# What are your thoughts on cliffhanger endings and sequels?



## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

I don't mind them, personally. I had to do that with my latest novel. I didn't originally intend to write it that way, but, I was forced to split it in two due to the manuscript being too long. There was no way I could tell the story in less than 150k words, so, I chopped the first book down to 85k, ended it on a cliffhanger, and am going to release the rest as a sequel.

Anyone here have any experience with that?


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## Just Browsing (Sep 26, 2012)

I know I hate them as a reader. I've never tried one as a writer, though. I don't mind a continuing story arc, but am not fond of a cliffhanger ending for a whole novel. But maybe that's just me.


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## Lionel&#039;s Mom (Aug 22, 2013)

I don't mind them personally either, in fact I kind of like them. My book ends with a cliffhanger and I did it gleefully and on purpose, then found out some people HATE them, via some of my reviews.

My sequel is going to necessarily have a cliffhanger as well. I admire people who can do series books that can also stand alone. I can't seem to do it yet.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

cassidycayman said:


> I don't mind them personally either, in fact I kind of like them. My book ends with a cliffhanger and I did it gleefully and on purpose, then found out some people HATE them, via some of my reviews.
> 
> My sequel is going to necessarily have a cliffhanger as well. I admire people who can do series books that can also stand alone. I can't seem to do it yet.


Ha, yeah, I've learned some readers hate them as well. Can't please everyone though!


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## LectorsBooks (Apr 30, 2013)

As a reader, I kind of hate them, but sometimes the story just calls for them. If EVERY book in a series had one, I would probably stop reading the series.


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## Don J (Nov 7, 2013)

I really don't like when a series starts with one, but it doesn't bother me so much when it's several books in - at least, not so long as I don't have to wait 5 years to read the next entry.


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## Quiss (Aug 21, 2012)

Hate it with a passion. If you're going to write a story, write it to the end and don't make me buy another book to find out what happens.
UNLESS it's clearly stated that this is a two-part story. At least then I know to expect that and can make my purchasing choice accordingly.

I'm not worries about minor threads left hanging that get picked up in the next story, such as character relationships or arches, but PLEASE complete the story line.


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## Avis Black (Jun 12, 2012)

As a reader, I don't mind as long as the entire work is available.  If you release the next book a year or so later, you run the risk of your readers losing interest in your writing.


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## Adrian Howell (Feb 24, 2013)

I'm kind of mixed on this. As a general principle, I hate them, both as a reader and a writer.
Even in what is clearly marked as a series from the start, every novel should have its own proper conclusion.

That said, I ended on a semi-cliffhanger in my fourth book of my five-book series. I figured this could be forgiven because A. I released book five within days of book four, and B. any reader who had already followed my story through four full-length novels would probably see it to its bitter end regardless.


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## Sarma (Oct 11, 2013)

Is 150K really that long for a novel nowadays? It wouldn't be for me, I feel a little shortchanged at anything less than 100K. Are you sure you have to split it?

And what is a cliffhanger, really? I'm writing a series myself right now, and though I feel that I complete a story arc in the first book (the character sets out on a journey and the journey ends at the end of the story) but there are a lot of unanswered questions and the main story arc obviously isn't resolved, or there wouldn't be a sequel(s). The ending doesn't have an edge of your seat feel to it, so I was hoping to avoid the "I hate cliffhangers!" stigma by clearly stating that it is the first in a series.


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## Adrian Howell (Feb 24, 2013)

Sarma said:


> And what is a cliffhanger, really? I'm writing a series myself right now, and though I feel that I complete a story arc in the first book (the character sets out on a journey and the journey ends at the end of the story) but there are a lot of unanswered questions and the main story arc obviously isn't resolved, or there wouldn't be a sequel(s). The ending doesn't have an edge of your seat feel to it, so I was hoping to avoid the "I hate cliffhangers!" stigma by clearly stating that it is the first in a series.


Unanswered questions don't constitute a cliffhanger, at least to me. None of the Harry Potter books end on a cliffhanger, though each ends with the anticipation of the next book. Rather, a cliffhanger ending is where the primary conflict of the individual novel (as opposed to the larger story arc of the series) is not resolved one way or another.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

JVRoberts said:


> I don't mind them, personally. I had to do that with my latest novel. I didn't originally intend to write it that way, but, I was forced to split it in two due to the manuscript being too long. There was no way I could tell the story in less than 150k words, so, I chopped the first book down to 85k, ended it on a cliffhanger, and am going to release the rest as a sequel.
> 
> Anyone here have any experience with that?


I won't be buying your book because it is not a book but a way to just make more money. Give me a full story. Now if you want to carry the characters over to another book that is fine but if after reading 85K there is no ending, you will be put in my never bother with this author again box because he justs wants money and doesn't care about the reader.
A sequel means a continuation of characters not the same story. That would be a serial and 85K is way too long for a serial. That would be a major waste of my time and there are too many full novels out there to waste my time.


