Should a book say "The End"

John Carroll · 12-22-2010, 03:29 PM

I wrote "The End" at . . . the end . . . of my short story. That story was done, but I don't like saying "The End" for some reason.

Do you think a book should say "The End"?
What if it's part of a series?
What about short stories?
Or poems?

kindlekitten · 12-22-2010, 03:33 PM

I kind of got over "The End" when I could handle "adult" books (no I don't mean porno)

tubemonkey · 12-22-2010, 03:36 PM

Yes, but use the word "finis" instead. Looks classier.

KenJackson · 12-22-2010, 03:37 PM

Old, old movies used to always put that across the screen to let you know the movie was over (since credits used to come at the front).

But I can't ever remember seeing a book that had it. It would seem a little corny. Doesn't it look out of place on this post?

The End

wvcherrybomb · 12-22-2010, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenJackson

It would seem a little corny.

Agreed.

queentess · 12-22-2010, 03:48 PM

For short stories, my preference as a reader is to have some sort of little symbol at the end. This is just a way to signal to the reader that there's nothing more coming, much in the same way you'll see articles in magazines end with a little symbol. I've had more than one occasion where I thought there was more to the story and I was missing pages, but it was not the case.

Doug Huffman · 12-22-2010, 05:21 PM

It is a fine memorial to Jefferson Finis Davis, CSA President.

American by the Grace of God. Southeron by my free choice.

SeaBookGuy · 12-22-2010, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KenJackson

Old, old movies used to always put that across the screen to let you know the movie was over (since credits used to come at the front).

But I can't ever remember seeing a book that had it. It would seem a little corny. Doesn't it look out of place on this post?

The End

I've seen it used as a literary device a few times.

issybird · 12-22-2010, 06:37 PM

There's a charming children's picture book which starts at The End, which is also the title.

http://www.davidlarochelle.net/chbooks/bk_end.html

Marcy · 12-22-2010, 06:51 PM

I like ebooks/stories to say The End, finis whatever, mainly to ensure I have the whole thing. With the vagaries of the internet, downloads, etc. this ensures my file wasn't truncated in some way.

Many ebooks have stuff from the publishers after the story, which is okay with me too. Some just end right at the last sentence which just seems so abrupt.

-Marcy

jkeene · 12-22-2010, 06:57 PM

Decades ago, back in high school, we were assigned All Quiet On The Western Front to read. I read it quickly, but something about the group discussion didn't make sense.

It was then I found I had stopped just one page short of the end.

So count me in favor of some little symbol that says keep reading, there's more. Maybe that's the real reason e-readers were invented, so people like me could have that little progress bar/counter.

neilmarr · 12-23-2010, 04:17 AM

ALWAYS use 'The End'. As an editor, I made it a personal rule four decades ago to check the close of a manuyscript before reading. If the last page I had didn't clearly carry the words 'The End', the ms was returned to the author to add it. It's far too easy for closing pages to be accidentally missed otherwise. Neil

James_Wilde · 12-23-2010, 04:53 AM

Why not try "The Beginning"? Because the end of every story is the beginning of a new story.

Perhaps I would make an exception for stories ending in a death and, of course, all crime novels. The last thing you want is the beginning of a new crime novel.

boxcorner · 12-23-2010, 05:08 AM

Perhaps for the Japanese genre it should be, "dne eht agnam".

J. Strnad · 01-02-2011, 09:12 PM

Use "The End" only if it can be followed by a question mark..."The End?"

(Yeah, I watch a lot of 1950s horror movies....)

12-22-2010, 03:29 PM	#1
John Carroll kookoo Posts: 1,461 Karma: 7772454 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Colorado Springs Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Nook, LG4	Should a book say "The End" I wrote "The End" at . . . the end . . . of my short story. That story was done, but I don't like saying "The End" for some reason. Do you think a book should say "The End"? What if it's part of a series? What about short stories? Or poems?

12-23-2010, 05:08 AM	#14
boxcorner »(°±°)« Posts: 826 Karma: 775629 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: divisive reader	Perhaps for the Japanese genre it should be, "dne eht agnam". Last edited by boxcorner; 01-03-2011 at 03:58 PM.

