Do you ever start writing a story without knowing the ending?

This is usually considered a "no-no" in the story workshops, but do you still do it?

I am guilty of doing it because sometimes I have an idea that keeps developing in my head so I start writing it but I don't have an ending. Then I usually dread the ending because I can't find it or decide how it ends.

It is usually a cliche that people who write stories dread about the first line (like in the movie "Throw Momma from the Train") but the beginnings are always easy while the real dread comes with endings. Some movies show that dread of endings, like the movie "Wonder Boys" (2000).

 

One should never not start a story because one does not know how it is going to end. All sorts of possibilities present themselves while you are writing.

The story I am working on right now began with three interesting characters. I did not know how these three characters were going to interact or what connections would form between them, but as I wrote, it fell into place, and I am quite pleased with the ending that materialized!

That said, I have also written stories that I do know how I want it to end before I begin. That works too!

 

All. The. Freaking. Time.

 

Yep, I do, especially if someone has just told me, "no-no."

 

Yes. But. You do need to figure out where your end will be eventually.

Think of it like a road trip. Planning your trip before you even go and just going are both valid ways to do it.

But you have to figure out when you're coming home sometime, and it tends to be a lot more satisfying doing it on your own terms instead of having to panhandle for gas money to get home.

 

Many writers from amateur to award winning professionals say they start writing without an ending in mind.

If you're in a writing workshop where they say you MUST having an ending in mind before you start writing... join a different workshop.

And to be clear, personally I am a writer who needs to know the ending before I start, but that is because that's how my writer's brain works, I also have to write via pen and paper before I type, and I need to listen to certain music... these are the things that work for me, that does not make them rules. And I would especially NEVER tell someone they MUST follow what works for me.

 

All the time. Usually an ending idea will present itself early in the draft phase.

I’ve submitted a few stories for contests where I wrote two endings and couldn’t decide until late into revisions which one was better.

 

Interesting question! For titles and first lines, they come easy to me and I rarely second-guess them. But endings are a bit of a mix.

I'd say that the majority of the time, I know how the story is ending. I like twists. Comes hand in hand. All about the buildup.
That's mostly for flash or the shorter kinda shorts. For longer shorts, and novels, yeah the ending definitely can change a bit as the characters flesh out and the plot moves around during the middle pages.

 

That is an interesting question. I do not yet have many finished stories under my belt, but I have been fascinated by the idea of creating characters or plot elements and then exploring their interactions to craft a narrative.

I recently watched a production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull, which I feel is somewhat related to this idea. The first act creates characters and presents the original relationships between them while the second act demonstrates the effect of time on those same characters and relationships. There was a clear and inevitable end and I found the story engaging, but it didn't feel like a traditional, linear narrative.

 

I've never heard of anyone saying you can't or shouldn't write a story without knowing the end. There are many, many writers known an pantsers which means they are making a story up as they write it. That's the way I write. And, honestly, I don't even worry about the end of a story while I'm writing it. The story will end, and I'll get there when I get there.

 

I do a lot. Especially short stories. But even my longer stuff I think I know the ending but by the time I get there I am surprised by that too

 

all the time. i still dont know the ending for my WIP and i'm literally AT THE END now.
(i'm writing like 5 possible endings to see what fits...)

most times, i dont even know the beginning either. i just start writing....

 

Here's the thing—even if you come up with an ending, it's only a projected ending. You don't know the story in detail yet until you write it, and there's no telling what twists and turns it might take. So even when I do come up with an ending, it's just an early game plan. Then as I'm writing, the whole story, including the ending, is developing and growing into who-knows-what.

And then when you do write all the way to the end and discover what exactly it is, there will be revisions and re-writes and anything can still change, in some cases drastically. So whatever ending you come up with early in the process is at best a guess. At this point you don't really know your characters and situations very well, they're all early draft ideas and will be changing as they develop.

 

I was going to say something similar to Xoic.

Typically, I have a planned ending or a planned plot when I start writing, but my brain goes haywire at times and starts writing something totally different. For one I'm currently writing I had thought up a scene that led to me beginning the work and I've yet to write that scene, but the work is almost 100,000 words. The scene I thought would be pivotal will now be only at most a couple-page flashback. Though probably after writing about 25,000 words, I did write the ending and everything else will lead to there.

To summarize, I think one should have an idea of where they want to go when they start but don't be afraid to take a bunch of detours or even run it off the cliff I needed.

 

My current WIP, had and ending idea in the outline. The hero unwittingly helps thr bad guy escape justice. That lets me set up the third book in the series, and gives me a direction to write in, while leaving the ending open enough for creativity to get me there.

 

I am feeling personally attacked by this post...

 

I always have the general idea of the ending of a story before I start writing it. And then it changes mid-writing. Happens all the time.

Not having a general idea on how your story is going to end is dangerous, IMO. Not knowing the exact way it's going to end is common. There's a difference.

 

Dangerous is a funny turn to use. What's the real danger in not knowing how a story ends? I never even try to think about an ending while writing. I'll enjoy the story along the way and I always seem to figure out the ending when I get there. I know a lot of writers work differently, but I just don't see the danger in 100% pantsing a story. Personally, I feel like if I did know the ending or even had some loose idea of an ending, I might miss out on the adventure of writing a story. But that's just how I work and what works for me.

 

That's a lot of words to justify your personal writing style. I had to make sure I did put IMO there.

I guess I draw heavily from my daily life. Living with a constant self-imposed strict sets of goals to achieve helps me organize what I do every day. That more or less shaped how I view writing too; just another project to complete, albeit a fun and creative one. And no project is worth doing if you don't know what you'll get out of it in the end. Simply my personal way of life.

I can't explain to you well enough about what kind of danger there would be from starting a story without knowing the general idea of how it ends, especially since it seems you don't relate to my views. Let's just say it's a mix of a metaphorical and real danger, and if you don't feel it then you just don't get it.

 

I want to re-iterate as I work on a story today - yes! Start your story even if you don't know where it's going. As you write, one thought sparks another. It's like self-rising dough. It's really kind of amazing.

 

For a short story, I always know the ending before I start.

For anything longer, the most writing I'll do before knowing the end is sandbox mood and character testing. You could call that 'starting.' I refuse to pass the 10k word mark without having at least a rough idea of the ending though, and most beats leading to it. If I don't plan I fail (and it's apparently dangerous!)

 

Very rarely. I find it very hard to start moving when I don't know where I'm going.

That's just me, though. Plenty of people are happy to just wander and see what happens.