# Cliff Hangers



## Shouden (Sep 14, 2008)

I am having trouble deciding where to cut the second part of this series I am writing: whether I should leave it where it is, or go ahead and write a little bit more of it. I will post a link to what I have once I finish some minor editing on it.

But, here's a good topic, though. When is it right to use cliff hangers in writing, and what is your opinion of them?


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## M. LeRenard (Sep 14, 2008)

Sort of depends on what you're writing (thrillers would have different rules for cliffhangers than, say, a space opera), but it is generally assumed that you should always put them in a place conducive to making the reader want to continue.  Ends of chapters, for example; if your chapter ends on a tense note, it's going to be harder for the reader to stick in the bookmark and go do laundry, because they'll want to know what happens next.
But this is using the term 'cliff-hanger' in a very loose sense.  What I mean isn't necessarily that Joe is tied up and the bomb is about to go off and then you end the chapter, or whatever.  It could be something as simple as stopping at a tense point in a conversation, or maybe the MC just learns about something that gives him pause, as you like.  The technique is to make certain that you don't end on a _satisfying_ note, because if the reader is satisfied, he'll be able to stop.
I think that's how they should be used, anyhow.  It's just a performance trick.  And in any case, it's not really a cliffhanger if you stick it in the middle of a chapter.  That would be more like a punch in the face in the middle of a boxing match; no one dwells on it for very long because the fight has already gone on.  And if it comes at the end of a book, well... that's unsatisfying in a much more dangerous sense.  That verges on disappointing the reader; every book should be a complete entity, and a cliffhanger would kind of ruin that.

And as the great Forrest Gump once said, "That's all I have to say about that."


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## Shouden (Sep 14, 2008)

right. and I feel that before you stop a story your should have enough story to push it forward. Too short of a ride, and you're just teasing the reader, and readers be put off bye that. I think I will continue the story for a couple more pages before I break off because of these reason. Right now, I have my MC being taken captive be a major villain just shortly after she starts her mission. Ending it there I feel would be far too soon. Best way to see if it is enough story to break off, you should read the story from the previous major scene change or major point and read it - and read it as a reader not as a writer - and see if how you feel about the way it ends. But a rule of thumb would be: don't start and end a mission at the beginning of it.


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## ScottyDM (Sep 15, 2008)

There's a fellow over at Critique Circle who would start a new scene at the end of each chapter, get about a page into the scene, then break for the chapter. He'd continue the scene in the next chapter. Chapters seemed to be around 3,000 to 4,000 words each. This created a nice cliff hanger at the end of each chapter, but I thought it seemed a bit artificial. Wasn't bad though. BTW, I define a scene in prose as a piece of the story that contains a continuous span of time and location (no jumps in either) and sticks with a single point-of-view (if you're writing limited POV).

I noticed that in _The Deathly Hallows_ Rowling had really long chapters and each was about some event or something that Harry and allies needed to accomplish. The heroes start off the chapter with some goal in mind and by the end they've either accomplished it, or they've realized they need to accomplish some other goal first. So unlike that CC writer, Rowling made each chapter a self contained story. What drove the novel forward was the multi-layered plot. Sure, the characters may have accomplished _this_ goal, but the main problem still remains. In fact the whole Harry Potter series was built on layers of stories and goals. The whole series had an overarching goal, each book had a goal, and each chapter had a goal. Each of these units had a beginning, middle, and end. Each was a complete story. 

Another way to accomplish maintaining tension is to use a multi-threaded plot. Introduce some issue (e.g. hero's sister is kidnapped) and end the chapter (your cliff hanger). Then in the next chapter introduce a new plot thread and end that chapter on a cliff hanger too. With the chapter after that you can get back to the kidnapping thread. You probably don't want to let a plot thread get too cold unless it's minor, or the readers may become frustrated.

At the end of your novel you should have wrapped up all the major issues, but it's fine to leave a few minor issues dangle. Novels are not real life, only a simulation. However, you don't want to make your novel seem too artificial by neatly wrapping up every plot thread.

Another way to build and maintain tension is to use one of the limited POV writing styles. Literary authors (the "Literary" genre) use omniscient unlimited because they typically want to show every aspect of the story under a microscope--including the innermost thoughts of each character in minute detail (Literary drives me nuts, but some relish it). Jane Austen did it, but that was long ago and most modern writing styles avoid omni-unlimited. I've noticed beginners give us the thoughts, or at least the emotional states, of every character in a scene--but that's because they don't know any better. Limiting POV to a single character per scene maintains tension, and that can create a sort of cliff hanger without having to write a cliff hanger. For example the heroine is captured by the villain, but if you're in her POV she has no idea what's going to happen next unless the villain tells her. If you keep the reader only in the heroine's head during this scene (or group of scenes) the reader doesn't know either so they turn the page to find out.

So to summarize:
Multiple goals means you can wrap up a chapter by accomplishing a minor goal, but still leave the major goal for the end of the book.
Multiple plot threads means you can jump between threads and maintain tension throughout a chapter by not getting back to the thread in that chapter.
Limiting POV to a single character per scene helps maintain tension because you don't tell the reader all that each character is thinking.
Taking a chapter break in the middle of a scene helps propel the reader into the next scene.

Scotty


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## Shouden (Sep 15, 2008)

good, points Scotty.

Well, I have finished the chapter of the series and posted the first draft on FA. here's the link.

I think I like where I broke off here better than where I was. I like to use the First person POV because it lets me play my character and get to explore the world through their eyes. My new break off point leaves the story with some tension and still leaves the reader wondering how my antagonist is going to escape her situation.

by the way, the weaving plot lines can be irritating at times, but it is a good device to use at times, usually that is more effect like this:

Plot A Begins

Plot  B Begins

Plot A advances

Plot B advances

Plot A continues some more

Plot B Moves forward

Plot A resolves

Plot B Resolves.


Jumping back and forth between plots can make the pull the character along pretty well sometimes, just use maybe a couple sentence or paragraph per plot advance. Rolling  such high tension events across long  chapters will get old fast.

Anyways. I hope my story can provide a good example of a descent cliffhanger.


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