Do you end your chapters with a cliffhanger or do you wrap everything up nice and neatly before moving on to the next one? I tried to end one chapter with a cliffhanger, and it just didn't feel right.
Question about chapter endings
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chapters
I don't end every chapter with a cliffhanger, but at the same time, one chapter shuld lead naturally to the next. I don't think I know what you mean by wrapping everything up nice and neat at the end of a chapter?
Southern_girl29 said:
I don't end every chapter with a cliffhanger, but at the same time, one chapter shuld lead naturally to the next. I don't think I know what you mean by wrapping everything up nice and neat at the end of a chapter?
Jamesaritchie said:
I meant wrapping up the scene that's just been portrayed. Do you wrap up the scene or continue to the next chapter with it still going on?
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I know some writers think it's a good idea to use cliffhanger chapter endings to encourage the reader not to put the book down at such a natural place to stop.
Some writers try to build tension by taking a group of characters up to a really tense point, then ending the chapter and jumping to another group of characters. Some readers probably like that, but I find myself stopping in frustration or skim-reading until I get back to the people I want to hear about.
Personally, I tend to put mine at natural break-points in the story, which are probably low points in terms of suspense, because it seems so forced (at least in my writing) to do it the other way. I do try to work in some good, more subtle reasons for the reader to keep going, though.
Some writers try to build tension by taking a group of characters up to a really tense point, then ending the chapter and jumping to another group of characters. Some readers probably like that, but I find myself stopping in frustration or skim-reading until I get back to the people I want to hear about.
Personally, I tend to put mine at natural break-points in the story, which are probably low points in terms of suspense, because it seems so forced (at least in my writing) to do it the other way. I do try to work in some good, more subtle reasons for the reader to keep going, though.
I end my chapters when I feel the scene close. I don't cut in the middle of the action to create a cliffhanger, but many of my chapters end with a small bit of foreshadowing.
Southern_girl29 said:
I almost always end a chapter by ending the scene. I do like cliffhanger endings, however, and find them very effective, if done well. I think a good novel is a mixture of both.
But I don't think even a cliffhanger ending should not simply be cut in the middle of the action unless the next chpater picks up where that one left off.
I think a good chapter ending is one that makes the read want to read the next chapter, but also one that stops at a logical point.
It has to fit within the context of the novel, maybe, but I try to make sure there's always something driving the reader to the next page, let alone the next chapter.
There are ways to end scenes with hooks that are not of the cliffhanger type. Too many of those (cliffhangers) can come off as artificial. Besides, in most types of stories, the tension should continually build throughout the book (with the usual peaks and valleys of life). If you have too many extremely dramatic scene endings, the gradual ramp of the story may come off as flat. Sometimes scenes just have to end without any special attention grabber.
Chapter breaks are places where a reader tends to put down the book. If you craft your scenes properly, you will give the reader a reason to keep the book open at the end of each chapter. Keep in mind, though, that a dang good story, even devoid of any end-of-chapter hooks, will still do this very thing.
Chapter breaks are places where a reader tends to put down the book. If you craft your scenes properly, you will give the reader a reason to keep the book open at the end of each chapter. Keep in mind, though, that a dang good story, even devoid of any end-of-chapter hooks, will still do this very thing.
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I try to end the chapter with the end of the scene, but I try to also end it with some sort of question unanswered, even if it's just something as simple as:
John walked Jane to the door. "I had a great time." He waved away the moths that were swarming around the front porch light.
Jane smiled back at him. "Me too. Would you like to come in?"
John hesitiated, then shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea."
"Oh." She looked down into her purse for her keys, hoping he couldn't see the disappointment on her face. She had thought the date had gone so well. And there was an obvious attraction. At least she thought so.
John touched her elbow and she looked up at him. "I'll call you." He bent and brushed his lips against her cheek before bounding down the steps into the night.
--Chapter End --
Hopefully that leaves the reader wanting to know what his problem is and if he really does call. Which can be address later, but not necessarily the next chapter.
John walked Jane to the door. "I had a great time." He waved away the moths that were swarming around the front porch light.
Jane smiled back at him. "Me too. Would you like to come in?"
John hesitiated, then shook his head. "I don't think that's a good idea."
"Oh." She looked down into her purse for her keys, hoping he couldn't see the disappointment on her face. She had thought the date had gone so well. And there was an obvious attraction. At least she thought so.
John touched her elbow and she looked up at him. "I'll call you." He bent and brushed his lips against her cheek before bounding down the steps into the night.
--Chapter End --
Hopefully that leaves the reader wanting to know what his problem is and if he really does call. Which can be address later, but not necessarily the next chapter.
I like to feel for the most logical, natural spot to end a chapter, and end it with a hook -- subtle or otherwise, depending on what's going on -- to keep the reader thinking "I'll stop at the next break, then."
