Long Stories Harder to End

[AnonUnlimited]

So I have this theory that the longer a story goes, the harder it is to write a satisfactory ending. This theory is based on the fact that long stories require more and more reader and writer investment.

When I say investment, I’m talking a time investment, and plot investment. The more plot points are introduced, the more the author has to think of a way to end each plot satisfactorily.

Anyone else find this theory reasonable?

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Am dealing with this same problem. Just recently came up with a good ending but the more that I think about it, the more that I want to go beyond my planned ending. When I first wrote it I had to stop because I didn't like the ending I was writing. That was 2 years ago.

 

[APieceOfRock]

It's reasonable. However, short stories can still have unsatisfactory ending for exactly that reason: The author introduces new plot points too frequently that most of them remains unresolved when the series ends.

 

[SMILEME]

Good story >More good plot> more characters>must find a good ending or all the investment go down the goes down the drain

Check out "the world after death" I want to start my investment

 

[Puji-Maki]

Pretty close to end my novel and I think you are right. I have to make sure that there will be no plot holes.

 

[Macha]

You don't need to write a satisfactory ending. Just tell your reader the next chapter will be the final chapter then disappear from SH never updating your story.

 

[Puji-Maki]

You don't need to write a satisfactory ending. Just tell your reader the next chapter will be the final chapter then disappear from SH never updating your story.

This... This seems interesting.

 

[Zirrboy]

I personally agree, but thinking about it again I've come to the conclusion that a certain factor might skew my impression:
Stories that became long because the author put off the ending

I think that separating those that were intended to be long and those that grew would give a different picture, even if there's obviously no way to know for sure from looking which is which.

 

[TASTYLEADPAINT]

You don't need to write a satisfactory ending. Just tell your reader the next chapter will be the final chapter then disappear from SH never updating your story.

 

[Baltazyr]

To add to your theory, maybe part of the reason why it's hard to end a long story is because the end was never planned ahead of time? It does feel like more than a handful of writers just start writing and have a mentality of "let's see where it goes". And/Or find themselves writing down a road where they don't want it to end, or don't know how to end it as @Zirrboy suggested.

I generally believe a "decent" ending at least ties in all the big plot points, and that gets harder to do the more you add as @SMILEME mentioned. If an ending is at least thought of early on, you can count on the story to be guided towards that point.

 

[NotaNuffian]

I kinda thought it is like the CN theory.

The author continues to BS his way until:
A. He can't end the long ass cashcow.
B. So, so, so many loose ends
C. Author goes

 

[Premier]

The issue is people keeping open plot threads without ever closing them.

Then you get near the end and you've got like 30 different things you never resolved and it just isn't happening that you will.

Pick your biggest questions, close out those, then leave the rest for sequels or side content.

 

[NotOriginal]

I think the issue is mainly because it's so long that the reader's expectations are so high that whatever you write it's either gonna hit or miss.

But then again how many on this site has ever really written and completed a series that man more then say 100 or even 200+?

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

Sounds like a discovery writer issue. Just plan something for once! Or, find the ending that flows best with the rest of the story.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

Am dealing with this same problem. Just recently came up with a good ending but the more that I think about it, the more that I want to go beyond my planned ending. When I first wrote it I had to stop because I didn't like the ending I was writing. That was 2 years ago.

I’m actually approaching this as a reader. In the end it feels like the story can’t end well for a lot of these long novels.

I’ve tried writing a long open ended story too and I just gave up on a good ending and just focused on smut and nothing else because long stories in general don’t have good focus and the constantly changing focus is annoying.

The issue is people keeping open plot threads without ever closing them.

Then you get near the end and you've got like 30 different things you never resolved and it just isn't happening that you will.

Pick your biggest questions, close out those, then leave the rest for sequels or side content.

I think this is my biggest complaint about long stories and novels. There are several story arcs and such of course, but overall I’ve skipped over hundreds of chapters in some stories just to find the end of a specific plot point.

This happens mostly because I really didn’t care about anything else but that one plot point and didn’t want to waste my time feeling bored reading through crap I don’t like.

Sounds like a discovery writer issue. Just plan something for once! Or, find the ending that flows best with the rest of the story.

I don’t know if it’s a discovery writer issue. There have been long thought out and planned stories.

I think the biggest problem with long novels and series is the audience gets hooked at the intro, and then as it goes on the story either becomes a repeat cycle while getting towards the end or it tries to become something that the original audience was hooked on might or might not care for.

Some times it works like in One Piece because the goal of being Pirate King is there (also One Piece wraps up all but the major plot points every arc) and sometimes it goes off the deep end like Naruto.

Not every repeat cycle is bad but sometimes it’s better to just keep it simple instead of trying to reinvent the wheel every arc like some authors do…

 

[TASTYLEADPAINT]

Sounds like a discovery writer issue. Just plan something for once! Or, find the ending that flows best with the rest of the story.

But discovery writing is so much fun....

off the deep end like Naruto.

