Do you write those famous words at the end of your masterpieces? Do you use some of the lesser known forms such as as "Fini" or "Finis"? Why or why not?

I always use "The End" simply because that's what I think goes at the end of a book and if you don't put it there it seems like you're trying for a sequel.
Also I never use any of the other forms as they are too "fancy" for my style of stories and (a more minor reason) it seems people that think they're clever always use them.

Depends on the novel I'm writing, the style, the subject and the genre. In a historical fiction novel I would match the conclusion with the culture, or not have a finishing phrase at all. In fantasy, I'd fluctuate between 'fini', 'finis' and 'the end', matching the phrase to the protagonist. For a protagonist well-versed in many cultures, sophisticated and accomplished, I'd end with one of the more fancy terms. For a more down to earth protagonist I'd simply end with 'the end'. I'll also vary the font of those famous closing words with the protagonist as well.

I do on my first drafts, simply so I know that I'm finished.

If it's like the first book of a series, I put TO BE CONTINUED.... or something along the lines of that.
I think I'd only put FIN at the end of a book if the setting of the book is in France or Paris or has something to do with France (maybe if they were cooks of a french/Italian restaurant that doesn't have to be in France).
If it's just one book by itself I'd put just THE END or END.

I would like to be all smart and educated and ooh and aaah at that, but I think I'd prefer to be enlightened and ask you to expound, because while I understand why you would put "The Beginning" at the end in an abstract sense, I would love to hear you elaborate.

I guess I tend to put "The End" when I finish a long story just because it makes me feel like I accomplished something. I honestly don't think I'd care much whether or not those words stay in the book if/when it's published. I haven't ever considered using "fin" or "finis," though maybe I should. I kind of like "Fin."

I also like the idea of "The Beginning," because I appreciate the implication that the characters have the rest of their lives ahead of them, that whether or not I read anything else about them, they continue to exist in a certain way and have adventures, and that the book wasn't the sum total of their existence. I dunno, maybe that's just me being weird.

*agrees w/Lea*

I love seeing "the beginning" at the end of a well-written book. Because I've come to love the book and I'm always a little sad that it's over, so having "the beginning" at the end, kinda helps with that. I say "well-written" though, because if there is anything I do NOT want to see at the end of a bad book, it's "this is just the beginning". *groan*

I would probably never use it in my stories though just cause I'm not good enough to pull it off! Plus, most of my characters die...so having "the beginning" wouldn't make a lot of sense since...well, they're dead, and won't be doing much anymore.

Actually...maybe a good way to end my stories would be, "We're done now." Or, "Move along, nothing more to see here." *chuckles*

I like that one. ^

I've never even considered using anything but "The End". But I agree with Lea... I could care less whether or not that's in the published version; it just gives me a sense of accomplishment to be able to write that.

I never even thought of writing 'the end' at the end of my novels. * thoughtful * They never really ended. The last words of my last one were "Come on!" The book may have ended, but the people didn't.

In a novel I wrote last year, my characters spent the majority of the novel planning and producing a short film. While I usually end my books with "The End," for this movie-themed book I ended with "Fade to Black," which is a way to signify the end of a scene in a movie script.

Oh, that's clever. I like that.

Does anyone have any opinions on the merits of "The End" over nothing at the end of any given book?

I really like that too, Xander!

In my mind when people put "The End" it seems like they aren't trying for a sequel which I always like.

I only seem to write short stories at this point, but I don't like ending them with "The End." It's generally my goal to finish off my stories with some closing line that has an end-ish feel to it, but is thought-provoking at the same, as if, something for the reader to specifically carry away with them. To end with "The End" feels like it cuts this off, in a way.

Not sure if that makes sense. I can attempt a better explanation if I leave you confused.

I think I know what you mean, Nicole. I do the same thing.

I don't think I'd ever put 'The End' at the end of anything I write. I'm not sure I really see the point in it, since it's quite clearly the end, anyway, but I do at least sort of understand people putting it there. Although I think most the books I read don't have a 'The End', but maybe I just don't pay any attention to it.

I don't think it's used much anymore.

I have never written a stand-alone novel, so I don't end my books with "The End" unless it's actually the last in the series. Personally, I'm a fan of concluding with The End. Besides giving a sense of finality, it's the author's way of telling you that the magnificent journey you have been on is finished, sort of like when you come home from a vacation and it's back to reality.

I hadn't considered using anything else, but some of those suggestions are neat.

I certainly understand your point, Tarin! Though, it also happens to be exactly the reason I don't use "The End" at the end of my writing. I don't exactly want my stories to have that sense of finality and finished-ness. Somehow, I hope that point or reason behind the story continues into reality and doesn't feel like the end of the journey...

Anyways, that's just me. I think it's cool when people use "The End", too.

Similarly, H. Beam Piper's Four Day Planet, narrated by a "cub reporter," ends with a "handwritten" "-30-".

I like interesting variations:
"We're done now"
"-30-"
"Fade to Black"

Some ideas I thought of:
There it is
What would You do?
This will not be Continued
(Though that last one would probably be rather cruel to people who do not like to see a good book end.)

What about the signature of the author, like at the end of a signed letter?

FIN (probably pronounced "feen") is at the end of the Spanish Bible, and FINIS at the end of the 1611 King James Version.

My novelette that's (until I think of a better title) still titled "A Murder, a Mystery, and a Marriage" (written for an English assignment after reading the then-recently-discovered Mark Twain story of the same name) ended with the signature of the narrator. (The only requirements, other than a maximum length, were that I include the elements of a murder, a mystery, and a wedding, so I tried to make the identity of the narrator a slowly-hinted-at mystery.)


I've seen both of those used at the end of fan-fiction stories.

Now THERE are some cool ideas. I like the idea of an author signature, but my favorite one was the first: "We're done now."

Another interesting way would be to have a story like the one in the Chamber of Mazarbul ("They are coming...") and have it end in the middle with a dried spray of blood on the page.

Interesting, yes, but I like happy endings too much to want to try that one.

That story better have a sequel to end that way...

I will sometimes end my short stories with 'finis' in the first draft, but they always seem to vanish when I revise it... I haven't ended any of my longer novels with any 'end word' though...