Reaching a satisfying climax - how much does the HEA matter?
Hello and welcome to a special edition of the Brandon blog! This piece was originally posted at
Shelby Kent-Stewart's blog, and the response has been phenomenal - but I STILL need your opinions! Please feel free to comment here or at Shelby's blog: https://shelbykentstewart.com/the-end...
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I have been meaning to write this post for some time, and now that my current work in progress is drawing to its intense conclusion, I figure it’s now or never. The question of my novel’s ending is becoming a crucial one. I have my two leading protagonists at a critical juncture in the plot and now I must decide how their story finishes.
What’s that you say? Surely this is the easy part? Surely you have the plot all neatly planned out and know exactly where their palpable tension will see them end? Well – no actually. I don’t work that way and never have. I never know how the narrative will resolve itself until the characters tell me during the writing process. Perhaps this is odd? I have no idea, but I am fine with it – the issue arises not with what the ending is, but about which sort of ending I should pen.
In the erotic romance genre I hear a lot about the elusive ‘happy ever after’ (HEA) ending and I get the impression that this is what many readers want and expect. I can understand that to a point – I like a happy ending too – so long as the plot seems plausible to me. Sometimes I am reading a great book, full of conflict, passion and hot sex and I find myself being crushed by the ‘they ride off into the sunset’ type ending, which appears to come out of nowhere and not fit with the rest of the story at all!
So far I have found it difficult to pen the mysterious HEA. The best I have managed are ‘happy for now’ (HFN) conclusions, which seem to have better served my plots and the needs of my characters. I have to say I have never received negative feedback from my readers about my HFN’s, but still I wonder – should I try to create the HEA? Is it important? Does it make a difference to how a reader receives the book overall?
I have been around this track a few times in my head and have yet to make a decision, and so I throw it open to you all! Readers, writers, publishers, please tell me your opinions! Does the HEA matter? Is it a deal-breaker for you or does it depend entirely upon the context of the plotline and your expectations about what will happen to the characters after the book has concluded? I have read (and believe) that the beginning and the end of a story are the most critical components. Getting the ending right is important in any novel and my own brand of BDSM erotic romance is no exception to this rule. I am happy to hear to all views on the subject and if my own characters are listening then – who knows – maybe your opinions will help to mould the ending of my next novel…
Until next time,
Shelby Kent-Stewart's blog, and the response has been phenomenal - but I STILL need your opinions! Please feel free to comment here or at Shelby's blog: https://shelbykentstewart.com/the-end..........
I have been meaning to write this post for some time, and now that my current work in progress is drawing to its intense conclusion, I figure it’s now or never. The question of my novel’s ending is becoming a crucial one. I have my two leading protagonists at a critical juncture in the plot and now I must decide how their story finishes.
What’s that you say? Surely this is the easy part? Surely you have the plot all neatly planned out and know exactly where their palpable tension will see them end? Well – no actually. I don’t work that way and never have. I never know how the narrative will resolve itself until the characters tell me during the writing process. Perhaps this is odd? I have no idea, but I am fine with it – the issue arises not with what the ending is, but about which sort of ending I should pen.
In the erotic romance genre I hear a lot about the elusive ‘happy ever after’ (HEA) ending and I get the impression that this is what many readers want and expect. I can understand that to a point – I like a happy ending too – so long as the plot seems plausible to me. Sometimes I am reading a great book, full of conflict, passion and hot sex and I find myself being crushed by the ‘they ride off into the sunset’ type ending, which appears to come out of nowhere and not fit with the rest of the story at all!
So far I have found it difficult to pen the mysterious HEA. The best I have managed are ‘happy for now’ (HFN) conclusions, which seem to have better served my plots and the needs of my characters. I have to say I have never received negative feedback from my readers about my HFN’s, but still I wonder – should I try to create the HEA? Is it important? Does it make a difference to how a reader receives the book overall?
I have been around this track a few times in my head and have yet to make a decision, and so I throw it open to you all! Readers, writers, publishers, please tell me your opinions! Does the HEA matter? Is it a deal-breaker for you or does it depend entirely upon the context of the plotline and your expectations about what will happen to the characters after the book has concluded? I have read (and believe) that the beginning and the end of a story are the most critical components. Getting the ending right is important in any novel and my own brand of BDSM erotic romance is no exception to this rule. I am happy to hear to all views on the subject and if my own characters are listening then – who knows – maybe your opinions will help to mould the ending of my next novel…
Until next time,
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Candy76
(last edited May 04, 2016 05:28AM)
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May 04, 2016 05:27AM
I believe in HEAs. They are to far and in between in the real world so why not live them out through reading. Everything leading up to the hotter the better for the final HEA ending. HFN works when its a cliffhanger cause there's more to come.
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Candy wrote: "I believe in HEAs. They are to far and in between in the real world so why not live them out through reading. Everything leading up to the hotter the better for the final HEA ending. HFN works when..."Thanks so much for your comment, Candy. Right now you are literally helping to shape the ending of my current work in progress!
