The End of Strangetown, Here we Come.

[strangetomato]

I wrote the ending of Strangetown, Here We Come today.

I'm really quite pleased that I was able to figure it all out, since I've had it hanging over my head for such a long time. I finally know precisely how it's going to end, and I think the ending ties all the various plot threads together better than I ever thought I'd be able to, and it also gives one of the characters the chance to shine to his/her full potential (a character that I always intended something special for, but had never fully determined exactly what that would be). Miraculously, I think I get to make use of all of the balls that I currently have in the air, and it all goes out with a bang in one big event.

The one problem is that it's a long way off yet. Maybe so far off that I'll never get through it all as I'd like to. I really want to, but I know it's a long shot. For now, I'm going to keep on keeping on, and see if I can make it. If it begins to feel like way too much, I could always compress some parts of it to get ahead faster, and if all else fails, I'll just give you the condensed version of what happens. Either way, I know it won't just stop without a resolution. I have a resolution now.

I'm really happy. ^_^ I was determined to see this huge, crazy project through to the end, and now I feel like I'll really be able to make it happen.

I don't want give it away, but I will give away this one little hint: It is, overall, a happy ending. It's not all going to be pretty, but things will be mostly okay in the end.

Comments

[sylladex.livejournal.com]

For a second, I freaked out thinking it was ending now. But then I read the entry. It's nice to see that you don't have to stress about it anymore. I really love this story and it's going to be a shame to see it end, but I do love happy endings too. ^^ Congrats.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Heheh. I couldn't resist the dramatic title.

It's going to be much easier to get where I'm going when I know where that is. I stil have some details to work out, but most of them are pretty minor and can happen as I go, with the gameplay.

Don't worry about the story ending any time soon. I'd say it's probably about halfway finished, if I write it all out as planned. Maybe a little more, if I end up shortening parts.

Thank you. I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far.

[meetme2theriver.livejournal.com]

Yay for you! :)

Also, I like happy endings.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

^_^ Thanks.

Me too. I'm a sucker for them, though I also love devastatingly sad endings too. The S,HWC folks got lucky this time. (Well, most of them did. )

[silentsteel.livejournal.com]

Kinda threw me for a loop, reading that title - but phew! Not too immediately. I've been loving this series, so it feels good to hear there's going to be more for a while. :D And yay! A tiny spoiler! :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Heheh. Not immediately at all, trust me. I still have a lot of material to get through, but it will be a little less daunting, now that I can keep my eye on the prize.

Of course, my plans have changed before, but this ending just seems right, somehow.

It is a bit of a spoiler, though not much. It's possible to have a happy, hopeful ending in the wake of a serious tragedy, so it doesn't really give all that much away (I hope).

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

LOL! For a moment I thought you were dropping the story due to neighborhood implosion or something similar. Don't scare me like that! :P

It's awesome that you have everything figured out now :). I enjoy trying to come up with plot lines for my stories, but have a hard time letting them go, so kudos to you for being able to "land" and tie all of them.

Congrats ^_^

[simgarooop.livejournal.com]

For a moment I thought your neighborhood had imploded or something like that. Don't scare me like that! :D

Congrats on figuring out the ending for your story. Considering the amount of characters and plotlines you have going on, it is not an easy feat, yet you've nailed it. Enjoy developing the rest of it, as much as your readers will also enjoy reading it.

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

I really hope that never happens. I still back up regularly, like a good little simmer, so I will have options if it ever comes to that. I have to remember to extract all my sims too. There are newer in-game borns that need to be uploaded for safety.

I guess updating my sim download page is my next big chore. I should also do a master list for downloads and resource post. One of these days...

Well, I'll leave the final judgement on whether I've actually nailed it to the readers, but it works and makes sense for me, so I'm happy with that. I really don't think it leaves too many loose threads, which surprises me. I was excited when it came together. (And I was making summaries of the plot arcs for each individual character when it came to me.)

I hope people will continue to enjoy it. I know things are bound to die down as the Sims 2 fandom continues to wane, but I'm happy to hear that people plan to continue to follow it. I'm certainly appreciative off all the supportive comments. ^_^

[dancinginsecret.livejournal.com]

It's a weird sense of loss when you finally figure out how to wrap everything up, isn't it? Not that I've actually FINISHED anything I've been writing lately, but I do vaguely remember it. ;)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Well, in a way it does feel like a loss, but for me, with this project, it feels a little more like insurance that it won't be lost. I've always feared I'd lose steam and drop this story befor eit was finished, but it was something I've wanted to see through to the end. Now, in way, I have.

Also, the story isn't going anywhere for quite some time, and new things will work themselves into the story as I go, so it's not really over yet. I don't have to say goodbye just yet.

Finishing a project is definitely the hardest part. The last mile is always the hardest mile.

[petchy-14.livejournal.com]

The end?! Wow that feels strange to say.. I caught up awhile ago and now I'm all on track and up to date I really feel like I don't want it to end, but all good things do have to, alas :)

I mean, it's not for awhile yet - and I doubt you'll just stop writing all together... Right?

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Don't worry. The end is quite a ways off just yet. I just know what it is now, which is just extra motivation for me. I mean, an ending isn't much good if you don't share it with anyone, right?

