Are you trying to find the perfect ending to your novel?

Does your novel seem to fall apart the closer you get to the end?

Wrapping up a novel in an artful, satisfying way can sometimes feel like a near impossible task. If you’re a writer struggling with an almost-finished novel draft—or a draft with an imperfect ending—you’re not alone. How do you highlight your protagonist’s emotional evolution while simultaneously tying up multiple plot threads and resolving conflicts between characters? It’s a lot to juggle.

In this class, participants will examine what makes an ending meaningful and resonant, how to achieve a balance of “surprising, yet inevitable,” and how to avoid sentimental or overly precious endings. No matter your genre, this class is an excellent choice for any writer confronting the challenge of finishing a novel. Particular focus will be given to techniques to make the ending of the novel echo the beginning and come “full circle” and also how NOT to end a novel.

TAKE THIS CLASS IF

• You’ve written multiple drafts of a novel without finding the right ending.
• You want help tying up all the loose ends in your book.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Sara Kocek is the author of Promise Me Something and the founder of Yellow Bird Editors, an Austin-based collective of independent editors and writing coaches. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from New York University, where she taught fiction and poetry to undergraduates and worked as a full-time editorial intern at Random House and Penguin. Prior to pursuing her MFA, Sara graduated with a B.A. in English from Yale University, where she worked as Writing Fellow, tutoring undergraduate and graduate students in academic and creative writing.