I was just looking again at my brother's website, and noticed this, which made me laugh because it's so clever. He's right, The longest sentence is sometimes the least important. It reminds me of how often when I was starting out writing, I'd really really ram home the point in the last paragraph, just to make sure even the dumbest reader knew what I was on about. Of course, it spoilt the whole story. And, still flicking through Lorrie Moore's Self Help, I see she ends perfectly on very short sentences: Ask for a 7-up. Or: You always, always, say: 'Fine'. And even (and I love this one): One of those endings. It leaves the reader just where they should be - back in their imagination.
And my writing prompt for today is: a story that ends with a one-word one-syllable sentence. FINE will do nicely. Right.
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4 comments:
That's very good advice, I shall have to take it, and leave you with thanks!
I tend to try to drive the point down to a molecule... oftentimes resulting in a blank or annnoyed stare.
Oops.
Scarlett & Viaggiatore
Nice.
The word "fine," haunts me. I shall rise to your challenge, and see if I can put it in its proper place. Thanks for the idea.
How did it go, Leigh? Like ALex's comment?!
Yes Scarlett - me too.
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