Most of us writers have an incomplete manuscript, short story, or play (or two) sitting somewhere, gathering dust. No one knows more how frustrating it can feel to be so close to completing a project but not being able to for some reason. It might feel like all those hours, days, and weeks of work will be for nothing if you can’t find a way to finish your story.
While the writer’s life can be tough at times, there are a few ways you can tackle this particular type of writer’s block. Read on to learn a few reasons why you may be struggling to finish your story, and what you can do to find that perfect ending for your book!
Reason you can’t finish your story #1: You don’t know the ending
The most obvious answer to why you can’t finish your story is that you simply don’t know the ending. While this is a more common problem for pantsers (writers who don’t plan out their book in its entirety before writing it), you can experience this as a plotter, pantser, or plantser.
Manuscripts are dynamic and can change a lot during the writing process. Even if you’ve outlined the entire book beforehand, big changes can happen as you write. Perhaps you’ve forced your character down a certain route that doesn’t really fit with their arc or the overall story anymore. Or maybe, at some point, you discovered that the original ending you had planned just doesn’t work.
Solution:
Go back and review your outline (or create an outline if you haven’t already) to see if the main beats and character choices all make sense with what you have written so far. If something doesn’t ring true, that may be why you can’t finish your story.
For example, maybe you planned on your character making a certain decision during the mid-point of your story that leads into the climax. If your character has evolved to be different to how you originally planned them, check this decision still makes sense. And if not, how does this impact everything that comes later?
With this in mind, write out all the possible endings you can think of. Narrow these down to a few favourites, then write an excerpt for each one. Whichever excerpt feels the most natural for your characters is probably the ending you need!
Reason you can’t finish your story #2: You’ve run out of steam
Starting a new project can be exciting, but you may find you’ve run out of energy or lost interest in the story as you’ve neared the end. This can especially be a problem if you’re not feeling confident in your work and worry that readers won’t think it’s worth their time.
Solution:
Take a break and get another pair of eyes on it, even if it’s unfinished. Having a beta reader or critique partner read even just your first five chapters can be useful. They can tell you if you have a solid opening, if they are hooked by the story, and if your pacing is strong enough to carry you through to the end.
You can also simply take a break to work on something new and give the project time to rest! Starting a new novel, writing short stories, or reading books in a similar genre are all great ways to find the inspiration you need to finish your story.
Reason you can’t finish your story #3: You’re trying to force it
For writers, a daily writing routine is important. If you wait for inspiration from a muse to write, you’ll never finish (or sometimes even start) your story! However, it is also possible to experience the opposite problem where you overwork the manuscript. As a result, you might try to rush the process or force the story.
You can’t force a story. If you try to do this, your story won’t get the ending it deserves or you’ll find you’re beating your head against the wall with no results. This will only compound your stress and take a toll on your mental health.
Solution:
A common problem we help our first-time authors with here at The Open Book Editor is coming to terms with the reality that the only person putting pressure on you to finish your book by a certain date is you. If you aren’t working to an external deadline, take a moment to consider what will happen if you don’t meet your self-imposed deadline.
Does not finishing it now mean you will never finish it in the future? No.
Will it mean no one will read your book? No. There’s always time to do marketing later (and we recommend you wait until the book is complete, anyway).
Does delaying the end mean you’re not a writer? No. You’re already further along in the process than most people get. And by the way, even the most “successful” authors struggle to finish stories.
Will you let people down because they want to read the book now? No one wants to read a rushed book; everyone wants to read the best book it can be.
Take a break and do something else. Read books in the same genre, go to an art museum, or immerse yourself in a new TV series. Find ways to refill your inspiration bucket. The perfect ending for your story will come to you when you least expect it.
But what happens if you are on a deadline and need to finish a story by a certain date? In this case, you may feel you don’t have the luxury of taking a prolonged break and letting the book’s end ‘come’ to you on its own.
If possible, try to take at least a day off from writing anyway. Go for walks, garden, or do another activity where you don’t have to think very hard. This gives your brain the space to wander. When you come back to your writing desk you might not have the complete answer on how to finish your story, but you’ll be able to tackle your manuscript with a clearer mind.
If, given time and space, the ending still elludes you, then consider seeking outside support from a writing group or a professional editor. At The Open Book Editor, we offer author coaching to help writers plan, write, edit, and publish their books. Call on people with experience to help you tackle your writer’s block. We all use different techniques, so maybe someone out there has a method that will work for you!
Reason you can’t finish your story #4: You’ve fallen out of love with your story
It’s completely natural to fall out of love with your story. Maybe you’re burnt out or feeling overly self-critical. Or maybe you’ve forgotten why you wanted to write the story in the first place.
You may have even fallen out of love with your story to the extent that you find yourself hating it. But this doesn’t mean it’s not good or doesn’t hold value. Disliking your own work at some point or another is normal. In fact, there are loads of threads in r/writing dedicated to this very topic!
Solution:
Revisit that earlier rush of excitement you had when you first started writing your book. Take some time to examine what is or isn’t working for you at this point. Do you have believable characters? Do you like how their story arcs have progressed? Most of all, regain some of your earlier momentum by listing down all the things that excited and inspired you to start writing this story in the first place. Find what made you happy about your work so you can better understand why you’re frustrated now.
If you’re struggling with a fair amount of dislike for your book, try talking to other people about it. Give them a summary and see what they think. Do they get excited? Are they intrigued? When you see other people excited about your work, it will rub off on you.
What if you still can’t finish your story?
Even if you’ve pinpointed why you can’t finish your story and tried one of these solutions, there’s no guarantee the results will be instantaneous. Writing is an uncomfortable undertaking, and you may feel uneasy about your manuscript for some time. The most important thing as a writer is to come back and keep trying.
And if you do push through and finish your story but are still feeling doubt about whether or not you’ve made the right writing choice, this is where a great editor can be helpful. At The Open Book Editor, we offer different types of editing services to suit whichever stage of the editing process you’re at now. Our knowledgeable editors can work through the kinks with you and help polish up your book so you feel confident in your story from the beginning to the end.
