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- A Graceful Cliffhanger. The cliffhanger is probably the most famous type of chapter ending, but I want to give you a variation on it. Let’s look at this example from Ann Patchett
- Ask a Question. This technique is very simple. Ask a question to end your chapter. What a perfect way to drive the reader to continue! Who doesn’t want to know the answer to a question?
- Create an Arrival. It’s paradoxical, but your endings should be beginnings. In other words, don’t divide your chapters so that the end of the chapter concludes something and something begins in the next chapter.
- Write a Description. Ouch, you say. John, are you serious about ending a chapter with description? That seems so … lackluster. Or you might be thinking it’s boring.
Nov 19, 2021 · Whether you aim to write thrillers, humorous essays, or romance novels, learning how to end a chapter will be a critical step in your journey as an author. In the words of bestselling author James Patterson, “At the end, something has to propel you into the next chapter.”
- What Exactly Are We Trying to Do Here?
- Teasers vs. Cliffhangers vs. Escalations
- Consider Your Genre
- How to End A Chapter: Explore The Possibilities
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Let’s talk about why you need to learn how to end a chapter in the first place. When you write a chapter ending, you have two goals: 1. Create a sense of completion 2. Build tension or raise new questions Now, when I say a chapter ending needs to create a sense of completion, I don’t necessarily mean a resolution. I only mean you want your reader t...
When most people think about how to end a chapter, they think of cliffhangers. Now, I love a good cliffhanger. I love the shock of seeing something wild go down on the page when I am only one paragraph from the end of the chapter. I love feeling like a force beyond my control is turning the page to see what happens next. But the problem with cliffh...
Whatever genre you’ve chosen to write, you need to read a lot of it. As you read it, note how successful authors in your genre end their chapters. This will help you understand what keeps your readers reading. If you write thrillers, you’ll likely find a lot of chapter endings that interrupt or escalate action. The villain is closing in, the protag...
These tips and ideas should give you a solid starting point for crafting chapters that keep your readers hooked. But I’m certain you’ll also discover new ideas and tactics of your own as you write your novel. That’s what I love about using Dabble to draft novels. It’s easy to change chapter breaks if you realize that one ending is stronger than ano...
Learn how to create a sense of completion and build tension or raise new questions at the end of each chapter. Discover sixteen effective ways to end a chapter, from cliffhangers to escalations, and how to tailor them to your genre.
- Abi Wurdeman
- Finish your chapter with a disaster! Because nothing says “impactful” like ending a scene with a catastrophe! Here’s a great example: “The blade slips into my side, my blood spilling onto the sheets, taking my life with it”
- Use a cliff-hanger to end a chapter! Of course, it’s not just a disaster that makes your reader want to turn the page —sometimes a Cliffhanger ending can be just as effective!
- Reveal a crucial piece of information. Another way to make an impact with scene or chapter endings is to use a revelation —to introduce new information to your readers which will make them gasp.
- End a chapter with a quippy internal monologue. All the ways to end a scene I’ve listed so far have been things happening. And there’s nothing wrong with ending a scene or chapter like that —with a big moment.
- Ask a question. You wouldn’t write it so obviously, but: Where have I seen that guy before? Who’s at the door? Why is the phone ringing? Is Sally is the murderer?
- Present a door. Not necessarily a real door–although that would work—will they walk through? But also a metaphorical door: a possibility, or idea, a change or an opportunity.
- Present an obstacle. Uh-oh. The “door” is locked. There’s a blackout. There’s a flat tire. There’s a shadow of a scary person. You’re fired, or hurt or turned away.
- A decision must be made—huge or tiny. When your character has to make a decision, they have to DO something, right? And whatever that is won’t happen until the next chapter.
Apr 20, 2020 · A Chapter Ending is the End of a Mini-Story. Each chapter is a mini-story with a beginning, middle, and end. The secret to creating a chapter ending that prompts the reader to continue is to create a hook. That hook can be emotional, mental, or physical, but it creates curiosity.
Ending a chapter with an unexpected twist, a sudden revelation, or an unresolved situation that leaves readers hanging in suspense is the essence of a good cliffhanger. The key to a successful cliffhanger is to write it in a way that feels organic to your story.
