I tend to like them as they often give a sense of closure you can't get in the immediate aftermath of the climax.
It's reassuring to know that while their "story" was over, their lives weren't.
It's like saying goodbye to a friend who's moving away vs seeing that friend years later. It's hope vs knowledge that they're OK.
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I think that’s the kind of feeling I was aiming for, too, so to that end, it hopefully works. Followup question, though, before the timeskip, someone dies, and I wound tome forward by a year, so it was the anniversary of their death type deal. I only learned afterwards that doing that is apparently super common. Do youthink that kind of ending might feel overdone?
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Yes and no. Yes in that it's a common trope. No in that its's a reflection of life. The most common ways to reconnect with old friends are reunions, weddings, and funerals. Of those 3, funerals often have the strongest impact as it gives complete closure to one life while demonstrating solid foundations in the others. Meeting on a high note means things are good now but who knows when you return home to the mundane. Meeting on a low note demonstrates that you've still got those support groups you need to get through life (ie: you're okay).
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So you think it might be fine, then? Won’t come off as lazy? Obviously, it’s hard to say without actually reading the story, but at least by concept, it might work? Can you think of any way I might be able to make it more unique?
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I don't think it'll come off as lazy if it's done well. As for making it unique, I'm not sure how large of an ensemble you have but if it's relatively small, rather than telling a story you could write a eulogy from the perspective of another character. Alternatively, you could do it in the form of a letter written from one character to another to be read after their passing. Allowing them to say things they wanted to say but never had the chance, courage, or need to.
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[quote]As for making it unique, I'm not sure how large of an ensemble you have but if it's relatively small, rather than telling a story you could write a eulogy from the perspective of another character.[/quote] That’s sort of what I did actually. They were all gathering up for the anniversary and such, and one of the two main points of the chapter was one character giving a speech to their grave (or, more accurately hospital bed). [quote]Alternatively, you could do it in the form of a letter written from one character to another to be read after their passing. Allowing them to say things they wanted to say but never had the chance, courage, or need to.[/quote] This one seems like a fun idea. Kind of the same deal as what I did, but reframed as a provate thought instead of a goodbye in front of a small gathering. Might be a fun writing experiment, if nothing else; what she’d write as a goodbye in private, rather than in front of everyone.