Writers in the Storm

by Barbara Linn Probst

I attended an online workshop this winter where I heard Cuban-American writer Ana Menéndez make the intriguing statement: "Endings, like hemlines and male facial hair, are subject to trends." Ana noted that, personally, she knows a story's ending before she begins, although she doesn't always know how she’ll get there.

Her reflections intrigued me, so I decided to ask other writers: “At what point do you know your story's ending?”  I also asked:  “What kind of endings do you like to write?” Thirty people responded to my question, often at length.

I posed a related question on a few reader groups I belong to about the kind of endings they liked to read— twist, happily-ever-after, unresolved/ambiguous, epiphany, redemption, bittersweet, a lesson learned, an ending that represents a new beginning.  I’m always interested to see if writers and readers agree!  More about that at the end of this piece.

The reflections of the thirty writers, in response to the first question, fell into three camps: I know before I start; I rarely know; and sometimes/sort of/it often changes. Here are some examples of what they told me.

I have to know before I start writing …

I always know the ending when I plot, and often work backwards from there.

I always know basically how I want a story to start and end. It will, of course, be fleshed out and massaged, but the kernel remains.

I always know the ending before I start writing, even if I don't know how to get there. It gives me motivation to finish the rest!

I usually know how the story ends and do a lot of figuring-out about how to get there.

I don't actually start writing until I have a pretty good handle on a couple of major twists and the ending.

I’ve known the ending on every project I’ve written before I start writing.

But the getting-there can be hard …

I usually know my endings, but on the path to get there, those endings often change.

Always know the last line. The challenge is getting there!

I know the rough ending, but not the setting for the final scene or how my characters actually get there.

I rarely know when I start out …

My stories seldom follow the path I think of when I start writing.

I'm never sure where my characters are going until they get there.

I seldom know where a story will end when I start writing and I change my mind at least six times per story while I'm drafting.

I might think I know, but it usually changes along the way …

I have an idea of where I'm going, but the end shifts and often surprises me. The girls in the basement have me on a very limited "need to know" program.

The characters tend to take me in detours I didn’t expect.

 I know “an” ending when I begin. I need that bracket, but it morphs during the process.

Although I have an idea of how I want it all to work out, I’m willing to let the characters lead me and help me find the story (and the ending).

I always have an ending in mind before I begin, though I may change my original plans.

I typically have the whole story in my head, including the ending, before I begin plotting. However, the darn characters often have different ideas, and the ending surprises me. If after finishing that last line and I lean back in my chair and say “WOW,” I figure it’s the right ending for the story.

I usually know the ending somewhere around the middle, although I suspect I always knew it and didn’t tell myself earlier

Readers, of course, have no idea about any of this! What they see is the final product. Of the fifty-two readers who responded to my question about the kind of endings they liked, many noted that it depended on their mood and the kind of book they were reading, since the ending needed to “feel right” for the plot and style of the book. 

Tastes vary, so there was no consensus on the “best” kind of ending. Two elements seemed to stand out the most, though: everything-tied-up versus open-ended, and surprise versus inevitability.

“Everything resolved” or open-ended?

For every person who liked a book that ties up all the loose ends, there was another who disliked stories with everything neatly tied-up, because that’s not how life works.

No loose ends please.

I definitely do not like a vague, open ending, as though the author had no clue how to end his/her book!

I don't like a book with a tied-up ending. It seems too predictable to me. Vague endings give me more to think about.

I prefer an ending that doesn't tie everything up too neatly. I like when an ending makes me think, and makes me imagine what happens to the characters after the last page.

To twist or not to twist?

Many loved a twist ending, something they didn’t see coming, though others didn’t. 

"Twists" are okay, provided they aren't way out of line with the characters and their actions as portrayed earlier in the storyline.

I love the feeling of: "Wow, I so didn't see that coming!"

I like an ending that feels like the inevitable conclusion to the story, yet is surprising, which I know is hard to pull off! An ambiguous ending can be wonderful, if skillfully handled. I don’t care much for twist endings—they always feel like a cheap trick, unless done just masterfully. I haven’t read many twists that were.

Give me something completely "out of the blue" and unexpected!

