LUCY BURDETTE: First things first, I have a bit of news. Key West food critic mystery #14 now has a title: A POISONOUS PALATE. I was calling it The Mangrove Murder as I wrote, but I think APP makes more sense both because of the story and the food theme. I’ll be able to share the cover soon. I was hoping they’d include a Key deer, but the team decided it would be too busy—so I’m including the deer right here!
Now on to today’s topic…have you ever noticed while reading a good book, maybe especially a mystery, that the pace picks up at the end, as though the author just wanted to wrap things up and get it sent off to the publisher? When you finish what otherwise was an excellent book, you are left shaking your head and saying, wait, what just happened here?? This is one of my husband's pet peeves, and I have grown more sensitive to it as well, both in my books and in books written by my peers. (Yes, I know I talked about nailing endings two months ago, but it’s not that easy and I’m a slow learner!)
So this is how I’ve spent the last week, trying to make sure that my 14th food critic mystery makes sense all the way to the final chapter. My struggle demonstrates the value of a talented editor. The editor hired by Crooked Lane to work on my books is Sandy Harding, who I was lucky enough to have edit almost all of the earlier books in the series. So she understands the characters and applauds their growth, but she also doesn’t let me get away with waving my hands at a problem and hoping the readers will buy it. If the editor or early readers don’t understand the murderer’s motive or can’t picture exactly what happened leading up to that point, I have a problem! This is not a screenshot of the ending, because I didn’t want to give anything away—but I did want to show you what the comments are like:
Do you have pet peeves about endings? How much wrapping up of details do you like to see?
Thank you for the deer!
ReplyDeletePet peeves about endings? Only when the author simply tosses something into the story that has never been previously mentioned . . . it feels a bit disingenuous; I find myself wishing that tidbit had shown up somewhere earlier in the story rather than having it suddenly appear at the final moment just so the mystery can be solved.
I do enjoy having things wrapped up nicely [and so I am not a fan of cliffhangers] . . . I want it all to make sense to me and not leave me with unanswered questions . . . .
I had one of those endings in a draft many years ago. The editor wrote how convincing the killer was EXCEPT she didn't remember seeing him before in the book! I fixed that!
DeleteI enjoyed looking at your editor notes, and I'm looking forward to the Hemingway connection. I have read books that seem rushed at the end, like someone has told the author to be sure and include this and this and this, and you have ten minutes to do it. I do like everything resolved by the end though.
ReplyDeleteI think it's usually that time and patience have worn out for the author! In my mind, even the greatest writers can use a good editor to point these things out while there's still a chance to fix!
DeleteI like to have things wrapped up. It's a mystery - I shouldn't have to guess at what was going on for anything. It frustrates me when I can guess what was happening with an aspect of the plot, but I don't know for sure.
ReplyDeleteAnd, I agree with your husband that the rush to end things frustrates me. Especially if the pace was slow at the beginning.
Good point, if it's a mystery, there shouldn't be too much mystery! Unless it's a cliffhanger, which I won't do...
DeleteI don't like rushed endings, either. In fact, I met with a book group yesterday that I recently joined, and we were discussing that very thing. I won't mention the book or author (but it was not a mystery, and she's a famous writer), but we all loved the writing and the story as it was unfolding, and then everything got tied up too neatly at the end and in a different tone. It was almost as if the author had a deadline to meet and just crammed the ending together. I don't like long, strung-out endings, either, but I do like to have all the major plot points dealt with and in a way that is in the vein of the story itself.
ReplyDeletethat sounds like the perfect arrangement Elizabeth.
DeleteI wouldn't say that I am watching for that type of problem with an ending, but there are times when you can't help but notice it. Sometimes, there are many different aspects to the plot and questions out there at the end of the story, that the author is pressed to answer. That is no excuse for cramming it all into the last few pages.
ReplyDeleteA couple years ago, a new author with a highly touted spy story, wrapped all his hanging storylines together by bringing in an "explainer." This minor character had all the answers and tied up the whole mess. Most unsatisfactory. Is that what John is talking about?
I think he's talking about cramming everything that's unsolved into the last few pages. I noticed this in a book by one of my favorite writers--I was left very puzzled by who committed the murder.
DeleteLUCY: I like the APP title and am looking forward to seeing the book cover!
ReplyDeleteAs for rushed endings, yes I see that happen. Sometimes an author tries to resolve the mystery/crimes & crams in too much at the end. In other books, the action speeds up (a lot) as we head towards a thrilling conclusion. Both can be unsatisfying to read.
I'm glad you have Sandy again as an editor. She makes valid points in your example. A good copy editor is also essential. I do wonder what happened when I see glaring errors in the final product. Many different set of eyes had looked through the manuscript. So how do such mistakes slip through?
it's surprising that mistakes happen. With my publisher, I get 3 chances to read the book after sending the draft in. But by that point, it may be hard to recognize mistakes because my brain sees what I meant to say, not what I did say! Copyeditors are crucial!