I'm planning to keep on writing after this, and maybe even something I could publish next time. I'll probably take a stab at a graphic novel (since it's a similar structure), but I've considered trying a novel too. I've actually been considering doing NaNoWriMo this year.

[cindyanne1.livejournal.com]

Congrats! What an awesome feeling. :)

I'm sure I'll be here, no matter how long it takes you to tie it all in together. :D Even though I don't play the Sims at all anymore as much as I did it's a don't-have-enough-time-for-everything issue, not because I don't still love them. :) I will always love the Sims!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm pretty pumped. ^_^

Ahh, thanks. I appreciate that. People come and go all the time (at least where comments are concerned, and that's all I can really gauge), and I feel so lucky to have people still reading who've been following it from the beginning (or close to it).

It's too bad you're not playing that much anymore. It seems like Sims 3 didn't grab people the way we hoped it would. (Actually, for me, it's probably a good thing. I know my SO is relieved, even though he never stops complaining about the outdated low-poly graphics of Sims 2. :P)

(My typo " playing that mush" was funny, considering the pudding comments about Sims 3. :P)

[will-o-whisper.livejournal.com]

*also had a small heart attack thinking S,HWC was dead* D:

Seriously, that's awesome! On the one hand, it's a little sad to know all good things must come to an end. But more so, what and accomplishment! :D

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Nice. I like heaping on the drama. :P (As you will see in the story...)

Yes, ending the story will be an emotional event, but actually ending it at all instead of just trailing off will be wonderful! And no worries, it's not going anywhere for quite some time.

[leskuh.livejournal.com]

I'm with everyone else on the conflicted feelings! Huzzah for now knowing how things are going to end, but HOW CAN IT POSSIBLY END? ;_____;

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

It'll never really end, hon. It'll go on and on after the story ends. We just won't get to see it.

And as for knowing, I feel pretty sure this is the right ending, unless someone "pulls a Johnny" and tells me they're changing the plot. ;)

[muslemura.livejournal.com]

Woo! Congrats, that's wonderful :) I hope you'll enjoy getting there - I know I will :)

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thanks. ^_^ I plan to enjoy every minute of it, and I hope you will too.

[sullivansims.blogspot.com (from livejournal.com)]

Argh, I thought you'd lost your hood or something! You terrified me for a minute there!

I'm glad you've figured out an ending you're happy with and I'm really excited to find out what happens. At the same time, I'm really sad that SHWC is actually going to end one day!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Heheh. Sorry for the scare. I couldn't resist the dramatic title. I almost went with It's the End of Strangetown, Here We Come As We Know It (and I feel fine), but that seemed a little wordy.

It won't end for a long, long time. At the rate I'm going, I have at least another year or so before I clue it up. It's great to have an ending to aim for now. It will make it easier to move the story forward.

[showercapfrog.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you found out a way to end it! Hopefully it gives you a way to get to that point and more S,HWC for all of us!
I will be upset to see it finish, but *fingers crossed* that won't be for a while!

[showercapfrog.livejournal.com]

What? Where did my comment go?

I'm glad you have an ending - hopefully it means you're able to write more in between if you've got an end in sight.
I'll be upset to see it finish, but *fingers crossed* that won't happen for a while yet!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

The weird thing is, I received your coment in my messages (and simgaroop's first comment too), but they didn't show up. WTF, livejournal?

I'm sure I'll write tonnes and tonnes of in-between, based on how long it's taking me to reach my major turning point in the story (read: a LOT longer than I thought).

Yeah, that ending isn't coming any time soon. ;)

[katee412.livejournal.com]

Good thing I read the whole thing before I got completely dismayed lol.

I was worried there for a while as I've been a long time reader but only just got an LJ and was waiting until the next chapter to tell you how much I love S,HWC and how talented a writer you are. Thankfully I can still tell you on the next installment :)

Congrats on having not only made such an incredible universe so far but for reaching a resolution your happy with!

[strange-tomato.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! ^_^ I'm so glad you've been enjoying it. It's nice to hear from you. Thanks for reading the story. I'm happy to have you along for the ride.

(I'm really blushing at "incredible universe." Thank you for the wonderful compliment, though I must give credit where it is due: most of that universe is there in the game. I've just been putting it into words and putting a bit of my own spin on it.)

[katee412.livejournal.com]

Well, I think everyone here would agree that's darn good spin :)

[telephonication.livejournal.com]

I love it when stories have the endings written out in advance. Loose ends get tied up, most things end up getting resolved, and the story has the best possible chance of being successful.

But it's reminding me that Strangetown is a finite story! Nooooo!!!!

[simsinthecity.livejournal.com]

Whoa! Here I was thinking it would be one of those serials that just goes on until the writer leaves the community.

I'll take a shot in the dark and guess that Buck or Jill is the character who will shine at the end :)

Are you planning on doing other stories after S,HWC?

[selenecorvino.livejournal.com]

I too thought you had a crash.

I'm glad that you're happy about completing your story, but I'd sort of thought S,HWC could go on and on like an oldtime serial or modern soap opera, lives are lived and children are born and the families live on, but that you would tell us their stories.

Well I will enjoy S,HWC for as long as you choose to write it.

PS: Not interested in Sims3. I'm more worried about the effect, if anything, Windows7 will have on Sims2 and those EPs and SPs purchase quite some time ago? Reason being, Windows7 will most likely be the OS installed on next purchase.