too many Cliffhangers good, bad or neutral?

[Fyle]

So... before my question, I need to briefly describe my novel's style.

There are many characters I would consider main characters; similar to A Song of Ice and Fire where my novel has it's mains (like Jon/Dany and Tyrion) but, there are others who get quite a bit of attention and page time like Jamie/Cersei or Theon. So, if you follow so far my question is this:

I am nearing the end of the novel, I plan to end someplace in the next 5 to 10 chapters. One of these stories ends in a perfect full circle and I couldn’t be happier. However, for the rest... and there are quite a few, let’s say at least four. They end in cliffhangers. Since I plan to write a second book, this is no issue for me as a writer (it makes it easy, I will know right where to start and just jump in on book 2) but my thought is that it may annoy readers.

If someone had read it in full, I have confidence that the finale is solid and satisfying, but they may feel jipped with all the cliffhanger endings?

Does anyone feel a novel ending on a cliffhanger or multiple cliffhangers can be a double edge sword?

One one hand, yes, maybe it will be enough for them to read the second book.

On the other, it may feel like a tactic to get the reader to read the next book.

Just one thing I was thinking about when I realised I will be ending with quite a few cliffhangers.

to be continued...

 

[PlotHolio]

The amount doesn't matter as long as the cliffhangers themselves are well constructed and thought out.

 

[Fyle]

The amount doesn't matter as long as the cliffhangers themselves are well constructed and thought out.

Ya, that's what I was thinking. Just figured I'd ask and try to start a thread on something. And yes, they are in my opinion well constructed and built up, not just "I know! I'll end this character on a cliffhanger!"

thanks!

 

[skip.knox]

Too many cliffhangers are bad. By definition. They are "too many". OTOH, "just the right number of cliffhangers" is by definition a good thing.

Then again, what's a cliffhanger? Leaving a plot thread unresolved is not the same thing as a cliffhanger. Ending with your character hanging from a cliff, that's a cliffhanger. Somewhere in between we cross from the one to the other, but I bet that varies from one reader to another (a safe bet, since *everything* varies from one reader to another).

To put it another way, I'm not really sure what's being asked here.

 

[Fyle]

To put it another way, I'm not really sure what's being asked here.

I can make it even more clear then. I have 5 main story lines and 4 of them end unresolved.

For example:

A character the reader has grown attached to faces a possible death penatly due to events thoughtout the novel.

Another leaves off drowning (put simply)

Another ends off just before he gets to the point of where his "quest" is supposed to end.

Another ends up idle, but, unresovled.

Another wraps up nicely and answers many questions.

So, I was thinking, hmmm, am I leaving a bit too much unresovled? Will wrapping another up storyline help give the reader a better idea of my storytelling abilities? Or should I hope the reader wants to know what happens in book 2 based on the strength of the cliffhangers?

 

[Butterfly]

I feel 4/5 unresolved threads\cliffhangers is a couple too many, for my preferences. 2/5 even 3/5 would keep me happier, but it's your book....

If you're having difficulty resolving each character's arc within one book (I've had this issue) have you thought of pulling out one or two POVs and concentrating on their stories in the second book? In effect, vollume two would then run parellel to the events of the first book and you can focus on concluding the arcs of those other three characters within one book. It's just another way of structuring your story (if it's a viable solution and if your story allows for such a split) and should give you enough material for a further book.

This is what I ended up doing. It has caused a few issues I still need to sort through. The main one was consistency between the interactions of two characters between the end of book one and beginning of book two. It's where several characters are about to go seperate ways and where one is finished with completely. They will come back later, in book three, but for now those main three characters have done what they need to do. I do, however, need to move them apart sooner to resolve their goodbyes in book one. The other major issue was unpicking the threads of the now absent characters of book one.

For mine, I feel it wokrs better as two books rather than one. At least this way I can resolve all I need to without resorting to cliffhangers. There are still questions unresolved which will be answered later and for now I feel I'm on the right track and it works in structuring it this way.

 

[Fyle]

Thank you very much butterfly.

There is no plot issues or story arch issues, it's more of an issue of how long do I want the book to be and how many chapters do I want to end up with. This may sound silly but... I would like to end with a round number "50", "60" etc.

But I think you are right ... 4/5 seems a bit much. I was thinking of leaving some resolved and concluded but left open ended leaving the reader to say "ok, so, finally we solved this but... there is still fill in the blank." Based on your advice i think something like 3/5 sounds more like the sweet spot ...

 

[Penpilot]

There are some readers like me who don't really like cliffhangers in their purest form. I prefer some sort of satisfying ending with opportunity to continue the story. Cliffhangers are the reason why some people don't buy/read a series until all the books are out. There are too many series that don't get completed and it's an emotional kick in the stomach when you never get to find out what happens.

In my biased opinion, you should make sure at the end of the first book you have some sort of satisfying end point for your major characters. The minor ones you can leave vague.

But if you must cliffhanger, you should probably give the reader fair warning before they even buy the book. If the cover says something like "First in a new series" "Book 1 of 12" etc. they will be warned fairly that the book may cliffhanger. If they haven't been warned that the book probably isn't a standa-alone and the book ends without a satisfying resolution, they'll feel like they've been tricked. And if there's one sure way to lose a reader, it's to make them think you as the author have tricked them into buying their book, and are in a way blackmailing them into buying the second if they ever want to find out the ending.



Game of Thrones spoilers ahead for first book. Do not read ahead if you do not want to be spoiled.



If you look at Game of Thrones, Martin ended the first book with Rob victorious and there was almost a feeling of things are going to be all right. Of course they weren't, but it was a satisfying ending. And if there wasn't a book 2 people like me would have been more or less OK with it.

 

[Fyle]

Penpilot, I knew there were readers like you, which is why I made this post. I just don't know how many.

The storyline that gets tied up is in fact the most important and is the storyline that the book is named after. I also think the ending is satisfying. That post helps give me a point of view I have not seen in a reply yet, thanks. Good one.

 

[Trick]

Are you published? I am not but I am asking because of advice received while breaking into this inky world. An editor's assistant read my synopsis. The book itself is shelved while I try to better myself but the synopsis came out rather well. The four main characters' stories are resolved and even end happy but the epilogue was a different matter (I'd probably just make it the last chapter now, since it was such a cliffhanger.) The villain, thrown out to sea in a burst of righteous magical fury and assumed dead, climbs aboard a ship and subverts the sailors minds, heading back to the hero's homeland for round two. The editors assistant at Random House told me that ending my book with a cliffhanger like that was too obvious for a first book. Editors would want me to cut it in case my book didn't sell well. She said that I should write it as one book and inform my future editor that I have a series in mind so it would be easier to push and then, if it became successful, I could begin the next book with the villain surviving.

Basically, publishers don't like to buy a whole series from an untested author. They like to buy one book and then base future contracts off of its success. I'm sure this isn't true in every case but it's worth thinking about. If you are not already published (even in the smaller arenas; short stories in magazines, etc.) All those cliffhangers might make selling your book quite difficult.

OTOH, if you plan to self publish and market your book well, I'd think well crafted cliffhangers would be a boon. You'd have a kind of deadline for the next one though, since readers would be expectantly awaiting it and complaining if it takes a long time. Of course, that's the opposite of a problem. It's what we all want right?

 

[Fyle]

Okay .... I guess I can keep one lol...

Trick, I think that is a very good point. I was thinking that as well. "If" a company did take a risk, they would see how one book sells first. I guess resolved but questions left unanswered is a good way to go.

The book will just belonged than. Which I am fine with. I would like to come at about 650-700 pages, not short, but not that long either.