Happy vs. Sad Endings

[kailhofer]

A friend of mine was joking and said that people shouldn't look for happy endings in one of my stories. I realized when he said it that I've only got 4 stories--2 of them novel ms.--that end happily. The rest finish with a sense of grim doom or sad oppression.<br><br>Write what you know, I guess. :( But it's got me wondering if I should make an effort to slide to the other side of the fence, so to speak, and write happy.<br><br>What's your view on happy vs. sad? <br><br>I know many people like to read happy endings, but which do you prefer to write, and why?<br><br>Nate

[Robert_Moriyama]

According to that there Rule Book that you adopted after Elizabeth Bear mauled you, the ending should be whatever is appropriate to the character arc (I think). If your character is an SOB born with a platinum eating utensil in the hand of his personal body servant, and he Learns Important Lessons, he might end up less 'happy' than when he started, but learn the value of friendship. Is that a 'happy ending'?<br><br>Then again, whether an ending is 'happy' or not also depends on which characters prosper (or at least survive). The ending of 'Another Sarah' certainly isn't a happy one for the Sarah just slaughtered or her sisters, but it's relatively okay for Big Sarah and her guests (who will get to enjoy 'chicken' and Big Sarah's renowned bone bread) ... The story of Saint George and the Dragon ends well for Saint George, but from the viewpoint of dragonkind, it's a tale of murder and mayhem.<br><br>We should also consider the dreaded 'preview audience syndrome' which has led to a number of movies being mangled to provide an entirely inappropriate 'happy ending' (viz. the 'Stepford Wives' remake, where the revised ending meant that the rest of the movie Made No Sense At All). A story should be end in a way that is logical based on the setting, characters, and motivations. If that happens to be 'happy' from at least one sympathetic character's point of view, fine. But twisting character and circumstance to pull a chicken sandwich out of the septic tank is NEVER a good idea.<br><br>(...The ending of the current 'War of the Worlds' is 'happy' from the viewpoint of the Ferrier family, who seem to have emerged pretty much unscathed, aside from the loss of some vehicles and property. It's still pretty terrible from the viewpoint of the many who were incinerated, blown up, drowned, sucked dry (etc.), and their surviving family members -- to say nothing of the aliens. 'Millions of years' of planning shot to hell because they ignored the Guide and Drank the Water!)<br><br>Robert M.

[kailhofer]

In a nutshell, I prefer that short stories in this genre should end either darkly or ambiguously. Why? I dunno, I don't think a short story requires the emotional investment that a longer piece does (which does not mean short stories cannot evoke strong emotions). And it is good for you to taste darkness in small (fictional) doses.

But should you drag readers through a grim novel-length experience (or a series/cycle), I think you owe them if not a happy ending than a nod toward optimism.

<br>Full of "dookie" or not, that's a good point about the happy ending for a longer work. I'd have to agree with that.<br><br>

According to that there Rule Book that you adopted after Elizabeth Bear mauled you, the ending should be whatever is appropriate to the character arc (I think). If your character is an SOB born with a platinum eating utensil in the hand of his personal body servant, and he Learns Important Lessons, he might end up less 'happy' than when he started, but learn the value of friendship. Is that a 'happy ending'?

Robert M.

<br>Obviously things are all relative to their circumstances, but you raise the question what is "happy", and I'm not certain I have a good answer. Jack in "Just Another Day at the Office" last August came out on top, but in the end he was still laboring to manage his building in the oppression of Hell. He survived and the evil Bob got away, but otherwise his situation just went back to normal. At least, as normal as it was before. Was that "happy"? I guess maybe, but it's still also grim. (BTW, at the time, everyone asked me if "Evil Bob" was really you. In case I never said: Nope. No you. At least, as far as you know. :D)<br><br>

My instinct is to say that you shouldn't force the ending one way or the other. If it really bothers anyone, then you're making them think. LOL! If it doesn't bother your readers, then you're making them think too, but about something else. You've got a natural tendency to be very careful in the way you write. But sometimes the story writhes and changes in one's hands as it gets written. Endings happen the way the story demands them to happen. Happy or sad doesn't enter into it. The story itself is the deciding factor. And stories develop in ways that the writer never forsees when he first sets down to craft the tale.
I'd say, trust your feelings, Luke. You've been doing d*mn well up 'till now. Don't have second thoughts. Just be yourself and be more aware of what you're writing when you're writing it. Seems like silly advice, coming from me to you, but since you've never sent Aphelion anything that wasn't high quality I figure that you've been going through one of those emotional roller coaster rides that most of us go through whenever we've got a new story out. Otherwise, you wouldn't be questioning your already-proven talent, neyt?
Dan

<br>Actually, I was proposing the question in a philosophical way rather than from self-doubt. I recently finished my 2nd horror story, a zombie tale, and when I reached the ending I could have gone either way. Either the good guy wins & things are satisfying from his perspective, or the zombies do and everyone is shocked. I confess I didn't go with my gut, but instead which way I felt more likely to sell. Happy or sad can be a choice you have to make.<br><br>Thanks for the compliments and I'm glad you found my comments helpful, but I think every writer questions their ability. Why else would we edit after we're done? Sure, I'm careful about what I write. I'd rather craft something at a snail's pace and have it good than fast & crappy. It's the obsessed artist part of me struggling with the money-grubbing writer side of me that just wants to sell in volume. Both sides, however, wonder if a change in style would produce sales, which have been damn elusive.<br><br>I guess by "happy" I was meaning more in the tone of the story. Many of my characters live grim, oppressed lives, and generally don't rise out of their situations despite the plot's resolution. I was thinking about whether to create something with a lighter tone throughout, where the heroes win without loss. Maybe that would sell better. On the other hand, just writing that last sentence makes the other side of my brain complain that it would be unrealistic.<br><br>I don't know what kind of story I'm going to write next, but I am curious to see how other authors view happy vs sad endings, if for no other reason than discussion purposes. What's their view about how conclusions should be crafted?<br><br>Nate