Guest Post: 10 Cliffhangers that Make Readers Turn the Page

10 Cliffhangers That Make Readers Turn The Page

 by Amanda Patterson

We have put together 10 cliffhangers you can use in your writing to get readers to turn the page.

Have you read a book you feel compelled to carry on reading? You know the kind of book I’m talking about – a gripping read. You read it past your bedtime and during your lunch breaks. You read it because you want to not only know what happens next, but you also wonder what is really going on.

Chances are the author is using a series of cliffhangers to keep you interested.

What Is A Cliffhanger?

According to Oxford Dictionaries it is ‘a dramatic and exciting ending to an episode of a serial, leaving the audience in suspense and anxious not to miss the next episode’.

The term itself originated with a Thomas Hardy serial when one of his protagonists, Henry Knight, was left hanging off a cliff.

Writers use cliffhangers as a literary device at the end of scenes, chapters, and books. These end without the questions raised being resolved. The reader has to carry on reading to find out what happens.

The History Of Cliffhangers

One of the most famous examples of using cliffhangers can be found in One Thousand and One Nights. Scheherazade tells a series of stories to the king for 1,001 nights, ending each on a cliffhanger, to save herself from execution.

They were also an important element of Victorian serial novels, including those by Charles Dickens, a pioneer of the serial publication of narrative fiction.

Television series are notorious for ending seasons on major cliffhangers. The most famous example was the ‘Who Shot JR Ewing?’ ending in Dallas.

Today

Modern writers are using this device more often because readers can easily be tempted away from books. Instead of ending each scene satisfactorily, it has become quite commonly used to prolong suspense.

Cliffhangers are great for pacing. They are the clickbait that get the reader to turn the page. James Patterson has used this technique successfully using short chapters that end without major resolutions.

10 Cliffhangers That Make Readers Turn The Page

1. An Unanswered Question

This is the most common cliffhanger. Ask a provocative question or make sure that the one that started the scene is still unanswered.

2. A Loss

The loss can be physical or emotional. It can be a tangible thing or a relationship, but try to make it something that the protagonist thinks he or she can’t do without.

3. Dangle A Carrot

Show the character – protagonist or antagonist – that something he or she wants desperately is there, but out of reach.

4. A Glimmer Of Hope

A pronouncement is made that something something that is needed, new, different, or exciting will happen soon.

5. A Physical Threat

Put the character, or somebody that he or she loves (love interest) in immediate danger. If you have created empathy between your readers and your character, they have to carry on reading.

6. A Sense Of Foreboding

Use foreshadowing and body language. Use signs and symbols. Let your characters know that they will be going off into a dangerous place or a risky situation.

7. A Ticking Clock

End with a sense of urgency. A deadline has to be met.

8. An Accident

This can be a physical accident or a slip of the tongue. Set off an alarm. Reveal a secret. Break a leg.

9. Unexpected News

This includes any important information, or even a person, that shows up unexpectedly. End a scene with the protagonist receiving devastating news

10. An Unmade Decision

A character has a decision that needs to be made.

TOP TIP: If you want to learn how to write a book, sign up for our online course.

 by Amanda Patterson

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I hope you enjoyed this guest post by Amanda Patterson. She's a great writing mentor! Do you know of other "cliffhangers?" Please comment and share this post by clicking on the small icons below. Be blessed and keep writing!

Don't miss my next blog where I am going to share some cliffhangers I devised in my coming novel, Marisol, being released November 12.

Elva Martin

Elva Cobb Martin is Vice President of the SC Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com, Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin  
 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon: http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI 

Coming Nov. 12, 2019  Marisol  Book 1 in Charleston Brides
          https://amzn.to/33Npc2L

32 Ways to Write About Fear -Guest Post

Guest Blog by  Amanda Patterson

32 Ways To Write About Fear

How do we write about fear in an authentic way?

Fear is a vital response for human beings. If we didn’t feel fear, we couldn’t protect ourselves from threats. Our bodies and brains are wired to treat threats as life-threatening. This triggers an extreme fight-flight-or-freeze response.

Our fears are not solely dependent on instinctive responses. They are also shaped by our societies and cultures, which teach people when to fear and how much to fear.

Sometimes, our fear is unnecessary and we avoid doing things that could be beneficial to us. Sometimes, facing danger can result in lingering  responses that trigger us to act in a certain way, even when the risk is gone.

The same is true for the characters we create. When we write about fearful characters, we should remember to write about them in a realistic way.

Here are 32 things to consider when you write about fear:

A)  Physical Reactions

When we are afraid, we have these reactions:

1. An accelerated breathing rate
2. An accelerated heart rate
3. Increased muscle tension
4. Goose bumps
5. Sweating
6. Increased blood glucose
7. Increased white blood cells
8. Sleep disturbances
9. Butterflies in the stomach
10. Difficulty concentrating
11. Difficulty swallowing
12. Dizziness

All of these responses help us to survive by either running away or fighting. Use these physical reactions to show your character is afraid.