DeleteHmmm, I do get it that you, as the author, have read the manuscript so many times that you may see what you intended to say instead to what is there.
DeleteSince I mostly read ARCs, I give a wide latitude to obvious errors. But when the finished book has character names change within the book, multiple grammatical mistakes, or logical plot errors, I do wonder what happened!
Spelling errors and grammatical errors, stop my brain from processing the book. That is first and foremost why a good editor is needed in my opinion. The good part of audiobooks is that you don't see these, although the timbre of the reader may be a not-necessarily good diversion.
DeleteMARGO: I am definitely listening to more audiobooks, and the choice of narrator can make (or ruin) the story for me. I have been listening to several mystery series and they change the narrator half-way through the series. I am often thrown off by the "new" voices in a series that I know well.
DeleteI prefer The Mangrove Murder over The Poisonous Palate. PP sounds like someone who has bad or poisonous taste buds. The MM psychologically puts me in a place that sounds mysterious and intriguing.
DeleteI may have preferred Mangrove too, but the team has spoken!
DeleteI like the title The Mangrove Murder a lot. It gives a hint to the south Florida setting. The other title is a difficult illiteration and puts me in mind of something that tastes really bad on the palate.
DeleteNaming names again, GRACE, but if you listen to the Louise Penny books as we have done for all of them, Ralph Cosham, who was the first reader was the epitome to us of the best reader of her books. Unfortunately he died, and Robert Bathhurst was chosen to read the rest of the series, so far. He is getting better, or we are getting used to him, but what was at first so irritating was that he could not pronounce French words - 'toque', or understood how to say 'CSIS'. Canadian things, I know, but the reader of the book should become acquainted with the language of the author.
DeleteI'm with John, that is one of my pet peeves, as well, and editors have let some mighty famous authors get away with it. Very unsatisfying for me, as the reader.
ReplyDeleteA Poisonous Palate is a great title! I feel certain you, Roberta, would never rush an ending.
So there was no room for the Key deer on the cover? But will there be a cat?
Are the Key deer as voracious as their northern cousins? My wildlife photog husband says that animals generally get smaller the further south they live (weird factoid, right?), and they are a perfect example of that.
thanks for the title love. It was one of the options I sent in, but I still was surprised when they chose it. Yes of course there will be Evinrude, but also--a turtle!
DeleteWhat a blessing a good hands-on editor can be. Glad you have one! Can't wait for the new installment.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a tricky thing, isn't it? Making sure everything is revealed BY the end but not all AT the end. I've never had a problem with you rushing things into the last chapter or two, so I'm sure you can do it.
Yes it is tricky Edith! Hopefully by the time the book has gone through all the editing, problems with the end will be in the past.
DeleteEndings are HARD. (So are beginnings and middles, btw.) As a reader I hate when it feels like the author hit their contractual word count and seems to cut the story off by saying "and this happened then that happened. The End." I also cringe when a critique buddy, beta reader, or editor tells me the same thing.
ReplyDeleteLove the new title, Lucy!
thanks Annette, but better your critique partners than the world at large! Middles are the bane of my writing existence...
DeleteI don't like if I feel the ending is rushed or that I'm not clear on the killer's motive. If they have an epilogue, that explains everything, then that is okay. But sill, no rushed ending. Love the new title.
ReplyDeletethanks Dru! that would be a good topic for another blog--epilogues and prologues.
DeleteOh yes - that will be so interesting. As well there are notes from the author which might be explanations of the plot/setting/time frame/truth, but hopefully not that they have to explain the plot which was too convoluted or poorly written!
DeleteYes Margo, hopefully not!!
DeleteI have read a couple of books in recent months where it felt like the story was rushed along to its ending because last page in the book was fast approaching. That's kind of annoying because there was all this build up and then...whoops I'm running out of pages.
ReplyDeleteI want a good ending to wrap up what was a good story. Give me a wrap up that feels satisfying and maybe tease out something that's coming along in the next book if you feel so inclined. Just don't make me feel like I have literary whiplash with an ending that comes with my head against the windshield.
Yes, the forced quick ending is even worse if the author spends entire pages on needless descriptions or explanations.
DeleteIt's such a tricky balance, but I don't like literary whiplash either.
DeleteJust like everyone else so far, I hate it when the ending feels to me as if the author was beating a deadline. And the most appealing endings are those that surprise me, which becomes more difficult the more books I read.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I’m with Chekhov. If there’s a gun on the mantle, etc. So please keep red herrings to a minimum
Thanks in advance for entertaining me every day and keeping me in stacks of books.
