Finding Your Ending

Finding the right ending for your story might be the most difficult part of the writing process — we need to thread the needle with theme, magic, metaphor, and character, all without being too preachy or heavy-handed. In this class, we'll look behind the curtain of great story endings and adapt what we learn to our own endings. We'll work on fitting resonant images and powerful character choices into story endings — all while balancing the bitter and the sweet. We will read examples of great stories and discuss what makes them great (readings may include works by Alice Munro, ZZ Packer, Toni Morrison, Richard Ford, James Joyce, Sandra Cisneros, and others). We will engage in practical exercises to revise our own endings.

Students will come away from the class with a new ending for their story or novel drafted.

Class Format

This class will take place using Zoom videoconferencing. About 15 minutes before your class is scheduled to begin, you'll receive an email from your instructor with a link to join the class meeting!

Scholarship Information

Thanks to the excellent literary citizenship of our donors, scholarships are available for all GrubStreet classes. To apply, click the gray "APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIP" button. In order to be considered for a scholarship, you must complete your application at least one week before the start date of a class. Please await our scholarship committee's decision before registering for the class. We cannot hold spots in classes, so the sooner you apply, the better. Scholarships cannot be applied retroactively.

For more detailed information about GrubStreet scholarships, including how to contribute to scholarship funds for other students, click here.