cliff-hanger
a cliff-hanger is a popular way to end a story, often when there is a sequel to the book. it ends the novel during a crucial plot point, which leaves the reader wanting to know what happens, hence making them want to read your next book! it can also be a teeny bit annoying - if you're impatient like me!
circular ending
a circular ending is just like it sounds - you end your book where it started. this can be found in numerous forms - perhaps the setting is the same, or if the story is literally being told by the narrator, maybe the setting has changed to the ‘real world’. or the first sentence or last sentence might even be similar, or interconnected in some way!
happy ever after
a popular choice for ending a novel, especially in romance! happy ever afters tie off all lose ends, giving readers the perfect ending we all crave in real life. all the ‘good’ characters get a happy ending, while the ‘bad’ characters don't! in other words, an idealised ending.
reveal
often seen in detective novels, these endings reveal a crucial piece of information to the reader - something that should satisfy the reader, and confirm or deny their suspicions. note that this is different to a cliff-hanger, as it is resolved before the book ends!
lesson/moral
popular in fairy tales, some authors choose to use a fictional story as a way to convey a lesson or moral that they believe to be highly important. while it isn't always out rightly stated, “the lesson of this story is...” it should still be obvious enough that readers can understand the moral!
sequel
a broad term for when a novel ends in a way that sets it up for a connecting book, or sequel. while a cliff-hanger does fit under this category, it's not the only type of ending that can set up a cliff hanger! any ending that leaves loose ends can be classed as a sequel ending.
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