E is for Endings

Writing 'The End' is such a lovely feeling. You've actually completed something you're pleased with to the point that you feel you can bring it to a close.

I did another post about endings, or rather, about finishing things, last month, but this is a slightly different. I can finish a story without feeling like it's ended properly. Sometimes it tails out, or feels a bit flat, or I feel as if it's not been properly resolved.

The stories without 'The End' have something missing from them. Essentially, even though they're finished, they're not ended. They're less-than-first-drafts. Very fleshed out ideas but still with something missing. For me, writing 'The End' means that I'm happy with the story, even if I know it's only a first draft and there are all sorts of things I need to tweak and improve. The End is a sign that I know the basic story is complete, like a baby having been born, and what happens next is the growing up stage of the story's life.