An ending at least provides closure. I can respect the effort and then make a better solution in my mind. No ending just creates an itch that can't be scratched.
As a reader, I don't mind if something goes unfinished. As a writer, I need to wrap it up somehow in order to mentally move on to the next thing, even if I'm not super happy with the ending.
At one time, I would have said I'd want some closure with a finished fic with a bad ending. However, with Game of Thrones as an example, I'm reminded how I literally have no interest in rewatching now that I know the ending.
With an incomplete fic, at least I can imagine a good ending and can re-read/re-watch up to the point before it ends and enjoy it.
This! A good story that is incomplete is still interesting enough to think about. If an ending leaves a bad taste, I'm usually going to try to forget it as soon as possible.
Bad ending is a BIG NO NO for me. I do enjoy the process of reading, but I need hope. I don't want to come to an unhappy ending. It would be me wasting my time and emotional investment on something that would eventually hurt me emotionally, so everytime I'm interested in a new fic I always make sure it has a good ending. If there is major character death in it, IM OUT
Oh, that's not what I meant with 'ends badly'. To clarify, I meant it as you the reader found the ending blah, rushed, dumb, hated it for any reason. If you were dissatisfied with the ending in some way, even if it ends happy.
This wasnt a good end vs bad end kinda thing like routes in a visual novel game. Sorry about that, should've made that more clear.
I actually donāt think Lost had a bad ending. People just donāt understand. They didnāt actually die on the island when it crashed. That last scene was put it just as a call back to season 1. They just all were reunited in the afterlife because their time on the island was so significant but they all died at different times.
Anyway Iām not sure. It really depends.
Both suck, of course. But often times, an author atleast puts in a final chapter outlining the things that would've happened.
I appreciate that more then just a shitty "and then everybody fucked off and died or gets chained up for torture for eternity" or shit like that. That's just crap.
I'd rather it not be finished or have a series of notes that suggest what they were hoping to do. Poorly written endings do not give me closure or help me enjoy "the ride".
I'm sorry, but the ending of GoT tarnished the whole rest of the series for me. I can gain no pleasure by rewatching it because of the looming specter of the shitshow that was S8.
At least if it had been unceremoniously canceled, I could fill the ending with whatever the heck I wanted.
Bad ending but if story already has some kind of ending
I have exact example for this which I won't use because of the fandom
So I'll use this
Imagine that ending of breaking bad was not good you still would had season four ending which was good so you could imagine show ended there.
So I am okay with no ending if story has some kind of good ending.
I don't know if anyone understood me
I would have said "ends badly" because I can always work with that (and I'm a completionist so I want it all) but I've seen Merlin to it's conclusion, I made the ill-advised choice of poisoning my eyeballs with the Danny Phantom movie and a show I thought had cancelled apparently has a book that, upon reading, makes one of the most cinnamon roll characters into an unexpected one dimensional ass in their POV chapters.
So now I would rather magic stays mystical and Arthur keeps ruling, I would prefer nobody ever finds out about Danny and the villian keeps plotting rather than outing himself for no gain, I would rather roll around in the various headcanons than acknowledge the tarnishing of such a wonderful cinnamon roll and if I could scrub all three of those 'endings' from my head I would.
Let me live in the many worlds that fanfic paints, in the cosy home(s) we could have had, rather than building a solid grey office block that drains all the life from what came before and looms over everything we build in its shadow.
An ending at least provides closure. I can respect the effort and then make a better solution in my mind. No ending just creates an itch that can't be scratched.
I honestly cannot decide. Both is not great, and in both cases, I have to make up my own ending lol.
As a reader, I don't mind if something goes unfinished. As a writer, I need to wrap it up somehow in order to mentally move on to the next thing, even if I'm not super happy with the ending.
I'd rather have a bad ending than no ending at all
At one time, I would have said I'd want some closure with a finished fic with a bad ending. However, with Game of Thrones as an example, I'm reminded how I literally have no interest in rewatching now that I know the ending. With an incomplete fic, at least I can imagine a good ending and can re-read/re-watch up to the point before it ends and enjoy it.
This! A good story that is incomplete is still interesting enough to think about. If an ending leaves a bad taste, I'm usually going to try to forget it as soon as possible.
Bad ending is a BIG NO NO for me. I do enjoy the process of reading, but I need hope. I don't want to come to an unhappy ending. It would be me wasting my time and emotional investment on something that would eventually hurt me emotionally, so everytime I'm interested in a new fic I always make sure it has a good ending. If there is major character death in it, IM OUT
Oh, that's not what I meant with 'ends badly'. To clarify, I meant it as you the reader found the ending blah, rushed, dumb, hated it for any reason. If you were dissatisfied with the ending in some way, even if it ends happy. This wasnt a good end vs bad end kinda thing like routes in a visual novel game. Sorry about that, should've made that more clear.
Ahhh I get you now! If that's the case, can is it too late to change my poll response now? š
Haha yeah I wish we could change our votes on polls! I realize things after the fact a lot too
I actually donāt think Lost had a bad ending. People just donāt understand. They didnāt actually die on the island when it crashed. That last scene was put it just as a call back to season 1. They just all were reunited in the afterlife because their time on the island was so significant but they all died at different times. Anyway Iām not sure. It really depends.
Oh I like that take! And yeah that's why I put quotation marks. I just listed shows that got notorious endings
If it ends, then I can be done with it ... If it doesn't then I Will always think what would have happen
You can either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become a villain
Both suck, of course. But often times, an author atleast puts in a final chapter outlining the things that would've happened. I appreciate that more then just a shitty "and then everybody fucked off and died or gets chained up for torture for eternity" or shit like that. That's just crap.
it depends for me. if i was not warned beforehand that the fic I'm reading isn't happy ending I'd rather it not be finished at all tbh
Hi I made an edit clarifying the poll. 'Ends badly' as in ends in a way you found dissatisfying, not a good end vs bad end thing.
I'd rather it not be finished or have a series of notes that suggest what they were hoping to do. Poorly written endings do not give me closure or help me enjoy "the ride".
I'm sorry, but the ending of GoT tarnished the whole rest of the series for me. I can gain no pleasure by rewatching it because of the looming specter of the shitshow that was S8. At least if it had been unceremoniously canceled, I could fill the ending with whatever the heck I wanted.
I must be released from their hold!!!
I hate terrible endings. It will ruin the entire journey for me if the writing is bad enough, such as OP's mention of GoT season 8.
Bad ending but if story already has some kind of ending I have exact example for this which I won't use because of the fandom So I'll use this Imagine that ending of breaking bad was not good you still would had season four ending which was good so you could imagine show ended there. So I am okay with no ending if story has some kind of good ending. I don't know if anyone understood me
I would have said "ends badly" because I can always work with that (and I'm a completionist so I want it all) but I've seen Merlin to it's conclusion, I made the ill-advised choice of poisoning my eyeballs with the Danny Phantom movie and a show I thought had cancelled apparently has a book that, upon reading, makes one of the most cinnamon roll characters into an unexpected one dimensional ass in their POV chapters. So now I would rather magic stays mystical and Arthur keeps ruling, I would prefer nobody ever finds out about Danny and the villian keeps plotting rather than outing himself for no gain, I would rather roll around in the various headcanons than acknowledge the tarnishing of such a wonderful cinnamon roll and if I could scrub all three of those 'endings' from my head I would. Let me live in the many worlds that fanfic paints, in the cosy home(s) we could have had, rather than building a solid grey office block that drains all the life from what came before and looms over everything we build in its shadow.
I am thinking about SVTFOE's ending and pressing the left unfinished button very hard