myself blocked.  I've done a real heavy rewrite, and for the first time in seven years I'm proud of it, and think it deserves to be published, but everytime I sit down to work . . . nothing.  The original ending is good, and I'm struggling to let go in favour of the new and improved version.  Half of me is tempted to delete it, but it's good work.

Anyone with any advice on how to overcome the blockage?.  Or can anyone shed light on why it's happened now?.

SilentTony

I think it could just be a case of finishing line syndrome. Maybe a break from it and back with refreshed eyes and mind would help. Also on another note, usually if something is good but you feel it could be better, then it probably can be.

scribe

Could it just be a case of not wanting to ignore what you feel is good work? Could you perhaps find another use for the original ending and thereby make way for the new ending - if that makes sense. It seems that if you could avoid having to literally disard the original ending, you may be less reluctant to get on with the new ending.

Carol

I'm the have a break and let your brain mull it over type advice.

Island Girl

Scribe has the right idea if you can manage it, Stirling. Perhaps you might be able to use your original ending (albeit with a few small changes) for your next project. You have more than one book in you so hopefully you can file it away for the next one. And as for the blockage, Carol's right there, too. Take a break. It'll come to you when you're not even trying.

Jan

Then again Stirling,

Keep the original end, write a revised finale to suit your re-write, submit both. It wouldn't be the first time alternate storylines have been used in one novel.

Howard

It's probably not your case, but an inability to finish off can be psychological. I had a friend who could not write the final pages of his Phd thesis. He knew exactly what he had to write but just couldn't do it. He said he thought he feared life without it.

Stirling

I think you have a point Howard about not wanting to finish, I can't tell you how many times I have edited, rewritten or deleted this novel.  Although it has taught me how to write, I really think I have found my voice now.  I have the plot and characters all set for the next novel but I can't imagine not having these characters in my head or my life.  So half the problem is learning to let go.

I think I have thought of a way to combine the old ending and the new one.  If I don't use it, then I will definitely paste it to a different document and keep it for the future.

I'm trying to put the novel aside, but it is absolutely killing me!.

Howard

I know exactly what you're talking about, Stirling; life is a journey and there are moments when you just have to move on, however painful it may be.

James Barrington

Hi Stirling
Don't delete it! Don't delete anything - you never know when you'll need it again.
Personally, I'd be inclined to write both endings in full, then put them aside for a couple of weeks before going back to look at them again. One of them should read better than the other.
If you still can't decide, ask a couple of people to read them both - and preferably not family members, who (usually) won't want to say something uncomplimentary about either.
Having two ending isn't a bad idea. My first published novel - Overkill - ends with around a quarter of a million American citizens being reduced to ash, and my agent thought this kind of an ending would make finding a US publisher somewhat unlikely. The Americans are quite amazingly touchy about this kind of thing - even in a novel the US of A has to win, that kind of thing.
So at his suggestion I re-drafted it to reduce the death toll to a few hundred, and introduced a heroic FBI agent who selflessly gave his life to save so many others. It didn't help - I'm still looking for an American publisher, but at least I tried!