When Its Over

Saying Goodbye can be so hard to do.

Many of our favorite books, movies, music, games or story lines come in series.

Twilight, The Dark Series, Divergent, The Hunger Games, Because You Are Mine, Forbidden Desires, My Lady Vampire, 50 Shades of Grey, Odd Thomas,  Batman,  Superman, Star Wars, Star Trek, Rambo, Call of Duty, Halo, Mario,...oh the list could go on for miles.

But how, as a writer, or creator, do you know when to end a series and to say goodbye to your characters or your franchise? Other than killing them off, do you have a foreseeable future mapped out for them? One would automatically assume if you follow the story structure process while writing this would be obvious. But writing isn't quite so finite... right?

So back to the question. How do you know? Are they supposed to accomplish a set task marking the end of the journey? Do your characters stop talking to you? Do you find their personalities popping up on other works and get angry with them when they do not behave in the manner that you expected and throw off your story line? Do you suddenly get radio silence when you reach out to them on your plane of imagination? Do you wait for your audience to say enough is enough? Do you simply tire of them? How do you know when it is an end of an era?

As a reader, and movie lover, sometimes I can get so attached to the characters that it is truly heartbreaking when the end of the book has far less pages left than the beginning. I try to read slower, mentally putting on the breaks knowing that in a few pages, or swipes to the left, literally, it will be goodbye. The tug of war also happens when you are reading faster than the series is being written. Waiting is frustrating. You try to read other books in the same genre to keep busy not so much as because you are a fan but to try to fill the time until the next book is available. While this process can merit some fascinating new finds, you also run the risk of  being horribly disappointed. I have also been known to follow a movie  or book franchise right down that rabbit hole into a land that should have stopped 20 stories up......Going down Please!

I guess in a perfect scenario, you are left off in a place that is acceptable. Your hero has reached his or her destination, learned a valuable lesson, finished the battle, got his heart's desire or died spectacularly. The ending is all wrapped up all neat and tidy and there are no leftover questions, or theories to explain. This ending provides fond memories and primes us to be ready for any future endeavors the author embarks on.

On the other hand, there's that  "the thrill is gone" moment when the story just seems forced and so far off the mark that you wonder if someone else hacked into the writers computer and tried writing for them. I am aware there is a market and a practice for outsourcing writing. Is it a good thing? Eh...I guess it depends on who you ask and who cares.

What do you think is the best way to end a series? Is there a best practice, some tried and true method?  So this is not goodbye...just a random musing and questions....until the next time.
THE END

Sh3ba
By SL Thomson Wife, Blogger, Book Lover
In real life I am a wife, mom, wedding officiant, amateur photographer and  blogger.
Here I am just a woman that likes to read. Don't judge me.

For the love of reading....So many books...only two eyes.

See books I am reading or reviewing on Goodreads!

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