Welcome readers, writers, authors,
and bloggers!
We're glad you're here! It's the
First Wednesday of the month; when we celebrate IWSG Day in
the form of a blog hop featuring members and guests of the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Founded by author Alex
Cavanaugh (Thank you, Captain!) and
fostered by like-minded associates, IWSG is a comfortable place to share views
and literary news as we record our journeys. Check out the December newsletter here.
The awesome co-hosts for this month’s posting
of the IWSG are: Ronel, Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine!
Today’s
entirely optional question: Do
you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer or a
reader?
Happy holidays, everyone! Tis the season to be
sneezin’. I’ve had such a time with that particular subject (Covid and
underlying respiratory issues) of late that I was shocked and dismayed to
realize I almost missed this post completely!
So, without further ado, and hopefully not a
lot of brain fog, I’ll attempt to answer this month’s question. It’s a good
one, by the way.
On the subject of cliffhangers, these carefully crafted plot devices can go a long way toward keeping your readers engaged – you know, without strapping the book to their hands. As a reader, I’m drawn to foreshadowing, subtle hints that suggest there’s something on the horizon, events yet to happen.
As for the writer, while you want to keep the
carrot dangling by delaying resolutions, you also want to avoid being accused
of leaving plot holes. A logical fix for this is accomplished by eventually resolving
your cliffhangers.
One of my all-time favorite (literary) cliffhangers is Arthur Conan Doyle’s “The Final Problem,” where Sherlock Holmes and his arch-nemesis Professor Moriarty engage in a struggle at Reichenbach Falls, which leads to the apparent plunge to their untimely deaths. Years later,
the resolution came when Holmes shows up in “The Adventure of the Empty House”
In one of the earliest recorded literary cliffhangers, “One Thousand and One Nights” (anonymous), King Shehayar orders the hanging of his wife, Queen Sheherazade. In order to delay her own demise, she tells the King
cliffhanger stories every night to keep him interested ;-)
“Transitions are critically important. I
want the reader to turn the page without thinking she’s turning the page. It
must flow seamlessly.” ~ Janet Evanovich
I know a lot of people with respiratory illnesses. I hope you feel better soon. I like how you describe the benefits of cliffhangers. When they're used in a series in a genre like fantasy, I'm okay with a book ending with one.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Natalie! I like to think of them not so much as cliffhangers, but as page-turners:-)
DeleteYeah, even a common cold can become a problem with COPD. :-( I just try to make the best of it.
Merry Christmas, Natalie!
Avoid leaving plot holes - good advice!
ReplyDeleteFunny how something we try so hard not to do is still the easiest mistake we can make ;-)
DeleteI don't love cliff hangers, unless I can read the book or watch the next movie right after. I learned this back when Twilight was popular haha
ReplyDeleteI hear ya. And when, by the time the series returns, the kids have a grown and gone to college (eyeroll). Happy Holidays!
DeleteHope you get well soon! I like your description of the use of cliffhangers.
ReplyDeleteRonel visiting for IWSG day Over and Done With. An Author’s Year in Review 2024
Thank you, Ronel ;-) Times like these are when I really appreciate the good old Arizona sunshine ;-)
DeleteHope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Hope you continue to feel better. Love the cliffhanger history,
ReplyDeleteThanks, Liza. I'm glad you enjoyed. Happy holidays!
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI hope you're getting better. I've been fighting a serious cold with stuffy head and bad cough. So I know how you feel.
I saw the film with Sherlock Holmes when he returns on YouTube and I thought it was cool.
Have a very Merry Christmas and thank you for dropping by my blog.
Shalom shalom
I hope you feel better soon, diedre! I'm not a huge fan of cliffhangers, unless there's a follow-up at some point. And it sure is annoying when you have to wait years for it.
ReplyDeleteAnonymously Esther O'Neill, East of the Sun, IWSG, still without a signal, not surprised Google finds this hard to believe.
ReplyDeleteSneezing, 24 7 coughing likewise, , streaming eyes, earaches, and this is just a cold ? Sadly, it means we can't see my husband's sister, because she has CP - cerebral palsy - just after her birthday, just before Chritsmas.