Cliffhanger Chapters

I have a couple of cliffhanger chapters in my book, with scenes stopping at the end of one chapter, only to resume in the next. I honestly never saw it was a problem.

There's no hard and fast rule that says every chapter must be a completely contained scene with a beginning, middle, and end. Now, that's not saying a chapter should just arbitrarily stop mid-scene and then start next chapter. If you're going to break up a scene, do it for a reason--such as a cliffhanger.

I like to use them and read them. Keeps the story moving and tension high.

If I use a cliffhanger in the middle of a scene, I generally will also use the break to switch POV in the scene and show the reader a fresh perspective on things or reveal new info.

I have a love-hate relationship with cliffhanger endings. I love to write them, to write a scene around the end of the chapter, but occasionally when I read them and I'm looking for a place to stop, I can't!! I just gotta keep reading and reading and reading!!!

And then, oh. The book is over. Well snap.

Grand_Maester said:

Anyways, while you're all here, I wonder if I can just use this topic or if I should make a new one... mods?
My new question is... How many people would know what a naginata is? Or rather, if described it earlier in the chapter without at that moment calling it a naginata, and later described the same (albeit minor and nameless) character as brandishing his naginata, would people understand that it is the same bladed staff I described earlier? (By earlier, I mean about two pages in a Microsoft Word doc).

Click to expand...

Hm. Possible, sure. Depends on execution. You could post to SYW and get some feedback on how it's working.

Grand_Maester said:

Thanks for the input. I may try a POV switch and see how it works.

Anyways, while you're all here, I wonder if I can just use this topic or if I should make a new one... mods?
My new question is... How many people would know what a naginata is? Or rather, if described it earlier in the chapter without at that moment calling it a naginata, and later described the same (albeit minor and nameless) character as brandishing his naginata, would people understand that it is the same bladed staff I described earlier? (By earlier, I mean about two pages in a Microsoft Word doc).

Click to expand...

Another way to justify your chapter change is with a pertinent amount of information, or a significant piece of information. What I mean by this is let's say your chapter is about Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar. You write the chapter with your character thinking "This is the person who did it." Etc. Once you get to the end of the chapter, your character finds out that it wasn't that person! Gasp! End scene.
Your chapters don't necessarily have to be breaks in your scene or in your story line. Sometimes a reader only wants to read X chapters at a time, or has stuff to do. If you end a chapter with a cliff hanger, you're begging your reader "Take a rest and think about this." They more they think about your book while they're not reading it, the better your writing is.

Grand_Maester said:

Thanks for the input. I may try a POV switch and see how it works.

Anyways, while you're all here, I wonder if I can just use this topic or if I should make a new one... mods?
My new question is... How many people would know what a naginata is? Or rather, if described it earlier in the chapter without at that moment calling it a naginata, and later described the same (albeit minor and nameless) character as brandishing his naginata, would people understand that it is the same bladed staff I described earlier? (By earlier, I mean about two pages in a Microsoft Word doc).

Click to expand...

I think few people would know what a naginata is- although maybe those in your genre might.

Only if they make the connection from what you have written but why cause unnecessary problems by not calling the weapon a naginata when it is first encountered?

Be careful not to go overboard when spelling out descriptions. Give the reader credit for being at least as intelligent as yourself. If a reader can see what something does or how it is used or the result of its use he can imagine what it looks like without much description - no?

Grand_Maester said:

Thanks for the input. I may try a POV switch and see how it works.

Anyways, while you're all here, I wonder if I can just use this topic or if I should make a new one... mods?
My new question is... How many people would know what a naginata is? Or rather, if described it earlier in the chapter without at that moment calling it a naginata, and later described the same (albeit minor and nameless) character as brandishing his naginata, would people understand that it is the same bladed staff I described earlier? (By earlier, I mean about two pages in a Microsoft Word doc).

Click to expand...

Frankly, I equate "cliff hangers" with the "perils of Pauline". An escalation of a useful tool -- I think of as a "hook".

In my opinion, every chapters has to have a hook, a motivation for the reader to continue reading. Writers with "can't put it down" books do "hooks" exceptionally well and keep you up past your bedtime.

I really started noticing these when I read the Harry Potter series...seemed to work for her.