Actually I'd prefer they don't stop at all, and just carry the book to the bathroom with them. Sometimes a cliffhanger works great, so long as it's logical and flows from the ending of one scene to the beginning of the next. Some chapters have to be more subtle, and leave a hint that something's coming up quickly, other times just a tease that leaves them wanting to find out what's coming more strongly than wanting to go eat lunch or walk the dog.
Actually I'd prefer they don't stop at all, and just carry the book to the bathroom with them. Sometimes a cliffhanger works great, so long as it's logical and flows from the ending of one scene to the beginning of the next. Some chapters have to be more subtle, and leave a hint that something's coming up quickly, other times just a tease that leaves them wanting to find out what's coming more strongly than wanting to go eat lunch or walk the dog.
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One thing to remember is that chapters are a somewhat artificial entity. They're not structurally necessary elements of storytelling like acts and scenes and paragraphs are. (Terry Pratchett, in fact, doesn't use chapter breaks in most of his books.)
Instead, focus on scenes. Those should wrap up nicely, with a beginning a middle and an end and escalation of tension within the scene, just like an entire book or act has.
Then, once you've got scenes, you can decide how many you want in a chapter, often related by time or location or subplot. At times, especially if you've got a long scene, you may opt to break a scene into two pieces, part at the end of one chapter and part at the beginning of the next chapter, to create a cliffhanger. But, as noted above, it can get irritating if you do that all the time, so save it for important moments. The end of a scene may naturally be a cliffhanger -- the protagonist has pursued his goal and failed, dismally, and his failure is the end of the scene, but also is a cliffhanger in the sense that the reader is wondering "how is he going to bounce back from this?"
Anyway, I just think that not enough writing instructors/books focus on SCENES and their structure (except perhaps Jack Bickham's book Scene & Structure, and as readers we probably think more in terms of chapters than in scenes. You never hear anyone say "I'll read one more scene before I go to bed," unless she's reading Terry Pratchett, and it's impossible to read just one of his scenes, anyway. So, think about scenes, wrap them up neatly with a worsening of the protagonist's situation, and then break your chapters wherever you think they'll have the best impact on the reader.
JD
Instead, focus on scenes. Those should wrap up nicely, with a beginning a middle and an end and escalation of tension within the scene, just like an entire book or act has.
Then, once you've got scenes, you can decide how many you want in a chapter, often related by time or location or subplot. At times, especially if you've got a long scene, you may opt to break a scene into two pieces, part at the end of one chapter and part at the beginning of the next chapter, to create a cliffhanger. But, as noted above, it can get irritating if you do that all the time, so save it for important moments. The end of a scene may naturally be a cliffhanger -- the protagonist has pursued his goal and failed, dismally, and his failure is the end of the scene, but also is a cliffhanger in the sense that the reader is wondering "how is he going to bounce back from this?"
Anyway, I just think that not enough writing instructors/books focus on SCENES and their structure (except perhaps Jack Bickham's book Scene & Structure, and as readers we probably think more in terms of chapters than in scenes. You never hear anyone say "I'll read one more scene before I go to bed," unless she's reading Terry Pratchett, and it's impossible to read just one of his scenes, anyway. So, think about scenes, wrap them up neatly with a worsening of the protagonist's situation, and then break your chapters wherever you think they'll have the best impact on the reader.
JD
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Either way is fine and a good novel should have both... The idea is to keep the readers reading. Either way, there should be momentum and intrigue so that the readers want to find out what happens to these characters.
Exactly. Make the reader need to get to the next page. If you've reached the end of the chapter, he needs to need to get to the page after that (since the next page is blank. You know).
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Learn to wrap a scene (if that is what's needed) AND put in something to urge the reader to turn the page. The last thing I want is to give a reader any excuse to put the book down!
Cliffhangers tend to work, y'see. Soap operas have been doing it forever, ditto the penny dreadful writers, ditto the TV shows that run a story arc. Anyone who's seen one season of 24 knows that the cliffhanger ending is the way to go to keep 'em coming back for more. Gosh, the series Lost in Space kept me coming back week after week, and I LOVED it.
I have had people write and even phone to cuss me out for keeping them up all night reading my books--followed by praise, and wanting to know when the next one will be out.
However--make dang sure it is a REAL cliffhanger and totally justified in the story.
Readers hate when you fake them out with false suspense. Never cheat them, never waste their time.
They want to like your book or they wouldn't have bought it, give them a chance to love it!
Cliffhangers tend to work, y'see. Soap operas have been doing it forever, ditto the penny dreadful writers, ditto the TV shows that run a story arc. Anyone who's seen one season of 24 knows that the cliffhanger ending is the way to go to keep 'em coming back for more. Gosh, the series Lost in Space kept me coming back week after week, and I LOVED it.
I have had people write and even phone to cuss me out for keeping them up all night reading my books--followed by praise, and wanting to know when the next one will be out.
However--make dang sure it is a REAL cliffhanger and totally justified in the story.
Readers hate when you fake them out with false suspense. Never cheat them, never waste their time.
They want to like your book or they wouldn't have bought it, give them a chance to love it!