Much love
thank you Ann, it is our pleasure. It does get harder to be surprised, doesn't it? I've just finished Love Marriage by Monica Ali and she surprised me all the way through.
DeleteCongrats! I have a problem with "send in the calvary" endings...a passerby happened to see/hear/smell something and summoned backup to save the day.
ReplyDeleteGood point Margaret, the protagonist should be involved!
DeleteOh, SO important!
DeleteI call those type of endings "And then they went home." The story is tripping right along, I'm invested, and then the landing ends with a thunk - and it feels like the author just got sick of the story or, like Annette said, hit the contractual word count and said, "I"m done."
ReplyDeleteI try very hard not to do that.
It's hard though, isn't it? This topic reminds me of the ending in Tootsie, when Dustin Hoffman is coming the stairs, ripping off his wig etc as he explains who he really is. I could watch that scene over and over!
DeleteYes, what a wonderful satire on that kind of scene! LOVE!
DeleteLucy, yes - especially if you've been frustrated for a while and are just wishing the book would end already! LOL
DeleteGoing back as I frequently do to Book Club – as you might realize, it is very animated and controversial – several of us hate the big red bow. These particularly turn up in non-mystery books where the love interest, even if it was a small part of the story, becomes the ending. Blecch – author you can do better than that!
ReplyDeleteAs for mysteries – where I mostly read cozies, and whatever I was told was Julia/Debs format and them not so much – I hate it when the bad guy turns up after the half-way mark. There is one author who does this so often that I now watch for it, because as soon as this character is introduced too late in the book for my liking, you know that is the one. The trouble is that I like her characters, so continue to read the series.
The other thing that is hard to understand is a series where the next book continues months/weeks/days after the previous book. Hunh - my brain can’t process that time lap. Time passes in real life, so it should pass in book life.
Am I obtuse in reading this essay in thinking that you don’t always get the same editor? What happens about continuity?
Then if I may name names (Elizabeth George whose books I love), there is the mystery wrap up such a long way from the end of the book, that it becomes lost in whatever else is happening. By the time you are sitting back to digest the plot, it becomes lost in the trimmings. Do you want the turkey, or just remember the gravy?
So much to comment on here! I am intrigued by the bad guy showing up halfway through. You are a careful reader! About editors, no we don't always get the same one--lots of turnover in the publishing business. That's why I feel so lucky. As to timing, we really don't want our characters to age as quickly as we do. Imagine--Hayley Snow would be almost 40 and Miss Gloria closing in on 90!
DeleteYes, the quick wrap up at the end is annoying, especially if parts of it are implausible. The author knew where he/she wanted to end up, but never figured out how to get the reader there.
ReplyDeleteExactly Brenda! Let me tell you from the author side, it's a shock when you realize that:).
DeleteFor awhile, especially when Murder She Wrote was popular on TV, writers would often have 4-5 people who were the possibly the killer. Then almost by formula the book would progress chapter by chapter as to why person x had a motive and how they would have carried out the murder. Then the next chapter would do the same for person y and so on. At the end of the book or tv show, it was like they randomly threw a dart at all the possible suspects and where it landed that would be the killer.
ReplyDeleteBecause they are called cozy mysteries I like to know that at the end the main character will resolve any issues with her significant other or that there will be hope that something between them will be good in the next book.
In one book in a series the killer was a little obvious from the start and the motive rather weak but this can be excused because the series characters are what I am really following; their lives, their friends, their story, etc.
A great ending was in the classic book Rebecca by duMaurier when they know the answer as to how and why Rebecca had died. It doesn't end there. The author talks about how the lives of the two main characters were forever changed over time.
Yes that describes a wonderful ending!
DeleteI have noticed that the writers from the past (well all writers pretty much) did not have two or three pages of thanks to everyone they've ever known or worked with. There was generally a dedication page. However, I have to say I do like the Acknowledgement page because you learn so much about the people in the writer's life.
ReplyDeleteI particularly liked the Acknowledgement page of a recent mystery book I just finished. He talked about he history of the castle, and that owners of this castle were real and how they had met, he talked about the plot and how it was loosely based on US, European relationships with Russia & China. He mentioned people in the book who had paid through a fund raiser to have their names as characters and how that process worked. It was almost as interesting as the book!
Writing the acknowledgements is fun and challenging. I put them at the end now in case there are spoilers. I always read them in other books too!
DeleteLucy, that’s interesting about the acknowledgement placement, as I seek them out to read before I begin the book! Can’t recall any spoiling the story. Elisabeth
DeleteLucy how much influence does a writer have over the direction of the story?
ReplyDelete.....meaning if an editor makes decisions that influence what the writer needs to put in or pull out of the story?
