What are some effective ways to describe sadness in a story?

Use the sense of touch. For instance, 'The darkness felt like cold, clammy fingers caressing her skin, making her shiver involuntarily.'

Her courage can be described. 'The girl showed great courage when facing the bully, standing up for what was right without a hint of fear.'

One way is to use historical or cultural references. If the time is the 1960s, mention the music, fashion or events of that era. For the place, if it's Paris, talk about the Eiffel Tower, the cafes and the Seine river. Another way is to show how the characters interact with the time and place. For example, a character might be shivering in the cold time of the story or looking out at the beautiful view of the place.

You could also begin a story by introducing a unique or strange object. For example, 'In the middle of the table, there was a small, glowing box. No one knew where it came from or what it was for.' This object becomes a focal point and the reader will be interested in finding out more about it and how it relates to the rest of the story.

Tell the story to someone else. This forces you to organize your thoughts and recall all the details. You might even discover parts that you didn't remember clearly before, and this process of retelling helps solidify the story in your memory.

One effective way is to end with a resolution. Tie up all the loose ends and give the characters a final state that satisfies the reader. For example, in a mystery story, the detective finally reveals who the culprit is and how they did it. Another way is to end with a cliffhanger, which leaves the reader wanting more. This can be used if you plan to write a sequel. Also, an emotional ending can be very effective. If it's a love story, perhaps the couple finally gets together after many obstacles, leaving the reader with a warm feeling.

You can end it with a powerful image. Say, a lone figure standing on a cliff as the sun sets, which can symbolize many things like new beginnings or solitude. It allows the reader to interpret it in their own way and gives a sense of finality.

One way is to have a satisfying resolution where the main character achieves their goal. For example, if it's a story about a detective solving a case, the end could be the detective finally arresting the culprit and getting justice. This gives a sense of closure to the reader.

One way is to return to the beginning. For example, if the story starts with a character in a specific place, like a small cottage by the lake, end the story with the character back in that same cottage, but with a different perspective or feeling, perhaps having gone through a life - changing journey. Another way is to use a circular ending, where the last line or paragraph echoes the first in some way, like starting with 'The day was cold and gray' and ending with 'The day was still cold, but now there was a glimmer of hope.'

A twist ending can be great. For instance, the character who was thought to be the villain turns out to be the true hero all along. It makes the reader go back and re - evaluate the whole story.