Toss me a line, someone! Don’t leave me hanging after I’ve invested my time and money. Don’t leave me stranded at the end of your story. If you do, you can be sure I won’t bother to grab the following work . . . because you’ve lost my trust.
Our December question is about the gift you get but aren’t allowed to fully enjoy because the most important part is missing:
Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turnoff to you as a writer and/or a reader?
Would you take a wild ride in your car when there is no destination? Would you pay for a haircut that’s half finished? Think of those TV series in which you invest your time and your heart . . . only to have it cancelled without the final episode. Noooooo! We don’t like to be denied the payoff! Give us closure!
The exception is a series with an overarching mystery/plot – as long as the individual episodes have a satisfying ending. I’m impatient. I don’t like to be teased. If you dangle story threads then don’t tie them up in a pretty (or even an ugly) bow . . . eventually, I won’t read you again.
Sometimes, circumstances are out of your control, i.e. your line folds, your contract is cancelled, or (god forbid!) the joy of writing escapes you. Deliver what you promise with that glossy cover, that tantalizing blurb, that breath-suspending back cover copy that teases of more to come. Don’t leave your characters falling off a cliff along with our hopes and anticipation of answers/resolutions. Just don’t without forewarning. If there is no conclusion at the end of the book, let the reader know right up front that it will come in later installments, then allow the buyer to decide if they want to invest their money and time.
It may not be Happily Ever After forever in that first book, but for happy readers, give them the gratification of ‘for now,’ at least.
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aim for a dozen new people each time. The awesome co-hosts for the December 4th posting of the IWSG will be are Ronel, Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine!
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Twitter hashtag is #IWSG
The half hair cut had me laughing. Writers should indeed deliver what their glossy cover poromises. I'm impatient with cliffhangers too!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind a good cliffhanger if I love the book and look forward to the next installment, hoping it comes sooner than later. Have a Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteWell said!
ReplyDeleteI have a series I was watching and it got cancelled after the latest season ended on a big cliffhanger. Now I'll never know!!!
A lot of people feel like you and don't like cliffhangers. I think they're okay in certain genres like fantasy and mystery.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI couldn't have said it better! I don't like Cliffhangers.
Have a Merry. Christmas.
Shalom shalom
100% agree with all of this. You can tease me all through the book, but there'd better be a good payoff at the end.
ReplyDeleteYes! You said it best, and I can't agree more.
ReplyDeleteOoh, yes, a series with an overarching mystery can be fun!
ReplyDelete--Deniz (Google won't let me log in!)
For books series, I expect some cliffhangers but now that most books are series, it's a bit of a challenge to find books that aren't. But I do prefer to read finished series so that I wouldn't have to wait for the end.
ReplyDeleteI see how some readers hate cliffhangers so much that if books have a notice that it has a cliffhanger, I'm thinking people are less likely to start the book and authors suffer. I guess if a reader really love the story/characters, they wouldn't mind cliffhangers.
Have a lovely day.