JanDarby said:
Am I the only one who finds Pratchett's books almost unreadable because of the way he structures thing, and his lack of chapters?
I think of chapters in much the same way as I think of scenes; that is, arrive late, leave early.
By arriving late, you can avoid some of the meandering, overwritten setup stuff that many of us are guilty of writing and which doesn't really advance the story. And by departing early, you can leave a couple of unanswered questions that give the reader a reason to read on.
But as others have said, if that happens in every chapter it can easily feel contrived, as if the author has studied 'How to Write Mystery - 101' and not much else. Think: The DaVinci Code. So in terms of overall pacing for a balanced and satisfying read, I think it's a good idea to have a mix of cliffhangers and 'wrapped-up' chapters.
By arriving late, you can avoid some of the meandering, overwritten setup stuff that many of us are guilty of writing and which doesn't really advance the story. And by departing early, you can leave a couple of unanswered questions that give the reader a reason to read on.
But as others have said, if that happens in every chapter it can easily feel contrived, as if the author has studied 'How to Write Mystery - 101' and not much else. Think: The DaVinci Code. So in terms of overall pacing for a balanced and satisfying read, I think it's a good idea to have a mix of cliffhangers and 'wrapped-up' chapters.
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I think a combination of both is nice. Cliffhangers are great, as many have already said, to keep the reader wanting to read more, but too many, well you become Dan Brown. Now while I was sort of indifferent to it, I know my father hated that feeling of being manipulated - it still made him read the whole thing, but resentfully.
Southern_girl29 said:
My Emphasis.
I end my chapters when I feel like I've reached the end of the chapter. Someone (I think it was Uncle Jim) once said that if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. So in my particular case, I go with whatever my gut tells me. I end my chapters when they feel like they're done.
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I use a combination of both. I find cliffhangers fun though. I guess because I grew up with Lost in Space.
No.
Jamesaritchie said:
No.
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For the record, I am a huge fan Terry Pratchett fan.
And I hated "Scene and Structure" by Bickham. Formula writing. Ick. However, he made some good points about scene questions and making sure everything in the book pulls toward it's central purpose or "question".
That said, I'm really glad someone started this thread because I was about to. About halfway through my first draft of the book I'm editing right now, I abandoned chapter breaks and just got on with telling the story. Now I need to decide where to introduce chapter breaks. I've been wondering if there was an exact science to this. At every scene break seems excessive. Maybe when there's a major plot change? Anyway, interesting thoughts, all.
And I hated "Scene and Structure" by Bickham. Formula writing. Ick. However, he made some good points about scene questions and making sure everything in the book pulls toward it's central purpose or "question".
That said, I'm really glad someone started this thread because I was about to. About halfway through my first draft of the book I'm editing right now, I abandoned chapter breaks and just got on with telling the story. Now I need to decide where to introduce chapter breaks. I've been wondering if there was an exact science to this. At every scene break seems excessive. Maybe when there's a major plot change? Anyway, interesting thoughts, all.
I've struggled with where to put chapter breaks and have come to the conclusion that what I need to do is write the story first and let it happen where it will. When I come to a place where there's a sizable jump forward in time or a switch to one of my other POV characters, the breaks often suggest themselves.
I do find myself, too, ending with the revelation that the POV's situation is worse than we thought at the start of the chapter, or that s/he's come to a point where s/he has to make a choice between unpleasant options.
I do find myself, too, ending with the revelation that the POV's situation is worse than we thought at the start of the chapter, or that s/he's come to a point where s/he has to make a choice between unpleasant options.
If I get to the end of a chapter and find everything has been tied up neatly, I only have two words to type after that.
"The End"
"The End"
Nope.Jamesaritchie said:
Chapters make a big difference for me. Maybe my little mind just needs the break in the story. For me, chapter endings have a huge impact on the flow of the book.
As far as ending with a cliff hanger or wrapping everything up for that scene, I think both are fine. Like others have said, different parts of the story call for different endings of the chapters, and whatever keeps the interest and flow going is a good thing. As long as the reader wants to keep reading after completing the chapter, then it is a chapter well done.
I agree with Becky. Writing a book consists in answering a series of questions about the book.
The BIG plot question (will they survive, will Tracy Lee ever get pregnant, etc.) probably won't be answered until the end. There's also a plethora of minor questions to plant in the reader's mind. Those questions play a big role in keeping readers reading. If the questions are compelling and presented the right way, the reader will keep reading, however the chapter ends. That's why the beginning paragraph is so important. It should plant a compelling question in the reader's mind, with a few more raised in the first chapter.
The BIG plot question (will they survive, will Tracy Lee ever get pregnant, etc.) probably won't be answered until the end. There's also a plethora of minor questions to plant in the reader's mind. Those questions play a big role in keeping readers reading. If the questions are compelling and presented the right way, the reader will keep reading, however the chapter ends. That's why the beginning paragraph is so important. It should plant a compelling question in the reader's mind, with a few more raised in the first chapter.
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