How Bridget Jones, the movie, Charlotte Dillon’s website helped me figure out The End, falling in love and living happily ever after

by Mary Beth Lee

I finished the book and it sucked. Really, really sucked.

I write my books in thirds. Beginning, middles, ends. None of that turning point, scene and sequel smart sounding fiction terminology for me. I love beginnings. They’re fresh and new. Like going out on a first, second and third date. Like first kisses and butterflies in the stomach when his lips descend and you wonder if your noses are going to fit. And then your lips touch and nothing else matters. I like ends. They’re exciting because you know you’re finally finishing. Like giving birth. You know there was pain but you hold that beautiful baby and nothing else matters.

I hate middles. They’re just there. Each scene plugging along, building to the climax and black moment when it seems all hope is lost and the cool end can begin. But not this book. From the moment I started this book something shifted in my writing. It was like seven years of conferences and meetings and critique sessions around Jackye Plummer’s table came crashing down on my head. I finally decided to write what I love not what I thought would sell, and I started typing away on a conspiracy theory plot that had been brewing in my mind for a long time. I loved it. It was so easy to make things get worse and worse for this hero and heroine. I actually felt sorry for both of them. Anytime it looked like they could finally have happiness, I blew something up and tore them apart again. It was like writing Romeo and Juliet, only better because in the back of my brain I knew this couple would live happily ever after. And then I wrote the black moment, and it was so good I could taste the “OH NO’S!” from my readers.

The black moment starts my end. My normal favorite part of the book. (See baby analogy at beginning of column) Suddenly my book lost its focus. I couldn’t make my hero and heroine live. Not that I was going to kill them off, but my writing was so dry and lifeless, the characterization withered on the page. Instead of birthing a baby I was frustrated and afraid and wondering what the heck was going on. Frustrated because I never have a problem with my endings. Afraid because my critique group had raved about the book to this point and it had recently finalled in a contest and was on its way to NYC. I went ahead and plugged away to the end, knowing it was really a not so end.

I saved the work and sat down at my computer determined to discover what the heck was wrong. Charlotte Dillon’s website, www.charlottedillon.com, has fantastic articles for writers and three dealt specifically with endings.

The first was by Alicia Raisly and it was a recipe of sorts for beginnings, middles and ends. Good. But I needed more. The next was good, but I still needed more. The last was by Nancy Kress and it helped me focus on what I wanted in my ending.

After all that reading, I was wiped out, so I decided to watch one of my all time favorite movies, Bridget Jones, and take notes on what I loved about the ending of the movie. While watching Bridget’s escapades, that second article kept going through my mind. In it, the author talks about how satisfying endings take the reader back to the main truth of the story. Sure enough, Bridget Jones did that very thing. Suddenly I knew exactly what I needed to do.

The movie ended and I told myself to sit back down at the computer and write the ending I wanted to write. An emotionally satisfying, happily ever after, for two people meant to be together from the beginning of time. No sweat. In a couple hours I’d revised those old icky pages into something I loved. Now, will the book sell? I don’t know. Will I change it more? Heck, I just typed The End and hour ago. I’m sure I’ll tweak it more. But the point is, I finished. And I didn’t settle for “good enough.” I worked my craft until I made it awesome. At least to me. And I couldn’t have done it without Bridget Jones or Charlotte Dillon’s website.

Mary Beth Lee is a member of Red River Romance Writers and recently joined North Texas Romance Writers. After writing for several years, she finally gave in to her conspiracy theory brain and started writing romantic suspense and action/adventure.

The following article appeared in the March issue of Love Letters, the monthly publication of Red River Romance Writers in Wichita Falls, TX Fellow RWA chapters are welcome to use. Please let me know if you do use it.
Thanks! Mary Beth Lee