I’ve used NaNoWriMo to see what I could do with a story that showedup when I did my first writing exercise here on this site. The exercise where each day a random word needs to be used in that day’s writing. The story was called Facilitation, and it was about a woman having an affair who has decided to end things with her husband … and with the man she is having the affair with.
As the calendar moved towards November and NaNo approached, I decided to see if I could make Facilitation more than what it was at that point. Maybe a full-blown novel, the scope of which I was completely unsure of at that time.
Well, 29,000 words later (yes, I did not win NaNo 2021) I was at a crucial moment in the story. Which way did I want it to end. The story is what I call a domestic thriller. Let’s just say that when the woman tells her husband she is done with him, he doesn’t take it well. A gun is involved. Shots are fired. He takes her hostage as the police arrive.
At the crossroads, I viewed there to be four basic options. He dies. She dies. They both die. Neither dies. Over on Twitter I posted a poll to see what people would prefer without knowing much of the story. More people voted for Neither Dies than any other option, but the total votes for an option where somebody dies slightly beat out Neither Dies.
I also posted on a FB page for writers a related question. What if I wrote a story … say, up to about 30,000 words and then published it with four different endings. Readers could choose their preferred ending or read all of them. What did people think of that? How could it be done? And I listed the same possible endings with a very small amount of additional detail. A few people provided thoughtful recommendations, but at least half of the responses were of the “those are all ‘common’ endings, you gotta do better than that.” There seemed to be an underlying level of … scorn? … for what I had posted. And a refusal to actually answer the question I had posed.
Which is fine. But …
Every story there is in the world has already been written. Every ending there is in the world has already been written. Literally thousands of times in each instance. So, telling me that these bare bones endings I’ve described are too ‘common’ doesn’t really help me at all. It doesn’t even say anything at all. At the end of the day, all stories at this point in human history are ‘common.’
After I completed my first novel and thought of shopping it around, I posted a draft query letter on a writing website for critique. One of the site’s editors replied that the story sounded like one that had been written before and that I needed to make sure my telling was unique. I get this concept, but it’s also not necessarily something I think about while I’m writing. To go back to Chuck Litka’s most recent post, it suggests that every story has to up the stakes as compared to earlier versions of the same story. Is that actually necessary? Is it even possible?
One of the things I wanted to say in response on that FB post was … well, fine then, what other uncommon options are there. I mean, literally, the only possible options for ending this story is one of them dies, both of them die, or neither of them dies.
The issue is … how to get from here to there. I know that I need to come up with a way to make a ‘common’ ending compelling. Either in how I present the characters, how I present the drama, how I present that ending. How I get from here to there.
My point is this … if a writer asks for input on something, answer the question they are asking and be as helpful as you can. Telling them their idea is “common,” thereby implying it’s not worthy when they only know about 2% of the concept and how it has rolled out, simply isn’t helpful. To me, it’s more about the commenters’ egos than any kind of help to the writer seeking help.
Of the people who actually responded to my question … what did people think of writing a story with a menu of different endings … one thought it was a horrible idea, one thought it was intriguing.
So, let me seek the same advice here … what do people think of that approach and how would they go about writing it and publishing it and marketing it?
Writers Supporting Writers 
I love the idea. It reminds me of the old “Choose your own adventure” books I read as a kid. One fun thing to do for marketing would be to make a site people could go to report which ending they chose after reading it. Might be a way to make readers more engaged.
And yes, you’re right; every story is “common” if you just describe it in bare-bones terms. I was thinking the other day about how, in broad, vague outlines, “Dune” and “The Lion King” are basically the same story. Yet, somehow I think they are sufficiently different that no one is going to get them mixed up. 🙂
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No more Dune! No more Dune! I just finished book three in the series and I am all Duned out!!
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Haha, I know what you mean. I just finished book 2 and I’m unsure about whether I’m even going to attempt book 3. Not for a while, anyway…
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The story really, I’m not even sure of the right word, but it’s just too much. I have book 4 on my kindle, but I’m taking a break and reading something else before I dive back in.
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I might be dodging your question here as well, Mark, but my honest take is that you shouldn’t be asking the question. I view writing as art. Art should be the unique expression of the artist. Oh, there are many collaborative forms of arts, but I don’t think writing is one of them. I am certain that I’m in the minority here, but I have no use for critique partners, groups, beta readers and such — beyond proofreading. I believe that writers should write the story as they want and trust that others will like it as well. Not everyone, but some. It’s simple math –on average most readers aren’t going to like even a best selling book, so if you take a poll of general readers, you’re almost guaranteed to get mixed results, since the poll will include people who aren’t going to read it no matter how you write it. I think writers have to trust themselves — put their work out there, and accept that it isn’t going to please everyone.
That said, I know many writers swear by critique partners and groups and many published authors credit their editors’ suggestions for making their book better. So maybe I’m wrong, maybe it depends on the writer. What does everyone else think?
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Yeah, I use writing groups for practice and to generate ideas, but I’ve shied away from critique groups after a couple of experiences with them.
I’m more interested, not in whether I should do this, but how exactly I would go about the publishing part of it.
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If you really think the story could go three different ways, why not write it in all three directions, in their entirely. Each complete version different in little ways — different names, places, variations on characters and dialogue in the more or less common first part of the story and then take the story in three different directions. Publish all them under different pen names and see how each fares. I know that you like to write “into the dark,” but if you know the ending for each version, you could probably alter the first half of each story in ways that would make each ending more satisfying.
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That is a very intriguing way of approaching it! Thank you.
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I agree with you that ultimately, the writer has to trust themselves first and foremost. That said, I’ve certainly benefited from getting critiques and discussing ideas with others. Sometimes a beta reader will point out something that I just plain never thought about, and I’ll instantly realize it’s a great improvement on what I’ve written. That’s always useful.
But, if there’s ever a situation where a beta reader has one opinion, and I have a different opinion, I’ll always go with what I think is right. I think of it like being an executive: you can gather all the input and advice you want, but in the end, it’s your call to make as the author, and you have to do what seems best to you.
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There is merit in listening to other opinions. Thinking about it, I must admit that I’ve made changes to my stories to fix things that my wife didn’t like about them:) But she, and my beta readers, only see the story once I’m done with it, not during the writing. Though I’m open to ideas and criticisms from my beta readers, most just point out my typos, much appreciated, though they do occasionally offer little suggestions that I’ll usually take on the theory that if they find something confusing, so will other readers. But personally I wouldn’t want to share my work before I’m finished with it. But, as always, what ever works for you.
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Writing multiple endings to a story sounds like work! Unless you actually think of more than one ending and can’t choose just one. In which case Chuck’s take on it sounds like a good way to go, Different details and maybe pseudonyms. It would be interesting to see reactions of readers who don’t know they’re all written by the same person.
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Audrey — that is one drawback I’ve considered in writing multiple endings. It’s hard enough for me to write one story these days, to expand a story to four different versions! What the heck am I thinking?
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Well, you’re doing better than I am. I only got 17K words on my NaNoWrMo project. I found that I didn’t have a second act. Still working it out in my head, and I’m not very motivated to get back to writing it.
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Not sure if more is better, to be honest. One of the challenges I faced as the month wore on was the sense that I was just writing to create a word count. I think there is something in this story, but if I ever do anything with it, there will be a ton of editing and re-evaluating before I get there.
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