5 tips for writing the end of your novel

We all know the advice for writing the start of a novel – making it compelling, make sure you have a hook, make sure you get straight down to it without waffling on for ages first. But what about the end of your novel?

Here are some tips for making sure the end of your novel packs a proper punch.

Know when the story ends – and end it there. Just like you shouldn’t ramble for ages at the start of a novel before getting into the story, so you shouldn’t ramble for ages after the story has finished.
Make sure it’s satisfying. Sounds obvious, but a damp squib of an ending never goes down well, particularly if it’s glaringly obvious.
Get rid of loose ends. Either make sure all of your loose ends and subplots are tied up by the end of the main story or, if you’re struggling to do this, it might be time to go back through and evaluate their purpose in the first place.
Have an ending in mind from the beginning. Your plan might change as you go along, but having an idea of how you want to end your story from the very beginning can be useful – it gives you direction and, hopefully, an ending that suits the story you’ve written.
See what you can cut. Write your ending, then look at what you can cut. If you took out the last sentence, would it still work? What about the last paragraph?

What are your tips for writing a brilliant ending for your novel?