CORANNA ADAMS
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Film
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Film
  • Contact
Search

Say Goodnight, Say Goodbye

6/13/2016

Comments

 
Picture
It's a great irony that for those of us involved in education, the end of the year comes right at a time when the natural world is waking up, coming alive, refreshed.

I've come to accept that odd feeling of disorientation, that I am out of sync with the natural order. And lately I've been taking time to mourn. A friendship. A project. And my novel. 

Did I mention I'm down to rewriting the last seven chapters of my novel?

And I've been pondering how to go out with a bang, both literally and figuratively. Remembering how many of my favorite books end. And what makes the end of a novel sooooo satisfying that you can't put it down until you are totally finished, done, and know exactly what happened. 

I've come up with a short list of must haves:

All the threads must be tied up. I don't wear pants that are unhemmed, and I don't like my stories to be trailing unfinished business/character arcs/plot details.  It may sound old school, but that's ok, I'm over 35 now and can be honest about who I am.

As a married woman, I'm bored with stories that end right as relationships begin. I know the best is yet to come, and I want to peek into the journey two characters take together. Case in point, Eleanor & Park. I love that these two protagonists work through a complicated situation together, while they become physically involved. Show the nitty gritty of true relationship--it's riveting.

When possible, blow shit up. I mean this metaphorically. Don't leave any stone unturned. At the end of one of my favorite novels Animal Dreams, the main character finds out that her sister has died, and she has to decide whether to actually land in her hometown or not. During the last chapters, Codi, the main character, realizes so much truth about her childhood, family, and home that it's off the hook. The metaphor I'm looking for here is fireworks.

Whose heart doesn't light up with wonder at fireworks? 

The best endings keep 'em guessing, people.

Comments

    Author

    Coranna Adams is a writer, filmmaker, and educator from Asheville, North Carolina.

    Tweets by @corannaadams

    Archives

    March 2022
    September 2021
    October 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    November 2016
    August 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    May 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    September 2014
    July 2014

    Categories

    All
    Anklyosing Spondylitis
    Arthur Rackham
    Auto-immune Condition
    Body Awareness
    Collaborative Learning
    Design
    Design Education
    Fairies
    Fritjof Capra
    Generation X
    Healing Arthritis
    Inspiration
    Integral Education
    Integral Thinking About Health
    Metacognition In Children
    Moons
    New World Order
    Nonviolent Communication
    Parenting For Peace
    Second Tier Thinking
    Second-tier Thinking
    Story
    Systems Thinking
    Titania

    RSS Feed

Site Copyright Coranna Adams, 2014 all rights reserved. Do not copy or reproduce without permission.
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • Film
  • Contact