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## Zoe Cannon (Sep 2, 2012)

I don't mind them as a reader. Actually, I kind of like them, because it makes it easy to get into the next book.

...As long as the author releases the next book, that is. I read the first book in a series recently that left a lot of major questions unresolved, and the author (from what I could tell) isn't even sure whether she's going to write the next book! That's just unprofessional, in my opinion. If you're not sure whether you're going to continue a series, respect your readers enough to resolve everything.


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## pwtucker (Feb 12, 2011)

Readers hate cliffhangers and tend to write nasty reviews, but then seem to go on and buy the next book. Look at how wildly successful Holly Ward is with her series, and every serial ends with a killer cliffhanger.

Long story short: they're despised but they work like whoa.


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

JVRoberts said:


> I don't mind them, personally. I had to do that with my latest novel. I didn't originally intend to write it that way, but, I was forced to split it in two due to the manuscript being too long. There was no way I could tell the story in less than 150k words, so, I chopped the first book down to 85k, ended it on a cliffhanger, and am going to release the rest as a sequel.


In my first draft of a soon-to-be-published novel, it looked too long at first at 100K words. However, after mulling over it and picking Genius Brains on KB, I came to the realization that there are authors here who have written books that are 120K or 150K long. That's the thing about self-publishing. You are no longer limited by the tradpub mindset of keeping everything under 100K. I had to unlearn that in my own mind.

Having said that, the question (to me) is whether you plan to release printed editions of your novel as well esp. hardcovers. If so, the cost consideration comes back into play, which is what tradpub were looking at anyway -- the cost of printing a book >100K is higher. Otherwise for POD, 150K seems to be within range, am I right?



Sarma said:


> Is 150K really that long for a novel nowadays? It wouldn't be for me, I feel a little shortchanged at anything less than 100K. Are you sure you have to split it?


Totally. I am unlearning some of the things I was so used to back when I wrote to query tradpub, things like maximum word count, editing down a prose that would have sounded better if I had left it the way I had it originally, etc.

When I stop conforming to tradpub restrictions, I feel like I am free to write. If my novel goes over 100K but the story is intact, so be it. When I send the MS to my editor, he can prune it back if there's a need.

Don't know if that helps since you're farther ahead than I am in the publishing journey...


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

pwtucker said:


> Readers hate cliffhangers and tend to write nasty reviews, but then seem to go on and buy the next book. Look at how wildly successful Holly Ward is with her series, and every serial ends with a killer cliffhanger.
> 
> Long story short: they're despised but they work like whoa.


It works in Holly Ward's genre. Serials also work well in Hugh Howey's genre. But overall cliffhangers do not work in all genres. Mysteries and thrillers better have a resolution to the main problem but you can always have them getting into something else.


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## No longer seen (Aug 17, 2013)

According to Mark Coker of Smashwords, readers prefer longer books, so you probably ought
to reconsider splitting one novel into two.

George RR Martin and his publisher had length issues, but that's paper publishing, and 
you're nowhere near as long as the Thrones books.

Think of the first Hobbit movie. At its end last December, we know and accept the 
dwarves, Bilbo, and Gandalf still have to go on and deal with the central conflict, 
the dragon.

But what if it had ended with them still menaced by the goblins. Say, looking like
Bilbo was about to be killed.

Stayed tuned for the next episode, in one year.

Wouldn't have gone over well with the movie-going public.

Same with the original Star Wars. Luke has just one shot at destroying the 
Death Star. Will he trust the Force and succeed? Just wait for the sequel.
Might not have been one.

Harry Potter, too. Although the threat of Lord Voldemort hangs over every
book since the first page, each separate menace is resolved by the end 
of that particular book.


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## Patty Jansen (Apr 5, 2011)

Readers hate it. They complain about it viciously.

But they buy the next book anyway.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

Quiss said:


> Hate it with a passion. If you're going to write a story, write it to the end and don't make me buy another book to find out what happens.
> UNLESS it's clearly stated that this is a two-part story. At least then I know to expect that and can make my purchasing choice accordingly.
> 
> I'm not worries about minor threads left hanging that get picked up in the next story, such as character relationships or arches, but PLEASE complete the story line.


I clearly titled my novel "book 1". I can see how having no knowledge would be frustrating though.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

Sarma said:


> Is 150K really that long for a novel nowadays? It wouldn't be for me, I feel a little shortchanged at anything less than 100K. Are you sure you have to split it?
> 
> And what is a cliffhanger, really? I'm writing a series myself right now, and though I feel that I complete a story arc in the first book (the character sets out on a journey and the journey ends at the end of the story) but there are a lot of unanswered questions and the main story arc obviously isn't resolved, or there wouldn't be a sequel(s). The ending doesn't have an edge of your seat feel to it, so I was hoping to avoid the "I hate cliffhangers!" stigma by clearly stating that it is the first in a series.


As a debut, yeah, it's pretty long. There were also a few things I didn't have fully hashed out for the conclusion of the story, so the length (which most publishers care about, I'm not self published) along with some other minor details caused me to split it.


