If you’ve written an interesting, topical and engaging feature, there’s every chance your reader will make it through to the end.
Writing that final paragraph can be tricky – but it’s really important to get it right. Features that end abruptly can be really unsatisfying and articles where the final paragraph just repeats what has been said before are a waste of time.
Try to end the article in a resonant manner that makes clear it is the end. One way of doing that is by referring back to the beginning. Here is a great example of that https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60653966
Look at the first paragraph:
“I didn't really see her face, but at her feet were several cooing pigeons. Every now and again, a shower of birdseed would tumble from her hand. She was wearing a heavy-looking grey coat, keeping out the late morning winter chill. I motioned to my colleague, cameraman David McIlveen, to try to take her picture - but she sensed he was approaching, emptied the brown paper bag of birdseed and briskly walked away.”
…and the last:
“I am writing this from a hotel in Romania, having left Ukraine via Moldova a couple of days ago. I can't get the image of the woman feeding the pigeons out of my head. She was risking bombs and missiles to feed the pigeons. For me, she represents strength and courage - the indomitability of an independent state, not the cowering fear of the colonised.”
In this example, the last paragraph reflects the opening paragraph. It’s beautifully written and shows just how much a strong ending can add to an article.