This. I honestly lost interest when they brought alien ninjas into the show and boruti feels like such a cash grab. Honestly the series should have ended at the pain arc

 

[AnonUnlimited]

This. I honestly lost interest when they brought alien ninjas into the show and boruti feels like such a cash grab. Honestly the series should have ended at the pain arc

For me it was the Ninja war arc,

Spoiler

Kabuto, orichimaru and all those guys suddenly being good was a wtf for me

. Couldn’t wrap my head around it. I felt there needed to be some wrap up after Pain, but the way that arc started introducing a bunch of characters I really didn’t care for was awful.

I’d say the first arc in the Land of waves was amazing, the Sand and Sound invasion had a peak naruto moment, and then it was all downhill from there, although still good up until time skip.

 

[Tsuru]

It depends on the genre

Chinese novel urban category with a singer MC is probably one of the easiest to end
Because at 1k chaps, MC is most likely globally famous, is with FL, and probably retire.
1k chaps is also a studied number for chinese novels. Because more than 1000, the reader feel the author is gonna pad it and turn it into a trash novel, and less, it feels that author rushed it as lot of novels had 1k chaps end.

There is a sci-fi novel with the (kinda, kinda not) cliche plot of one scientist that must stay awake 1 day every year, while the rest of humanity is in cryo. The destination got a precise number of years. So the end is already known it gonna succeed.

There is difference between "writing on the fly, chapter per chapter" and "i already envisioned everything and i fill the insides".

The biggest advice though : just do what you or your readers feels right for the ending.
There was a very good chinese novel that was destroyed by it's ending, because no clue what kind of stuff author sniffed, but he made the MC being stuck in the eternal sun or something, with eternal pain, and his pet that feel sad for him, make him re-see his life to appease him, but in fact hurt him a ton as his life was also hurtful quite a lot with regrets. So after chinese readers riotted in comments, he deleted and rewrote a good ending, but for everyone the shitty ending is basically the "canon" ending.

One thing you must pay attention, is that after a series end, all authors in the world are never sure they can make another good series.
And that is why they can continue a long time a series, even milking it.

To be honest, it's genius like "Andur" from Royalroad, that have a clear plan for each of his novel (that are in fact connected to each other), and a high-quality writing, the ones that dont fear about endings.
Because like "hades" game devs, everything is probably clear for them and focus on "next one".

There is a interesting thing that a jp WN became popular AFTER it's ending.
Yep it's Arifureta. This not-so OLD webnovel (anime was recent and disliked by true fans) somehow had it's ending done where protag come back to earth with his harem.
But somehow author decided to write "after-stories" chapters. Where it show MC+harem (+classmates alive) living on earth.
Thing is, he also did some arcs to add more depth to some characters (for example the masochist dragon woman/the teacher waifu) or what it feels like to be a hero back on earth.
But a few years ago, readers didn't seen often series with a isekai protag back on earth, it attracted lot of fans to it. Me being one of them.
And to be honest, the quality is over the top, because the switch of environment, give lot of opportunities. And some particular plots happen which totally don't follow the rythme of the "normal plot".
Still today, i think author is still continuing to write "after-stories". In fact it can be said it is no longer "after-stories" but more like "a sequel" XD
PS : after-stories begin at ch176 i think

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

I’m actually approaching this as a reader. In the end it feels like the story can’t end well for a lot of these long novels.

I’ve tried writing a long open ended story too and I just gave up on a good ending and just focused on smut and nothing else because long stories in general don’t have good focus and the constantly changing focus is annoying.

I think this is my biggest complaint about long stories and novels. There are several story arcs and such of course, but overall I’ve skipped over hundreds of chapters in some stories just to find the end of a specific plot point.

This happens mostly because I really didn’t care about anything else but that one plot point and didn’t want to waste my time feeling bored reading through crap I don’t like.



I don’t know if it’s a discovery writer issue. There have been long thought out and planned stories.

I think the biggest problem with long novels and series is the audience gets hooked at the intro, and then as it goes on the story either becomes a repeat cycle while getting towards the end or it tries to become something that the original audience was hooked on might or might not care for.

Some times it works like in One Piece because the goal of being Pirate King is there (also One Piece wraps up all but the major plot points every arc) and sometimes it goes off the deep end like Naruto.

Not every repeat cycle is bad but sometimes it’s better to just keep it simple instead of trying to reinvent the wheel every arc like some authors do…

Really the author just needs to finish the story that they originally set out to tell. Adding fluff and extras is nice but when side plots take over the story its a sign that it should have already ended.

Thats assuming that the author had a specific story they wanted to tell from the beginning.

A different case is where you have a storytelling engine that just works well. You can tell many stories with the same characters. All it needs is a lofty goal to work toward until that goal is accomplished. In such cases, its not the end of a single story that needs to be written, but the end of a storytelling world.

I have no idea what would be satisfying for that, i hardly ever follow such stories to their total end. Since they never have one.

 

[Le_ther]

So I have this theory that the longer a story goes, the harder it is to write a satisfactory ending. This theory is based on the fact that long stories require more and more reader and writer investment.

When I say investment, I’m talking a time investment, and plot investment. The more plot points are introduced, the more the author has to think of a way to end each plot satisfactorily.

Anyone else find this theory reasonable?

It's more of a "I get bored of this story so why do i even bother doing this?" Then rushed it. This shit mostly happens with some authors as they prefer to end a series in 1 go than make another story then go back later to the series.

This happaned to the author of the novel's extra and his other works. Good premise but shit ending