Story Endings

How do you end a brilliant story?
What if your plot is very complicated? How do you ensure the reader has understood it all and give a satisfying conclusion at the same time?

I like to end with "Into the Sunset" moments ^.^'

Alright, there are two ways I like a story to end.
First, which I consider a "happy ending".
So yeah i know "The main char got the couple of his dreams, they married and lived happy for ever after" is a happy ending but it somehow just doesn't work for me. A happy ending that would make me applause is something VERY simple but at same time ending-worth.
Like if all story was about war and then the main char goes home after war and meets his friend which is an old man. The old man would ask when is the next duty for main char, and main char would answer with cool mood: "Nobody knows, old man... nobody knows." and nothing else.

Second, a sad ending.
Of course, death of main character and then the story stops with nothing else after that (Like showing how people feel without the main char, I wouldn't write that)

Hmm, having a sad ending just stopping with the maim character's death would be very hard to pull off. It would have to be done to near perfection to make the whole book woth it. I mean, just ending with "he died" wins no awards does it? XD

Yeah, I know there are a lot of books that end like your first example. I forgot the name of one though :/

It's just that after you show what happens after character's death, it just... doesn't seem as sad as it would be when you end with only the death. At least in my opinion.

Example to the SIMPLE ending - The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4

Ah yes, it was something like Adrian Mole!

Why doesn't it seem as sad to you when life after the main character dies is explained?

I think you guys are missing option number 3: the cliffhanger ending. When something shocking/mysterious/wrong happens at the very end and then the book ends ~ the reader has no idea if there'll be a sequel but they know that everything isn't quite as sad/happily-ever-after as it first appeared. These endings let the reader imagine a continuation if they wanted.

And Lost, it's not as sad because it ruins the effect. If everything end with the main chars death then it's shocking. If everything ends, and then you see that everything hasn't actually ended and life still carries on, it's less shocking and depressing. At least, that's my opinion.

Well it's not really less shocking/sad because the people may end up reminiscizing about what life was like with that person. And that's sad.

I guess it depends on how it's written ~ if it's written well it can make it sadder, but sometimes it can have the opposite effect

LostLegend wrote:

Well it's not really less shocking/sad because the people may end up reminiscizing about what life was like with that person. And that's sad.

Why do we need to reminicise about what was the life with the main character? We have already read the whole book and, if the book is good the reader will remember everything anyways.
So far none of endings that are "He died and the rest people were like..." made me feel sorrow, while all "he died" endings were sad

Hm, all right. What about endings that aren't sad? How so you make a happy ending?

I don't end anything in "happily ever afters" I set them up in ways that may be considered hopeful. That way it makes since that there'd be a sequel.