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A big thank you to amansrose for submitting this question! <3
Were the chapter endings/cliffhangers captivating and/or engaging? Do they urge you to read on or did it seem to end on a weak note? Could they be improved? How so?
--------ALSO-------- We have a discussion question this week. You can leave your thoughts in an inline comment here so all of us can discuss. amansrose wants to know: "Are cliffhangers beneficial to a story or do they take away from it? How much is too much?"
Chapter endings should occur when a scene comes to an end, when you're in need of a location change OR when your chapter is getting too long (which is the usual case for me XD).
Now . . . There are two main ways you could end a chapter.
1. Cliffhangers:
The bread and butter of the serial-writing experience.
When it comes to serialization (adding chapters every day, week, etc), cliffhangers can be very effective for increasing engagement and readership WHEN DONE WELL.
Here are some tips from Dan Brown on how to do so effectively:
- Move the last few paragraphs of a scene to the next chapter.
- Create a section break between your work.
- Introduce a new surprise that the audience will not expect.
- Use pulses, or short sentences or phrases to remind the reader of lurking danger.
2. A Natural Pause or Ending: This comes when you've fulfilled a narrative promise to a reader. Maybe a scene has come to an end and you want to take a pause before you move on with the story in the next chapter.
No matter which you choose, or which is most appropriate for the chapter, chapter endings should "address and resolve or address and deepen story problems introduced in that chapter and/or earlier chapters."
Basically (stealing another quote from this week's link),
Chapter endings give readers a reason to read on.
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This week's articles are so helpful, so be sure to check them out:
How to Write a Chapter Ending That Keeps Readers Engaged https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-a-chapter-ending-that-keeps-readers-engaged#why-are-good-chapter-endings-important
Dual Duties of Chapter Endings https://theeditorsblog.net/2012/04/11/dual-duties-of-chapter-endings/
How to Write a Cliffhanger https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-write-a-cliffhanger-14-tips-for-writing-page-turning-cliffhangers-with-dan-brown-and-rl-stine#4-tips-for-writing-cliffhangers-from-dan-brown
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Remember that after reading and commenting on the 3 chapters of your fellow bookworm, you have to let me know you're finished, in the comment section of THIS chapter.