B)  Body Language

In your body language, signs of fear include:

1. Hunching shoulders
2. Shrinking away
3. Open mouth
4. Wide eyes
5. Shaking
6. Trembling
7. Freezing
8. Wrapping arms around oneself
9. Shaking hands
10. Rocking from side to side

C)  Rational Or Irrational?

1. Fear is rational. It is a reasonable response to danger.
2. Phobias are irrational. They are persistent, irrational fears of a specific object, activity, or situation that leads to a compelling desire to avoid it. Read: Writing About Characters With Phobias

D)   Ways to create conflict

There are three classic ways people respond to fear. They fight, flee, or freeze. Use these responses to create suspense in your book.

1. Fight – choose when your characters would reasonably stay to confront the danger.
2. Flight – choose when your character would reasonably choose to run away.
3. Freeze – choose when your character would realistically become paralyzed with fear.

Use these three responses at different times to show different aspects of your character. Use them when they suit your plot.

E)  The Importance of Fear in Plotting

As a writer, you can use fear to move the plot forward in many ways:

1. You can create a fearful situation to move a plot forward.
2. You can literally change the setting by making characters move to avoid a threat.
3. You can increase or decrease the pace of a story by introducing a threat.
4. You can show another facet of the character in the way he or she reacts to fear.
5. You can use it to show growth. Characters can look at the way fear made them act and change their behaviour.

Top Tip: If you want to learn how to write a book, join our Writers Write course in Johannesburg or sign up for our online course.

 by Amanda Patterson

© Amanda Patterson

                                                       ***

Thanks for stopping by. Did you enjoy this guest post by great writing teacher Amanda Patterson? Do you have a comment about writing fear to add? Please share by clicking on the small icons below.

Blessings,

Elva Martin

Elva Cobb Martin is vice-president of the South Carolina Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a former school teacher and a graduate of Anderson University and Erskine College. She has two inspirational novels published with Lighthouse Publishers of the Carolinas. Summer of Deception, a contemporary romantic suspense, and an historical romance, In a Pirate’s Debt. Both have spent time on Amazon’s 100 Best Sellers List for Women’s Religious Fiction. She has indie published a Bible study on Amazon, Power Over Satan, on the  believer's authority in Christ. Decision, Charisma, and Home Life have carried Elva's articles. She and her husband Dwayne are semi-retired ministers. A mother and grandmother, Elva lives in South Carolina. Connect with her on her web site http://www.elvamartin.com,on Twitter www.twitter.com/ElvaCobbMartin; Facebook http://www.facebook.com/elvacobbmartin;  and Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/elvacobbmartin    

 Link to her romance novels and non-fiction works on Amazon:http://amzn.to/2pOgVHI

17 Screenwriting Scenes to Use in Your Novel

by Guest blogger Amanda Patterson

Hope you enjoy the following guest blog. I certainly did. --Elva Martin

17 Screenwriting Scenes To Use In Your Novel

I found this list of the 17 most common scenes found in screenplays on The Script Lab and it got me thinking that authors can, and do, use all of these when writing novels. When we write books, we tell a story in scenes (action) and sequels (reaction). I divided the screenplay scenes, with their given definitions, into these two groups.

Although you are not writing a screenplay, these 17 scenes may give you more ideas for creating conflict, and, for making peace, in your plotting.

Scenes: This is where your characters act. They mostly plan, seduce, argue, escape, search, meet, talk, pursue and investigate in scenes. Scenes take up about 70% of your novel. 

1. Preparation - What will it take to prepare for the task at hand?
2. Revelation - The reader/audience finds out something important.
3. Investigation - Gathering information.
4. Recognition - The character finds out something important.
5. The Gift - Using a prop with emotional investment and turning it into a weapon, emotional or otherwise.
6. Escape - The character is trying to get away, avoid, or hide.
7. Pursuit - The character is trying to follow, capture, or secure.
8. Seduction - Someone must convince someone else.
9. Opposites - Two characters from seemingly opposite poles are forced together.
10. Unexpected Visitor - Someone unexpected shows up. Problems arise.
11. Reversal of Expectations - A character expects a certain, very clear outcome, but another character surprises him, influencing him to reverse his intention and do something else - practically the opposite of what he planned to do.

Sequels: This is where your characters react. They think, reflect, process, rest, accept, and make peace in sequels. Sequels are also used to establish setting, reveal backstory, and show theme. 

