--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True stories seldom have endings." description: "\"“True stories seldom have endings.”\" — Frances Hardinge" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/frances-hardinge-1417_endings_true-stories-seldom-have-endings-431329_431329.png" --- # True stories seldom have endings. ![“True stories seldom have endings.” quote by Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/frances-hardinge-1417_endings_true-stories-seldom-have-endings-431329_431329.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/frances-hardinge-1417_endings_true-stories-seldom-have-endings-431329_431329.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/frances-hardinge-1417_endings_true-stories-seldom-have-endings-431329_431329.png) > ““True stories seldom have endings.”” [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stories often leave readers without tidy conclusions, reflecting life's open‑ended nature. **In simple terms:** Stories rarely end neatly. Key Takeaway Embrace ambiguity. Themes narrative life uncertainty Mood thoughtful reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - reading fiction - creative writing - discussing literature Key Concepts open‑ended storytelling realism Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer clear endings? - How does ambiguity affect your engagement? A Different Perspective Some readers crave closure, which can limit imagination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [True stories seldom have endings. I don't want a happy ending, I want more story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/true-stories-seldom-have-endings-i-don-t-want-a-happy-ending-i-want/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“Well, if you are to help me with my work, you had better get used to stories without endings. True stories seldom have endings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/well-if-you-are-to-help-me-with-my-work-you-had-better-get-used-to/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [If I seem to wander, if I seem to stray, remember that true stories seldom take the straightest way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/if-i-seem-to-wander-if-i-seem-to-stray-remember-that-true-stories/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“This was not what we wanted to hear that morning. Adventures inspire, tall tales excite, and fantasies stir the imagination, but sad stories seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-w-lord/this-was-not-what-we-wanted-to-hear-that-morning-adventures-inspire/) [J. W. Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-w-lord/) > [So much of what I write in fiction is based on true stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-kurlansky/so-much-of-what-i-write-in-fiction-is-based-on-true-stories/) [Mark Kurlansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-kurlansky/) > [I found two true stories. One was in 2003. One was the beginning of 2004. I decided to meld them. Richard Davis' story which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-haggis/i-found-two-true-stories-one-was-in-2003-one-was-the-beginning-of/) [Paul Haggis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-haggis/) > [I was working on a satirical novel about a charismatic preacher who takes over a small Indiana town. Then I remembered Jim Jones was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/i-was-working-on-a-satirical-novel-about-a-charismatic-preacher-who/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [I think all true stories are hopeful stories. I don't think there's any room for nihilism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-think-all-true-stories-are-hopeful-stories-i-don-t-think-there-s/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [The truth is not delicate and it does not suffer from denial—the truth only dies when true stories are untold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-liu/the-truth-is-not-delicate-and-it-does-not-suffer-from-denial-the/) [Ken Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-liu/) > [With my friends, it was always essentially true stories. That's how I always felt about doing King-Cat. This is something that really happened, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-porcellino/with-my-friends-it-was-always-essentially-true-stories-that-s-how-i/) [John Porcellino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-porcellino/) > [I think, ultimately, people are looking for real heartfelt true stories. They want to engage with them, they want to relate (to) them and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shari-wiedmann/i-think-ultimately-people-are-looking-for-real-heartfelt-true-stories/) [Shari Wiedmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shari-wiedmann/) > [True stories are always good because they're so odd, and so unlikely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-knight/true-stories-are-always-good-because-they-re-so-odd-and-so-unlikely/) [Steven Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-knight/) > [All true stories begin and end in a cemetery" - The Shadow of the Wind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/all-true-stories-begin-and-end-in-a-cemetery-the-shadow-of-the-wind/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [We wrote every single song, and they're all true stories. Some people don't believe us, but they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-marlow/we-wrote-every-single-song-and-they-re-all-true-stories-some-people/) [Maddie Marlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-marlow/) > [We should tell the true stories of that day to honor the memory and sacrifice of those who perished on 9/11 and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/we-should-tell-the-true-stories-of-that-day-to-honor-the-memory-and/) [Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/) ## More by Frances Hardinge > [“It is dangerous to lock oneself away and lose track of what is happening outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/it-is-dangerous-to-lock-oneself-away-and-lose-track-of-what-is/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“Clent, however, suppressed any sense of pity without the slightest difficulty. His brain was busy with the icy clockwork of calculation. If only this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/clent-however-suppressed-any-sense-of-pity-without-the-slightest/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“I swam across the torrent of my madness, and pulled myself upon the shore of a new and better sanity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/i-swam-across-the-torrent-of-my-madness-and-pulled-myself-upon-the/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“Before her escort could react, she sprinted out from their little pool of lantern-light into the darkness, her feet pounding the soft, treacherous clods…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/before-her-escort-could-react-she-sprinted-out-from-their-little-pool/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“She was not undamaged, however, and she knew it. No food or drink had passed her lips, but she had drunk deep of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/she-was-not-undamaged-however-and-she-knew-it-no-food-or-drink-had/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“All her life, Neverfell had suffered the dull, embarrassed ache of the knowledge that she was always the maddest person in the room. Funnily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/all-her-life-neverfell-had-suffered-the-dull-embarrassed-ache-of-the/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“Well, if you are to help me with my work, you had better get used to stories without endings. True stories seldom have endings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/well-if-you-are-to-help-me-with-my-work-you-had-better-get-used-to/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“And you may comfort yourself with the thought that you have been the caltrop under her satin shoe every step of the way. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/and-you-may-comfort-yourself-with-the-thought-that-you-have-been-the/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“The little pedlar, it seemed, fancied that he had the tools to fix the wheel. The footmen were glad to hear this, and agreed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/the-little-pedlar-it-seemed-fancied-that-he-had-the-tools-to-fix-the/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“For a second, she could almost see Caverna as the Kleptomancer did, a murky, monstrous beauty, smiling her fine-fanged smile as she prepared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/for-a-second-she-could-almost-see-caverna-as-the-kleptomancer-did-a/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“Has it ever occurred to you that maybe you’re sane? That you’ve always been sane? That perhaps you’re the sanest person in the city?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/has-it-ever-occurred-to-you-that-maybe-you-re-sane-that-you-ve-always/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“Thank you," she whispered. "I promise I will not interfere in Court business again." "Oh yes, you will." Zouelle looked up to see her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/thank-you-she-whispered-i-promise-i-will-not-interfere-in-court/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“People's personalities took up space, he sometimes thought. When they were trapped in a house or a job or a school together, they rubbed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/people-s-personalities-took-up-space-he-sometimes-thought-when-they/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [Revenge is a dish best served unexpectedly and from a distance - like a thrown trifle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/revenge-is-a-dish-best-served-unexpectedly-and-from-a-distance-like-a/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“Little god, you see the world through such black eyes." "Got no choice. My father give ’em to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/little-god-you-see-the-world-through-such-black-eyes-got-no-choice-my/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) [Explore all 244 Frances Hardinge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) ## More Endings quotes > [“I’m more happy than not. Don’t forget me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-silvera/i-m-more-happy-than-not-don-t-forget-me/) [Adam Silvera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-silvera/) > [There are no such things as happy endings. Never. They're totally manufactured by fiction writers who choose to end the story on a high…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-david/there-are-no-such-things-as-happy-endings-never-they-re-totally/) [Peter David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-david/) > [“You couldn't ever really fix a sad story. You could only make another. And another. And another, until you found the right one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/you-couldn-t-ever-really-fix-a-sad-story-you-could-only-make-another/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [Happy endings come in different packages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-f-wright/happy-endings-come-in-different-packages/) [Jason F. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-f-wright/) > [I don't believe in happy endings. Children have got to face death sooner or later. Granny and Grandpa die, dogs die, cats die, gerbils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-briggs/i-don-t-believe-in-happy-endings-children-have-got-to-face-death/) Raymond Briggs > [“I hope you come to hear the tale, and not just munch your way through the pages to the ending…endings are heartless. An ending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-hope-you-come-to-hear-the-tale-and-not-just-munch-your-way-through/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“I won, goddammit. I beat Kollberg. I beat you. I got everything I goddamn wanted: fame, wealth, power. Shit, I even got the girl."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-stover/i-won-goddammit-i-beat-kollberg-i-beat-you-i-got-everything-i-goddamn/) [Matthew Stover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-stover/) > [“Every good story needs a good ending. Don't write the beginning of a novel without knowing the end of it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-d-y-howle/every-good-story-needs-a-good-ending-don-t-write-the-beginning-of-a/) A.D.Y. Howle > [In His plan there are no true endings. Only everlasting beginnings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/in-his-plan-there-are-no-true-endings-only-everlasting-beginnings/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“ The Prodigal Son They gave the deep end of their heart--a hue of crimson red, They whispered their desire and offered up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-prodigal-son-they-gave-the-deep-end-of-their-heart-a-hue-of/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [My family doesn't do happy endings. We do sad endings or frustrating endings or no endings at all. We are hardwired to expect the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hope-solo/my-family-doesn-t-do-happy-endings-we-do-sad-endings-or-frustrating/) [Hope Solo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hope-solo/) > [I'm in the game of realism so happy endings probably feel a little bit too neat for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-armstrong/i-m-in-the-game-of-realism-so-happy-endings-probably-feel-a-little/) [Jesse Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-armstrong/) > [Go for the happy endings, because life doesn't have any sequels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/go-for-the-happy-endings-because-life-doesn-t-have-any-sequels/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [“Well, if you are to help me with my work, you had better get used to stories without endings. True stories seldom have endings.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/well-if-you-are-to-help-me-with-my-work-you-had-better-get-used-to/) [Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/) > [“Happy endings aren't just for fairy tales and massage parlors.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-gloss/happy-endings-aren-t-just-for-fairy-tales-and-massage-parlors/) [Susan Gloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-gloss/) Browse all 528 Endings quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“True stories seldom have endings.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frances Hardinge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/true-stories-seldom-have-endings/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Endings" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/true-stories-seldom-have-endings/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/frances-hardinge-1417_endings_true-stories-seldom-have-endings-431329_431329.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/frances-hardinge-1417_endings_true-stories-seldom-have-endings-431329_431329.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a89/frances-hardinge-1417_endings_true-stories-seldom-have-endings-431329_431329.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“True stories seldom have endings.” — Frances Hardinge", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Frances Hardinge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“True stories seldom have endings.”", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/true-stories-seldom-have-endings/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/true-stories-seldom-have-endings/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```