There was a man who had two sons.
—Luke 15:11
The novel drew me in with a captivating beginning and continued with a riveting story. As I turned the pages, my curiosity heightened: “How will it end?”
The ending was a letdown. Exciting beginning, disappointing ending.
The ending of Jesus’ story of the Prodigal Son is left hanging in a way. At casual reading, the younger son turned out well, and the elder son badly.
But did they?
Did the younger son turn out as well as it seems—or did the lure of the far country eventually draw him back to his wayward ways? Did the elder son remain a sulky, self-centered crybaby, or did he later mature into a loving son and brother? We don’t know.
You’re writing the chapters between the beginning and the ending of your story. How will it end?
The most important thing is to end well.