1. Setting - Where are we?
2. Atmosphere/Mood - What is it like there?
3. Introduction - Who is it we are dealing with here?
4. Exposition - Necessary information through telling. Quick and brief.
5. Transition - Getting from one place to another. Fast.
6. Aftermath - How does the character feel about what just happened? 

I hope these scene ideas inspire you when you write your book.

If you want to learn how to write a book, join our Writers Write course in Johannesburg. 

 by Amanda Patterson. Follow her on Pinterest, Facebook,  Google+,  Tumblr  and Twitter. 

If you enjoyed this post, read:

• The 16 Top-Earning Authors - 2015
• Make Me Care - Nine Ways To Ensure An Unforgettable Read
• Social Media 101 Series      

Hope you'll comment if you enjoyed this guest blog and share on Twitter and FB.

Elva Cobb Martin 

5 Good Reasons to Outline Your Novel - Guest blog

Guest blog by Amanda Patterson

Outlining isn't a necessity, but there are so many advantages to it that even die-hard 'pantsters' should think twice about rejecting it. I have taught hundreds of people to write and 90% of those authors who finish writing their books have used an outline of some sort. Most of the authors I’ve interviewed also use outlines.

Outlines can be: 50-page detailed plans; a simple series of index cards with a list of characters, major scenes, and sequels; structured timelines; a series of character questionnaires showing development, motivations,flaws and strengths; story maps; or one-page synopses. Outlining does not mean that you have to put in every detail. (Note: There are some outliners who do include everything.) It does mean that you have a map to help you navigate and finish a first draft. 

Some authors have plotted their stories for decades in their heads, making notes in journals. As George RR Martin, creator of A Song of Fire and Ice says: 

All the major things have been planned since the beginning, since the early 90s, the major deaths and the general direction of things. Obviously, the details and the minor things have been things that I've discovered along the way, part of the fun of writing the books is making these discoveries along the journey. But the general structure of the books has been in my head all along. 

Source for Outlining Methods

Here are five advantages tor outlining your novel before you start: 

1. There is very little chance of writer’s block. Getting stuck in a rut or losing the plot are the most common reasons people join our course. They have tried the ‘pantser’ method and failed. None of these writers have outlined or worried about whether they have a plot that is strong enough to see them through. Once they join Writers Write, and work out that they need a plan, they are much happier and mostly more successful. If you get stuck, you simply look at the outline and move on.
2. You reduce the number of rewrites and edits. Outlining is similar, in many ways, to a first draft. If you spend time planning the book, you will have already written at least one rough draft before you start on the manuscript. You will also be able to write more quickly because you have a plan. The freedom of having an outline allows you to be more creative when you’re writing scenes. You can use your writing skills to craft the story instead of frantically trying to think about what happens next.
3. You spot problem areas before you begin. It is easy to write yourself and your characters into impossible situations. It might be fun, but you may have to scrap an entire book and begin again if you can’t write yourself out of it.
4. It improves creativity. By thinking everything through and planning your story you’re stimulating the creative process. Even if you write the first draft without referring to your outline, you will have a head start with your story. You will also be able to thread ideas through the story and to foreshadow more effectively. You can’t foreshadow if you don’t know what is going to happen next.
5. You can develop compelling characters with clear story goals. This allows you to imagine how your character will develop over the course of the story. Because you know what happens, his or her arc will never be out of step with the rest of the manuscript. 

What do you have to lose by outlining? Very little. In more than 10 years of teaching, I have never had students say that it has made their writing worse. Most of them are grateful that they do not have to waste more time on books that fall flat. 

If you want to learn how to write a book, join our Writers Write course in Johannesburg. Email  news@writerswrite.co.za for more information.

 by Amanda Patterson. 

If you enjoyed this post, read 

1. Six Sub-Plots That Add Style To Your Story 
2. Five guaranteed ways to bore your reader
3. The Author’s Promise - two things every writer should do
4. What is the difference between a commercial and a literary plot?
5. The Top 10 Tips for Plotting and Finishing a Book

Amanda is the founder of Writers Write. Follow her on  Pinterest,  Facebook,  Google+,  Tumblr  and  Twitter.  

Hope you enjoyed this great post by Writing Instructor Amanda Patterson.

Thanks for stopping by. Do you outline a novel? Why or why not?

Join the conversation and share this blog if it helped you.

Elva Cobb Martin

45 Ways to Avoid Using the Word "Very" --Guest Post

Guest Post by Amanda Patterson

Have you had to work at eliminating the word "very" in your writing? I have and this chart by Amanda Patterson has been a godsend.  Print it out. It's a keeper, especially during the editing process.

Amanda Patterson has a great blog you can follow at Posthaven Posts or email her at  news@writerswrite.co.za

Do leave a comment if you find this post helpful and share on twitter and facebook.

Hope you are blessed anew in this Resurrection week!

Elva Cobb Martin