Prompt: Open Endings

[Prof. Sky Alton]

‘And they all lived happily ever after’, ‘So now all their cares were at an end and there was nothing to mar their happiness’, ‘All was well’…

These are very comforting, happy endings. The problem is, sometimes a story doesn’t end with everyone in a good place or with all the conflict resolved. Nor does it have to end with complete tragedy and desolation. Sometimes, the best ending is one that lets you fill in the blank of what happens next. These aren’t the same as cliff-hangers (which tend to leave an action unfinished or something major undecided) but rather a final page or line that opens up the possibility that the story and character’s lives will carry on, even if you aren’t there to see.

For this prompt, please write a story (200 words or more) with an ending that opens up possibilities. This could be an ambiguous ending where nothing is quite clear or decided or a hopeful one that hints that conflicts may yet be resolved (and perhaps how). It could be something quite different. It’s entirely up to you, providing you give your reader’s imagination something to play with once they finish the last word.

You'll earn 20 beans for completing this prompt as well as it counting towards the chance to snag our shiny Quill and Ink Award.

There is no deadline as such for these prompts but if you’d like it to count towards your chance of earning the award for a specific year, we’ll need it by the end of that school year. If you’re comfortable sharing, then post below. If not, email your story to us via hol.bookclub @ gmail.com (without the spaces). Oh and remember it’s a good idea to check through your piece carefully for spelling and grammatical errors as they make it harder for people to properly enjoy your work.