First, the End

I have just finished reading The Great Gatsby for perhaps the tenth time. I first read it in eighth grade, and felt the tragedy, but did not understand it. It was my favorite book then. In high school, my American Literature teacher explained that Daisy Buchanan was Gatsby's American Dream, and I began to see more than the lyricism of the writing. I read it again and again. Two reads ago, I annotated my hardcover copy. It's my favorite book now.It's position as my favorite book was not guaranteed. Throughout this most recent reading, I felt at times that Fitzgerald went too far with his asides, or made jokes that didn't land, and even thought I noticed a few inconsistencies in the text. (What color is Daisy's hair?) And the feeling was compounded by a few recent, unsuccessful attempts I have made to read Fitzgerald's other work. Tender is the Night does not hold my attention, and as a fan I am highly motivated to like Fitzgerald's work. Perhaps Anna Karenina, Catcher in the Rye, or Middlemarch should replace Gatsby in my esteem.And then, I read the last page once more. My confidence returned. The universal theme resounds, the writing commands attention, and my heart fills with the same "aching, grievous beauty" that can be found in Daisy's voice earlier in the novel. Gatsby is, for me, the best.The ending of your story is paramount. For me, the closing page makes Gatsby. Other stories enforce this point. Most recently, the movie Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 drags a bit in the middle, but a strong ending earns it the acclaim it has received. The Museum of Innocence by Orhan Pamuk and Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier similarly achieve their greatness by the resonance of the end.Therefore, when you revise your story, the first order of business is to confirm that the ending will be satisfying or, if not satisfying, powerful for a reader. A mediocre close can ruin a story. You have brought a reader along with the promise that you are leading them somewhere. You must deliver. Don't, and you risk losing that reader's trust.Today, begin to revise at the end.***Getting Started: 5Character: 5Point of View and Tone: 5Plot and Narrative: 5Dialogue and Voice: 5Descriptive Language and Setting: 5Revision: 5Overall: 5**Level 5**