DeleteIn my case, I have most of the influence. Sandy makes suggestions and tells me where she thinks things could be filled out or made stronger, but it's always my decision. She's good at reminding me not to write too dark, too:)
DeleteLucy, you are so smart! I've never really thought about rushed endings even though I have definitely read them and probably written them. And to be perfectly honest, yes, there are times that I just want the bloody book to be over. Bravo to you for taking a step back and sticking your landings - I will be more aware as well now! Also, I love the Key deer :)
ReplyDeletethanks Jenn, but you always stick your landings!
DeleteFlora here, rushed endings make me think "Why'd I invest my time in this book?" A satisfying ending pulls all the pieces of the puzzle together, like weaving a pattern, the threads make sense at the end. Everything doesn't have to be 'happily ever after,' but if not, I want to know why not, especially if it's a series.
ReplyDelete.
that's a very good point...
DeleteOh my goodness, the ending. So hard! And a couple of things I think about: one, since I'm a pantser, I know that my beginning will be too long, and some of it will have to go. Happily. So as I get toward the end, I know my book word count is f=growing past where it should be, but I try to forget about that, since I know so much of the beginning is going to go.
ReplyDeleteSo I just allow myself the time to really and truly finish. Finish the plot, and finish the emotional journey satisfyingly as well.
What I really get annoyed by, as well as those “Oh my gosh kaboom everybody dies because my word count is fulfilled and I am sick of this” endings is the ones with the absolutely tortured chapters and chapters of explanation of why everything happened. I work so hard not to have those chapters, to make things revealed one at a time so that there's no big molassesy explanation to plow thorough at the end.
As for mistakes! Oh my golly, imagine the number of characters, and by that I mean individual letters and spaces and punctuation marks in each book. And remember how many people look at it and how many times, but still. Still. There are always errors. And in traditional publishing at least, please don't blame the editor or author for all of those errors. There is no book that's perfect, and everyone is truly trying as hard as they can. Let it go. Authors hate it as much as you do, but at some point the story is more important than an errant comma or unfortunate homonym.
My drafts are never too long Hank, so I appreciate hearing how you are careful not to truncate an ending. I will always take a few of your extra words!
DeleteHank, your “kaboom, everyone dies because I’ve reached my word count” analogy reminds me of being a freshman in hs and having to write a skit in Drama class with a small group. We had all of this stuff happen and had no idea how to finish it so decided everyone would die! We kind of all fell to the floor - the end! But we were 14 years old! I certainly expect better from a published author who has, as Lucy has so beautifully explained, gone through an extensive editorial process before publication. — Pat S
DeleteLOL Pat! was the skit well received?
DeleteIt seems we all agree that there are too many books with endings that feel rushed. But I think I dislike cliffhangers more than I dislike rushed endings. I finally stopped reading one author’s books because it seemed like most of them were becoming cliffhangers, and the next book in the series didn’t always wrap up the mystery from the previous book. This leaves me more time for reading other books!
ReplyDeleteDebRo
Good to take a stand DebRo! Life is too short.
DeleteAdorable deer! I do want a satisfying ending, one that makes sense, and definitely NOT a cliffhanger. A few little threads for next time are fine, but resolution of major points is necessary for that aaah feeling. I recall one historical fiction work that did feel too rushed, and at a library event the author explained that she'd written it during summer and a one semester leave from teaching, so she really had to write fast at the end. Aha! and it made sense.
ReplyDeleteI can hardly wait for A POISONOUS PALATE. With all I've learned from favorite authors, I think it's amazing we've survived our gardens.
Yes indeed--Rhys posted recently about touring a poison garden. I would love to go!
DeleteDiana, that's so fascinating that you actually write new endings sometimes. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteSo agree with everyone! I hate when the pace of the book changes to lickety split so all answers appear in the last chapter. I also get annoyed when the story has unfolded at the same pace, there is a resolution of sorts, and then bam! No follow up, that's all folks.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, Lucy. I always worry about the endings, but I never have the tight timelines that you do. YES a great editor - from developmental to copy edit is worth (usually HER) weight in gold. But I've also had some who were tone deaf to what I was trying to write.
ReplyDeleteyes Hallie, that's the worst!
DeleteGreat blog and a great editor!
ReplyDeleteYou ask a complicated question. I do like the loose ends tied up, but I like it best when they are tied up throughout the story, even if they are not noticeable at that point. That said, I do expect things to speed up toward the endings. Shorter chapters. More action. I object to the information dump ending and prefer a drawing together of ends type of situation. What a really don't like are surprise endings. Oh, Mr. Miller who just showed up - yes, I see you did it! Psst, got any more rabbits in the hat- LOL
Great blog post to read since a rushed ending is one of my pet peeves as a reader. It doesn't happen too often but I notice it in books that aren't cozies.
ReplyDelete