It depends upon how much "sense" the ending makes.  But don't just throw in a totally unexpected ending—it doesn't work for me.

So what do we make of all this?  

Two tentative conclusions:

First, most of us writers seem to have an idea where we’re headed with a story, but it can’t be rigid. Even the most devoted plotters leave room for the unforeseen. There’s no simple answer to my original question—Who’s in charge, author or characters?

Second, your story’s ending will, inevitably, please some readers but not others. What seems to matter most is that the ending has to suit the story.

What about you?

At what point do you know how your story will end? Are you sometimes surprised? Do you like to read the same kind of endings that you like to write?

About Barbara

BARBARA LINN PROBST is a writer of both fiction and non-fiction, living on a historic dirt road in New York’s Hudson Valley. Her debut novel QUEEN OF THE OWLS (April 2020) is the powerful story of a woman’s search for wholeness, framed around the art and life of iconic American painter Georgia O’Keeffe. QUEEN OF THE OWLS was selected as one of the twenty most anticipated books of the year by Working Mother, a debut novel “too good to ignore” by Bustle, was featured in places like Pop Sugar, Entertainment Weekly, Parade Magazine, and Ms. Magazine. It also won the bronze medal for popular fiction from the Independent Publishers Association, placed first runner-up in general fiction for the Eric Hoffer Award, and was short-listed for the $2500 Grand Prize. Barbara’s second book, THE SOUND BETWEEN THE NOTES, launched April 2021.

Top Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

By Kris Maze

Writers could all use a healthy dose of focus and productivity and you can look anywhere and see a recommendation for Meditation. From your dentist's office to various phone apps, the benefits of meditation are promoted, lifted high on the pedestal of Zen, promising peace and a better life.

But even though I wanted to try the practice, I questioned what qualified as meditation and wondered which experts supported the recommendations.

What value could I expect as a writer if I invested the time to incorporate it into my routine?

I’m Afraid I’m Doing it Wrong!

My first barrier was an irrational worry that calming my mind would somehow make my mental focus worse. It's an unlikely scenario, but I worried.

I see meditation as a tool in the "writer's wellness toolbox." It is an avenue to tap into flow, to diagnosis what distracts you from writing, and to stay more physically fit. Meditation comes in several forms, but they all have an inner calm and focus as their primary goal.

The Mayo Clinic supports meditation as a health activity (which of course means, check with your doctor first!) There are several types of meditation, which I'll describe for you, dear writer, and samples for you to try with your own pens if you dare.

Meditation is considered a type of mind-body complementary medicine. Meditation can produce a deep state of relaxation and a tranquil mind.

-Mayo Clinic

Guided Meditation

The one is most used when listening to a guide describe mental pictures that you find relaxing. Listening to prerecorded stories with soothing voices, or any quiet listening you do that conjures up positive images of places or situations that relax you, can be considered a guided meditation.

Writing Themed Mediations are readily available and easy to queue up on YouTube. Try these examples:

• Meditation for Writers: Meet Your Muse
• Meditation for Writers: See Your Setting
• Writing Meditation for NaNoWriMo
• “You Are A Writer”

Mindfulness Meditation

Writers have an advantage when it comes to mindfulness. It is kind of our superpower. This term refers to being aware of one’s surroundings, and then accepting them. 

As writers, we play close attention to our five senses, taking notes on the smells and sounds around us, and noting what our characters might hear and see in our manuscript settings. Mindfulness often comes to writers as easily as breathing, which is also a component of this method.  So, what do we have to lose? If people-watching were an Olympic sport, writers would bring home those precious medals.

To meditate with mindfulness, you can begin with focusing on your breath. Let your mind wander a little and examine your thoughts and emotions. Identify how you are feeling and what you are thinking and avoid passing judgement. That is how to be mindful. To be aware and accepting of your writer self.

If you want a practical way to practice mindfulness, try this process championed by mindfulness expert, Tara Brach. Use the acronym "RAIN" (see below) to identify how you are feeling, to unroot to the underlying distractions, and to move into acceptance.

Recognize what is happening;

Allow the experience to be there, just as it is;

Investigate with interest and care;

Nurture with self-compassion.

