Can you give some more good ways to end a short story?

Ending with a symbolic image can be very powerful. In a story about a person's struggle with depression, the final scene could be the character looking at a single flower growing through a crack in the pavement. This flower represents hope and new life, leaving the reader with an uplifting feeling and a deeper understanding of the character's journey.

One way is to start with a character's internal monologue. For instance, 'I always knew this day would come, but I never expected it to feel like this.' It gives an immediate insight into the character's thoughts and feelings, and the reader can start to form a connection with the character from the very beginning. This can also set up the conflict or the journey that the character is about to embark on.

Another way is to end with a symbol. Suppose your story is about a young artist struggling to find their voice. At the end, they create a masterpiece that symbolizes their growth and new - found confidence. The description of this symbol can be a powerful way to conclude the story.

Another way is to end it with a glimmer of hope. After all the horror, there's a small sign that things might get better. However, this hope should be tenuous, like a single ray of light in a pitch - black room filled with monsters. It adds a bit of relief but still keeps the overall horror tone intact.

One way to end dialogue well in a short story is through the use of ellipses. For instance, 'She started, "I think..." and then the story moves on. This creates a sense of the conversation trailing off. Another effective method is to have a character cut off another character mid - sentence, like 'He was saying, "But we should..." when she interrupted, "Enough."' Also, ending with a rhetorical question can be great. For example, 'They were discussing their past when he asked, "Can we ever really go back?" and the dialogue ended there, leaving the reader to think.

You could start with a thought-provoking question. Like, 'What if the world stopped spinning? How would we survive?' This gets the reader thinking and interested in seeing where the story will go with this concept.

A random act of kindness can also be the start. If one person helps the other out of a difficult situation, like helping someone carry their groceries when they drop them. There's an instant feeling of gratitude, and from there, a conversation might start. This kindness can be the spark that ignites the love story as it shows the good nature of one person towards the other.

Start with an interesting encounter that led to the vacation. 'I met a stranger on the bus who told me about this amazing place he had visited. His description was so vivid that I immediately booked a trip there, and that's how my vacation story begins.'

Sure. A twist ending is quite common. This is when there is an unexpected turn at the end that changes the whole perspective of the story. For instance, the person you thought was the villain turns out to be the hero all along.

You could start with a startling statement. Like 'She died that day, but it was the beginning of something far more strange.' It shocks the reader and makes them eager to know what could be more strange than death.