Stories that actually end.

[UncolaMan]

(I'm pretty sure this is the right place to put this)

I've taken over editing for the story Absolute Power, and I've been surprised at how much attention it's been getting. Since I don't have to wait and wait and wait now, I've done something I haven't seen done very often.

Here is it, my...
BRAGGING RIGHTS!
The final thread was a bit long, but I have actually created a "THE END" thread. Yes, I have actually created an ENDING! If you want to read it, the path is

1-2-1-1-1-1-2-1-2-1

or

INTRO >> Let's meet Jake... >> Have some fun with Ms. Love. >> Vollyball, I don't think so! >> What's that smell? >> BJ >> Down the hall >> You visit the Counselor. >> Counselor and daughter >> Anal Sex with Vicki >> You can't let this one get away from you!

http://www.chyoo.com:81/index.php/main.story.cover/1368

Admittedly, I'm plugging myself, since five of the threads are mine, but I DID IT! I actually pulled it off!

Anyway, I've set a new bar for myself. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to do this a second time somewhere...

Okay, it's kind of strange as far as bragging rights go, but sometimes it's nice to see an ending to a story.

Anyone else know of any decent stories that have any conclusions in them?

 

[Zingiber]

(I'm pretty sure this is the right place to put this)
Anyone else know of any decent stories that have any conclusions in them?

AaronWebster's A Middle Class Orgy has at least one ending. If you count the intro (1.1 on the story map) as the first 1, this path leads to a conclusion:

1-1-1-1-2-2-1-1, ending with "A year and more later.".

The span of the story is supposed to be one evening, so there's at least some encouragement to wrap things up.

-Z.

 

[Torg]

My thread in Venus Rising comes to what I think is a nice conclusion. The path is: 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1, ending in 'Absolutely'. The story is about a guy who makes a deal with the Goddess, Venus.

Though I only did it to tie off a totally unsexy thread I wrote, School of Love has an end thread. The path is: 1 1 1 1 2 3 1 2, ending with 'Yes, she's getting an abortion' (see I told you it was totally unsexy).

Those are the two I've written.

 

[Jtzmm]

INTRO >> Let's meet Jake... >> Have some fun with Ms. Love. >> Vollyball, I don't think so! >> What's that smell? >> BJ >> Down the hall >> You visit the Counselor. >> Counselor and daughter >> Anal Sex with Vicki >> You can't let this one get away from you!

Wow, talk about a happy ending! I've noticed a trend here (and with CYOAs in general) of never, ever ending a story. I don't really understand why...do people feel like they'd be making things difficult for other authors by cutting the story short? But it's not like someone can't just continue it with another thread if they feel inspired.

And personally I think being able to eventually get to a thread that ties everything up makes the story seem more complete and satisfying. (As opposed to the entire thing just petering out dyign a slow death with dozens of loose ends as authors lose interest in it.)

Anyway, I'm glad to see the subject brought up, because I've got a WIP here on my computer that has several endings, though none of them so far are the 'happily ever after' type, and most involve the protagonist's death. (I really have no idea how it'll be received here when I'm finished, especially since the characters often keep their clothes on for several chapters at a time and are sometimes concerned with other things besides where to get their next fuck.)

 

[Torg]

Anyway, I'm glad to see the subject brought up, because I've got a WIP here on my computer that has several endings, though none of them so far are the 'happily ever after' type, and most involve the protagonist's death. (I really have no idea how it'll be received here when I'm finished, especially since the characters often keep their clothes on for several chapters at a time and are sometimes concerned with other things besides where to get their next fuck.)

My experience here is that Endings are always one of three types:

1) Happily Ever Afters,
2) Reader/character makes a stupid choice and Bad Result Ends in Death or Imprisonment, or
3) Reader makes a choice that leads away from instant, guilt-free, gratification, and the Writer punishes them. Let's call it Divine Sex God Retribution.

My two endings were Type 1. One was a planned out story line that resulted in a happy ending. The other was an afterthought added to a thread that was never going to get a follow-on thread, since the subject matter was too serious and unsexy (unwanted pregnancy and abortion). The majority of endings I'll ever write will fall into this category.

I have never written a #2, but I'm not opposed to them, since they are a stalwart of Choose-Your-Own-Fate stories. How many times when going through the Lone Wolf: Flight From the Dark did you run into a death result? A lot.

I never use #3. I usually make my break points fall in the middle of sex, where such things don't happen, or at fairly opened points where just about anything goes. Most choices that would lead to a #3 result are generally uninteresting to me.

(Just a bit of random observation.)

 

[UncolaMan]

Happy Endings

Well, I'll admit I have a weakness for happy endings, as evidenced by the one ending I was able to accomplish.

Where's the fun in irresponsible erotic fiction like this if things turn depressing and grim?

You mentioned Lone Wolf, and you do have a point there. There were lots of dead ends, including some pretty embarrassing ones. The thing is, who wants to have their thread be one that leads to an ending people don't want to go to? If I was doing every single thread in a story, I'd have Bad Endings of course, but that's a different situation.

Plus with Lone Wolf, there really is only one path to one eventual victory. CHYOO has the potential for many good endings, so it's closer to CYOA stories.

I might not go as overboard next time, but with a character with Absolute Power, it's hard to go wrong. Actually a few of the threads are kind of stupid (Yeah, I approved them. I've done some editing on them and I'll do some more). There's room there for poor endings.

Summary: I like happy endings. What is the act of sex, but a happy ending in itself?