Use your writing skills to find out what is taking your focus away from your writing.

Mantra Meditation

In this type of meditation, you choose a word or phrase, something reflecting the mood or idea you want to capture, and you repeat it quietly. Focusing only on the word will block out distractions and direct your thoughts to what you want. For me, that's more words on the page.

[If nothing else, repeating a word several times may make you smile and put you in a better mood!]

My daughter uses this method, but plays with the audio aspect of words. (She takes after her writer mommy!) Once, as a four-year-old, she repeated the phrase “Scotch Tape” in various inflections and voice alterations. After I stopped giggling and figured out she would not stop, I asked why she kept saying the office supply over and over. Her simplistic answer was she “just liked the way it sounds.” She then informed me: “My other favorite word is Napkin.” We spent the rest of the car ride home listening to, “Nap-kin. Nap… Kin. Napkin.”

It doesn’t matter what words you pick, as long as it helps you focus and relax your mind. If words and their sounds are your jam, this meditation could be your perfect Zen writer practice.

This video, Deepak Chopra's Go-To 3-Minute Meditation To Stay Focused, combines a mantra (your name) and a Guided meditation to envision happy childhood moments. At three minutes' length, it’s a quick way to try meditation.

Yoga, Tai chi, and Qi Gong

These three meditative practices use physical movement to incorporate your body and to calm your mind. Writers tend to be sedentary, spending focused hours at their laptops or notepads, and this one is my favorite.

The benefits of calming yoga or repetitive Tai Chi (TIE-CHEE) and Qi Gong (CHEE-gung) can bring energy to your writing. They also help you avoid injuries with tight back muscles and strained necks. Not everyone can do these exercises though, so please follow your doctor’s guidelines to use these practices.

One online yoga instructor, Adriene Mishler, gained a tremendous following (nearly 10 million subscribers) during the pandemic. Her audience grew as she brought peaceful thoughts and fitness to homebound audiences when our outside options were few. I personally enjoy her quirky humor and insistence to “find what feels good.” Doing one of her short yoga sessions, I never feel overtaxed. Instead, I have more strength and energy for writing.

Here is her yoga video specifically for writers.

My takeaway

Learning the multiple ways to experience Meditation made me realize I am practicing it in my own writing life.

When I get up to do yoga in the morning and spend an extra five minutes sitting with my eyes closed, my mind is free to wander and settle. As I start my active workout, I smell my coffee brewing as a reward for my follow through on a basic yoga session.

[I also accept that some days I am better served by taking an extra half hour to sleep and give myself permission to hit the snooze bar.]

When I take a two-minute guided stretch break at the beginning of classes I teach or do a breathing exercise before a tough task on the computer, I am honoring my body. I’m giving my writer mind a chance to reboot.

When I scribble in my personal journal, or reflect on my faith with a quiet moment, I am being mindful of my thoughts and feelings. I carefully step away from negative talk and take time to identify and address any stressors that can make my mind disrupted or jumbled.

Most important, as I practice that worry that "I'm doing it all wrong" is starting to flow away. 

Do you use any of the meditations mentioned?  Do you have other resources, author videos, or fun outlets that give your mind a break?

About Kris

Kris Maze is an author, freelance writer, and teacher. She enjoys writing twisty, speculative fiction with character-driven plots. After years of reading classic literature, mysteries, and thrillers, she began to write and publish her own books. She also writes for various publications including a regular post at the award-winning Writers in the  Storm Blog. 

When she isn’t spending time with her favorite people and pets, Kris Maze is taking pictures, hiking, or pondering the wisdom of Bob Ross. You can follow her author journey at her website at KrisMazeAuthor.com.

Photo credits:

• Be creative: Image by Fathromi Ramdlon from Pixabay
• Writing Desk: Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

By Ellen Buikema

Returning to the United States after more than two years of wandering through Mexico was a great joy, even in pandemic times. Living once again in a country where I had a good grasp of the language and general culture provided a relief I didn’t anticipate. I discovered that the life of a gypsy is not good for me. I needed a home base more than I knew.

