: Re: How to "Start as close to the end as possible", and why to do so? Kurt Vonnegut has 8 tips on how to write a good story Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she

@Sue2132873

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(This originally started out as a comment on Glastel's answer, about a fourth explanation, but I decided to expand it into a full answer)

Write part of the end of the book, at the start of the process. This gives you a target to aim for, a case of "this is where we will end up, now how do we get there".

This will allow you to thread foreshadowing throughout your story. It gives your story a direction, and - for some authors - it provides motivation, or a definitive "end point". (But, of course, don't be afraid to tweak that ending as the story develops!)

If you write the whole book in the same order that the reader will read it, it sometimes comes off as directionless and meandering - the story doesn't quite know where it's going. (Some authors, however, are able to thread the whole story together in order - but even they will go back through to tidy up again later!)

As a famous example: JK Rowling has said that the final chapter of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" was one of the earliest things she wrote for the series. That's about 15 years before the final book (containing said chapter) was published!

However, this meant she knew that - if she wanted to share this chapter with the public - she had to finish the other six-and-nine-tenths books first.

Furthermore, while we don't know how many of these were edited in later, there are several key plot points which are mentioned, and had to be "hit" earlier in the series - here's a brief list:

• Voldemort is defeated - permanently
• Harry and Ginny are married
• Ron and Hermione are married
• Neville Longbottom is a teacher at Hogwarts
• Dumbledore is dead
• Snape is dead, and did something to make Harry respect him
• Draco and Harry are still rivals, but have a begrudging respect for each other

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