On Fri, 14 Feb 1997, Charles K. Hurst wrote:

I would agree to some extent, forced happy endings that are clunked onto
the end of a fanfic and not well integrated into the story are a major
letdown.  But I think stories at their best allow us to hope, and hope
against all odds, and at the darkest moment, surprise us with a
fulfillment of that hope.  Don't let anyone tell you that you need to
write more stories with depressing endings, there are enough people out
there doing darkfics that we need all the writers we can get to do the
other kind. 

I consider that story to have a sad ending, yes, but one which is still a
good ending.  Not a depressing one.

Yes, Nuku-nuku died.  But look at what she left behind.  She enriched her
family by her existance; she'll live on in their memories.  And look at
the influence and change she made in Hiro's life.

Yes, it's sad that she died.  But she died HAPPY, and left behind her
contributions to this world.  That, in my mind, makes it a rare thing: a
well-written happy ending that makes you cry.

I agree with your comment that happy endings that work are hard to write.
However, I think that a happy ending which can make you think and make you
sad, nonetheless, is the hardest to write.

Because that's the kind of happy ending we see in real life.

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