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12-22-2010, 03:33 PM	#2
kindlekitten Professional Adventuress Posts: 13,368 Karma: 50260224 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: The Olympic Peninsula on the OTHER Washington! (the big green clean one on the west coast!) Device: Kindle, the original! Times Two! and gifting an International Kindle	I kind of got over "The End" when I could handle "adult" books (no I don't mean porno)

12-22-2010, 03:36 PM	#3
tubemonkey monkey on the fringe Posts: 45,746 Karma: 158575914 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Seattle Metro Device: Moto E6, Echo Show	Yes, but use the word "finis" instead. Looks classier.

12-22-2010, 03:37 PM	#4
KenJackson Addict Posts: 256 Karma: 112042 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Maryland, USA Device: Sony PRS-650	Old, old movies used to always put that across the screen to let you know the movie was over (since credits used to come at the front). But I can't ever remember seeing a book that had it. It would seem a little corny. Doesn't it look out of place on this post? The End

12-22-2010, 03:48 PM	#6
queentess Reading is sexy Posts: 1,303 Karma: 544517 Join Date: Apr 2009 Device: none	For short stories, my preference as a reader is to have some sort of little symbol at the end. This is just a way to signal to the reader that there's nothing more coming, much in the same way you'll see articles in magazines end with a little symbol. I've had more than one occasion where I thought there was more to the story and I was missing pages, but it was not the case.

12-22-2010, 05:21 PM	#7
Doug Huffman Banned Posts: 102 Karma: 7860 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Washington Island, across Death's Door, Wisconsin, USA Device: KINDLE 3 WiFi	It is a fine memorial to Jefferson Finis Davis, CSA President. American by the Grace of God. Southeron by my free choice.

12-22-2010, 06:37 PM	#9
issybird o saeclum infacetum Posts: 21,153 Karma: 234343715 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New England Device: Mini, H2O, Glo HD, Aura One, PW4, PW5	There's a charming children's picture book which starts at The End, which is also the title. http://www.davidlarochelle.net/chbooks/bk_end.html

12-22-2010, 06:51 PM	#10
Marcy Guru Posts: 897 Karma: 950683 Join Date: Oct 2009 Device: Kobo Libra2	I like ebooks/stories to say The End, finis whatever, mainly to ensure I have the whole thing. With the vagaries of the internet, downloads, etc. this ensures my file wasn't truncated in some way. Many ebooks have stuff from the publishers after the story, which is okay with me too. Some just end right at the last sentence which just seems so abrupt. -Marcy

12-22-2010, 06:57 PM	#11
jkeene Connoisseur Posts: 83 Karma: 85586 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: Kindle 3	Decades ago, back in high school, we were assigned All Quiet On The Western Front to read. I read it quickly, but something about the group discussion didn't make sense. It was then I found I had stopped just one page short of the end. So count me in favor of some little symbol that says keep reading, there's more. Maybe that's the real reason e-readers were invented, so people like me could have that little progress bar/counter.

12-23-2010, 04:17 AM	#12
neilmarr neilmarr Posts: 7,215 Karma: 6000059 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Monaco-Menton, France Device: sony	ALWAYS use 'The End'. As an editor, I made it a personal rule four decades ago to check the close of a manuyscript before reading. If the last page I had didn't clearly carry the words 'The End', the ms was returned to the author to add it. It's far too easy for closing pages to be accidentally missed otherwise. Neil

12-23-2010, 04:53 AM	#13
James_Wilde Guru Posts: 802 Karma: 4727110 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sweden Device: Iriver Story	Why not try "The Beginning"? Because the end of every story is the beginning of a new story. Perhaps I would make an exception for stories ending in a death and, of course, all crime novels. The last thing you want is the beginning of a new crime novel.

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01-02-2011, 09:12 PM	#15
J. Strnad Guru Posts: 915 Karma: 3537194 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo, Kindle 3, Paperwhite	Use "The End" only if it can be followed by a question mark..."The End?" (Yeah, I watch a lot of 1950s horror movies....)