Within a month of our return, my hubby discovered that he’d require back surgery to alleviate a “strangled” sciatic nerve, followed by a dental emergency for me. Next came a race to obtain the plethora of documents required by the state to be worthy of a driver’s license before my birthday, which approached with lightning speed. And, we needed to find a permanent place to live.

I couldn’t think beyond what felt like moment-to-moment emergencies. I was pretty much flailing at the end of this whirlwind.

Grasping for prose and finding nothing but critters

I turned to writing to sort myself out, plunking down in front of my PC, and attempting to focus on what to write next. Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement. A jumping spider appeared to have taken up residence on top of my workspace while I’d ignored my computer for several consecutive days.

 Another, slightly larger jumping spider scurried around the other side of my PC. We regarded each other. It pumped two front legs up and down. I blew a bit of air in the spider’s direction. It hurried away. The smaller spider on the other side of my computer repeated the stare-off and leg-pumping maneuver.

They won that round.

I left the workspace to them for a while. Besides, I was too distressed to write. Either my muse had forsaken me or I needed to do something about my stress level and find my creative flow.

Note to self: Raise moving higher on the priority list!

Meanwhile, I focused on breathing and really examined this stress roadblock. My research turned up some interesting information.

Not all stress is felt equally.

Negative stress

Negative stressors wall off your creative mind, allowing fear and stress to smite the ability to be creative.

Common effects of negative stress on mood are:

• Feeling overwhelmed
• Restlessness
• Lack of motivation
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Sadness

I was saddled with all six! It was time to find a way out of this quagmire.

Reaching for control

While stuck in a difficult situation, finding activities that provide control helps people cope. Everyone needs to feel some sense of control.

Finding control through creative cookery

Baking is aces for stress relief, and it provides an inexpensive reward. We can control what we make. During quarantine many people, myself included, devoted time and energy to creative cooking and/or therapy baking, like the sourdough craze.

I became adept at making vegetarian curry dishes.

Other ways to stop the stress tailspin

1. Slow the heart rate using four-square breathing. Inhale through the nose to the count of four, hold to the count of four, exhale through the mouth to the count of four, hold to the count of four. Repeat as necessary.
2. Get enough sleep. You know you’re not getting enough sleep if your mood is negatively affected. You may not think there is enough time in the day to get everything done, but sleep deprivation makes the brain wonky. (I've found meditation can help bridge the sleep gap.)
3. Schedule some relaxation time. Dance, watch something fun, call a friend, book a massage, read a good book, listen to music.
4. Learn to say "no." Or at least say, “Let me get back to you on that. It sounds intriguing.”

Beneficial stress may jump-start your creativity

Positive stress helps with:

• Developing and transforming ideas
• Generating alternative possibilities to solve problems
• Executing those ideas to transform dreams into reality
• Redirecting and focusing the mind and keep from overthinking

Three different kinds of positive stress and their connection to creativity

1. Task-Switching Stress

Recent studies show that frequently changing gears causes a different view of a task. This rearranges the thought process, nurturing creativity, avoiding the rigid thinking that happens when you focus too long on the same thing.

Changing the subject refreshes your view, and it's a great cure for writers’ block.

2. Meaningful Stress

Two stress conditions known to nurture creativity are “on an expedition” where work is low-pressure but highly meaningful, and “on a mission” with high-pressure, high-meaning work.

When people achieve meaningful goals, they feel good and are inspired to carry on. Perception of the stress people are under determines the relationship between stress and creativity.

If you can set or follow goals that have meaning, that positive stress may help you see a novel answer.

3. Deadline Stress

Small doses of stress like multi-tasking projects or having tight deadlines, sometimes produce great ideas because they spark the brain to power through to specific goals.

Some people thrive on this one, procrastinating until there is little time left. A time-sensitive environment can force focus and wall off any distractions.

If you can’t find enough time in the day, try these suggestions from Entrepreneur.com: 5 Ways to Carve Out More Creative Time for Yourself. 

Now it's your turn. Which type of stress helps you in your work? Do you think that the right stress can bring out the best in us? Please share your stress tips with us down in the comments!

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About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents and a series of chapter books for children with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works In Progress are, The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and Crystal Memories, YA fantasy.

Find her at http://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon.

Top Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay