Happy Endings

By Eileen Berry

Are you ever tempted to sneak a peak at the last page while you’re reading a good book? Sometimes we have a hard time waiting to find out if the hero turns out to be the rightful king or if the good side wins the battle. We writers are all very interested in endings.

When it comes to writing, there is an “end” that is important to keep in view. I’m not talking about the way the story you’re writing ends. I’m referring to the “end” of your writing project itself. Where will it end up? In other words, what will you do with it? Hand it in to your teacher and hope you never see it again? Stick it into a drawer? Throw it into a paper shredder or feed it to the family dog? (Hopefully not!)

Whether we’re famous or not, I think most of us writers would agree that the end goal of writing is publishing. Unless we’re keeping a private journal, most of us write because we have something to share with someone else—or with many others. But how can beginning writers get their work published? Isn’t that something only famous grownup writers do?

If publishing can be defined as “sharing,” there are many forms of publishing your writing. You could publish a story orally by reading it aloud to a group of family members. You could design a decorative book on the computer, print it out, and give it to friends as gifts. You might feel brave enough to submit a story or poem to your school newspaper. You could even ask your mom to let you write the family Christmas update.

Maybe you’re thinking, “But I don’t know if anyone would really care what I have to say.” You will never know until you try. If it is something you cared about enough to write, chances are that others would care to read it as well. Publishing is your goal—your “happy ending.” Somewhere there’s an audience. You just need to find out who and where they are!

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