How do you end a Slice of Life comic?

idrawstuffx 2020-07-12 05:35:57 UTC #1

I know this genre tends to go on for a while. I'm trying to do an outline for my SoL comic series. If you ever did one and ended one, how'd you do it?

rmdooley 2020-07-12 05:49:48 UTC #2

With a Slice of Death?

Kiweevil 2020-07-12 05:56:40 UTC #3

This comment HAD ME 🤣

Inspector_Spinda 2020-07-12 05:59:33 UTC #4

I sort of have a supernatural slice of life going on right now. i have considered it ending in a suicide (main character is an immortal vampire), but honestly not sure yet. i want a happy ending, but it'll have to depend on what i think he deserves by the end.

generally you should end slice of life with the end of a chapter of life. if it's a story about high school, you end with graduation. if it's about a friendship, maybe the friendship is tested and then evolves by the end. maybe the main character starts a new job or moves away.

toonben 2020-07-12 06:02:24 UTC #5

Well I have an idea on how to end my slice-of-life comic in case I'm done. But it's too early for me to talk about because it's four years away and it would have spoilers. It could end with a graduation or a character going through a transition.

Freemints30 2020-07-12 06:31:19 UTC #6

Yeah, Im also have an idea for one, but mostly it either ends with just a life transition (graduation, moving away, stuff like that). Its most likely wouldn't be made any time soon, but that's most likely where it would end. Just through a major life change that will change the current setting.

nostalgicroxas 2020-07-12 08:31:56 UTC #7

Generally you end with a major component of the life having been resolved. For many slice of life living together stories, it resolves with the couple getting married.
Could also end with things like:
got the promotion at work
succeeded in getting that 1 big task for work done
the plant they grew died/reborn/flowered
the animal they had died -> stages of grief
the love interest is finally obtained (be it food, person, location to move to)

The trick is generally to keep it as a slice. Oddly enough the manga YuGiOh largely started as a slice of life / "1 game a chapter" type story. It only ended with the realization that the King of Games that was established in very early chapters of the manga (way before the card game came in) would need to be defeated to Rest in Peace.

If you've written your story to have some sort of over-arcing plot, the thing that ties the chapters together, then there should already be a thing to "resolve". Do note that in traditional writing, not everything needs a Conflict/Resolution, and it could just have a Conclusion instead.

sekabead 2020-07-12 08:59:46 UTC #8

I've seen many slice of life comics just end with an author's note

CurryXSake 2020-07-12 09:23:42 UTC #9

From my observation, the ending of a SoL seems to depend on whether the story itself, such as its tone. There are SoLs that are so random that it can virtually end in any note since life goes on forever. Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei for instance is a slice of life gag manga that's really bizarre and random that even if the writer stopped writing it midway it wouldn't really feel inconclusive. He only made a really weird ending to at least end in a bang.

On the other hand, there are slice of life stories that focus on certain themes such as growing up, life, and youth and the story ends with the characters changed in some way. Goodnight Punpun is a slice of life coming of age manga that focuses on how relationships can affect your decisions and how those decisions affect your outlook and how you face life. It ends with Punpun grown up and learning stuff.

I currently have a slice of life comic that I doubt would end because I used a more lighthearted, day-to-day tone. Overall, it's all about what kind of Slice of life you want to tell and what do you want your readers to take away from it.

idrawstuffx 2020-07-12 23:35:24 UTC #10

I wasn't expecting that lol

artemficta 2020-07-13 03:41:18 UTC #11

I agree with it being about tone, even more so if it's an ongoing storyline vs episodic. Mostly if you have themes and storylines make sure they're concluded. Even if it's random you could still make a short storyline for the last episode or so to end on for the conclusion.