While the Internet teems with posts listing the best opening lines in all of literature, I have learned over years of reading and writing novels that a great opening line is nevertheless overshadowed by the importance of a great closing line. Yes, a great opening line will lure the reader into the novel. But even more important is the power of that final sentence or paragraph. As a trial lawyer by day, those opening and closing lines are similar to the importance of the opening and closing lines of your argument to the jury. Yes, that opening line needs to grab the juror’s attention, but the closing line is where you have to wrap up that argument in a compelling way. Failing to do so for your client risks losing the case.
So after thinking long and hard about the importance of a strong and compelling closing line in literature, I wrote the following essay for The Common Reader. I hope you enjoy it. And if you have a closing line I should have included, please feel free to let me in the comment section below.