I
woke up the other morning and found myself snuggled against my wife, something
we haven’t done in a while. We used to snuggle every morning, but as life got
more complicated, as we had our kids, as we both worked hard and came to bed exhausted,
we both wanted—and got—our space in our king size bed.
Our
kids are teenagers now. They get themselves up, make their own lunches, and my
son drives them to school. Life, therefore, is a little less hectic now that
they do these things for themselves. I’m no longer up at zero-dark-thirty barely
awake shoving my oversized hand into a tube of Pringles trying to reach the
bottom twelve chips to stuff into a snack bag. I can relax a little. I can
afford the time now to snuggle in the morning.
I
thought it was a nice metaphor for a normal life and marriage, this clinging
together, drifting apart, and then sliding back toward one another. Then I
discovered my wife bought some of those slippery-ass polyester sheets and my
slithering around in the bed had nothing to do with any metaphor.
Sometimes
I overthink.
I
have a long scene in my current writing project I do not resolve, and I wonder
if it will bother a reader. The scene is crucial, in my view, for my
character’s development, but its resolution (if it had one) is inconsequential
to the overall plot. It’s merely a loose end.
Should
I resolve it or should I let it remain something undone? Am I handing out an
incomplete story, or am I leaving something to my readers’ imaginations? Or am
I simply overthinking it?
When
you read, do loose ends bother you?
Sam -- I prefer my mysteries to wrap up all subplots with the one exception that for continuing characters in a series, I am content to wait for the next book to address open issues, provided I have reason to believe they will be addressed.
ReplyDeleteAll of which is to say that I don't enjoy modern short stories without ANY resolution.
~ Jim
Is this one book in a series, Sam? Will the loose end irritate or intrigue the reader? If this is a standalone, I'd tie it up. If it is a series book, you may not have to tie it up, even if you don't address it in the sequel.
ReplyDeleteLife isn't neat so in a series, as you reveal the character more to the reader, the episode in this book could be part of a pattern of the character's behavior--like someone who doesn't finish his/her sentences, but the reader knows what they would have said. You're teaching your reader to read between the lines, creating a more intimate dialogue with the reader by omission. What isn't said can be just as important as what is said especially when it comes to character development.
I say in a series, this is a terrific creative element. Go for it. But in a standalone, the reader won't revisit this character so tie it up and leave the reader satisfied.
Will your readers be annoyed if your leave it open?
ReplyDeleteYou could test i with beta readers. If it is crucial for character development, readers are likely to remember. I'd resolve it. Nobody ever complained (to me) about tied up ends.
Sam, I agree with Jim and E.B. I read and write series and that little bit leaves me wanting more. Louise Penny's latest book didn't leave any of those hooks so I'm wondering if she's ending her very popular series. - Gloria
ReplyDeleteIs the story resolution ultimately satisfying? If a reader finishes the novel with the feeling of completion and closure, a loose end can be overlooked.
ReplyDeleteSam, I wouldn't need a tidy resolution and wrap up. But after reading a long scene dealing with a character's development, I'd like to see the character do something to prove that he/she has changed or is in the process of changing.
ReplyDeleteI don't need EVERY subplot wrapped up and tied with a bow, but I do need the major things wrapped up. One writer I adore (and I won't name) left one of two murders unsolved in one of her highly acclaimed books "because that's how it is in real life"... I still haven't forgiven her, after three more books!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind minor points not being neatly wrapped ups, since very few things in life are completely explained to everyone's satisfaction. I also enjoy books whose endings point at possible futures rather than ending "and they lived happily ever after." But there has to be a feeling of satisfaction or I feel cheated.
ReplyDeleteOn the subject of sheets, we are debating whether the time has come to make the switch from the crisp cotton sheets that feel so wonderful and cool in the hot weather to the snugly flannel ones we use in cold weather. Making the switch is almost sure to trigger a reverse in the weather and make us sorry we were in such a rush.