Happy endings, sad engings, or something in between?

Most people prefer happy endings, I'm sure. However, not all endings are happy and nor should they be. Afterall, the world isn't fair, so why should stories be? And what about endings that come somewhere in the middle, where nothing is resolved or even wrapped up. How do readers feel about such things?

Well, in my view it really depends on the story. Lots of horror stories end on a bad note, or even leaving everything hanging (evil defeated, but lingering). It's expected, and those stories sell very well. Happy endings tend to be the norm, tying up all the plot threads in a neat little bow. Stories with multiple books normally keep certain plot threads unsolved, so action can continue from book to book.

Allowing things to float in the wind is a risky thing to do for an author. Readers want to know, well everything. Leaving readers not only guessing, but wanting more, can cause the worst reaction of all--they put down the book and never return, and never tell their friends. Still, the concept is seductive to writers because leaving clues/gaps in the plot puts the burden on the reader to figure it out. And, when it works, it works in a powerful way.

All that said, I prefer a complex story that doesn't wrap everything up. It's nice to know that there is more to the world than what was in the book, or movie. There's a feeling of greatness, and I love it.

- M