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2013)

cinisajoy said:


> It works in Holly Ward's genre. Serials also work well in Hugh Howey's genre. But overall cliffhangers do not work in all genres. Mysteries and thrillers better have a resolution to the main problem but you can always have them getting into something else.


That's it: tackle the main problem. Perhaps aspects of that problem are resolved, but not the whole thing. You want people to anticipate that next story, and for that to happen there has to be some unresolved elements.

Jeez, perhaps we should get into degrees of cliffhanger-ness now.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

cinisajoy said:


> I won't be buying your book because it is not a book but a way to just make more money. Give me a full story. Now if you want to carry the characters over to another book that is fine but if after reading 85K there is no ending, you will be put in my never bother with this author again box because he justs wants money and doesn't care about the reader.
> A sequel means a continuation of characters not the same story. That would be a serial and 85K is way too long for a serial. That would be a major waste of my time and there are too many full novels out there to waste my time.


Well I'm not asking you to buy my book, I'm simply having a discussion. I appreciate your opinion but you're acting like I wrote this to personally slight you, lol. And no, I'm not in this business for money, believe me, I've been writing for well over a decade and don't have money to show for it, that's kind of a crappy assumption. The story needed a split to have a better chance at traditional publication, pure and simple, especially as a debut author. I decided to give the first a cliffhanger, and the publisher and editor gave it the thumbs up. If folks don't like it I encourage them not to buy it. It's not about money though, I can't emphasize that enough.


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## Terrence OBrien (Oct 21, 2010)

If the book is good enough to finish, I have no problem picking up the next one. I don't want it to end. I don't care if the story continues under a different title. Thats simply a few extra clicks on the Kindle. If the book sucks, I don't get to the cliff hanger ending.  

And if the author is good enough to make more money by getting me to buy the next book, good for her. I only buy it because I like what I am getting. Money is great. An author who is ambivalent about money is no more virtuous than an author who writes for money.

God Bless dollars, for they by me stuff.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

Greg Strandberg said:


> That's it: tackle the main problem. Perhaps aspects of that problem are resolved, but not the whole thing. You want people to anticipate that next story, and for that to happen there has to be some unresolved elements.
> 
> Jeez, perhaps we should get into degrees of cliffhanger-ness now.


Exactly, I resolved things but left other threads unresolved. It'll definitely be resolved in book 2. Plus, I'm moving on to other genres after this, so I don't want to spend a book 3 in this world.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

JVRoberts said:


> Well I'm not asking you to buy my book, I'm simply having a discussion. I appreciate your opinion but you're acting like I wrote this to personally slight you, lol. And no, I'm not in this business for money, believe me, I've been writing for well over a decade and don't have money to show for it, that's kind of a crappy assumption. The story needed a split to have a better chance at traditional publication, pure and simple, especially as a debut author. I decided to give the first a cliffhanger, and the publisher and editor gave it the thumbs up. If folks don't like it I encourage them not to buy it. It's not about money though, I can't emphasize that enough.


Hi! That was a generic you, not the actual you. Hi! We haven't met yet. I am Cin best known for her strong opinions. You asked for opinions and you got one. Now whether I buy your book or not would also depend on the genre. I did not realize you had actually been writing for years but so many new ones try to sell 5 chapters at 99 cents then you have to pay 99 cents for the next few chapters though they call them episodes.

Good luck with your traditional publishing. Sorry if you took my post personally. 
It was my opinion on cliffhangers. Not anything about you. I thought you were talking about the book in your signature.
Hope this all helps. I won't throw you in that box yet.


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## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.


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## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

I don't think 150k is really all that long, but that's up to you. I would, however, be v cranky as a reader if I picked up this book and it left me hanging. There's *nothing* that implies it's incomplete (which it is). It feels (even if that's not your intent) like a ploy to trick me as a reader. If you're upfront and very clear about it being incomplete, then I can make a choice. If you don't, I feel I've been duped and that makes me cranky. And you won't like me when I'm cranky.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

cinisajoy said:


> Hi! That was a generic you, not the actual you. Hi! We haven't met yet. I am Cin best known for her strong opinions. You asked for opinions and you got one. Now whether I buy your book or not would also depend on the genre. I did not realize you had actually been writing for years but so many new ones try to sell 5 chapters at 99 cents then you have to pay 99 cents for the next few chapters though they call them episodes.
> 
> Good luck with your traditional publishing. Sorry if you took my post personally.
> It was my opinion on cliffhangers. Not anything about you. I thought you were talking about the book in your signature.
> Hope this all helps. I won't throw you in that box yet.


I'm Jon. I have strong opinions as well, I appreciate them. It's all good. I am talking about the book in my signature, but I'm working on the second part to it, will send it to the publisher, and that will be that. I didn't do a cliffhanger on the entire story, I resolved much of it, it's simply a hanger involving one character and the thread develops at the end. It's not something I start from page one and then screw the reader on.

I'll most likely leave the genre and may try indie after this second book. This isn't as glamorous as I imagined!


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## KL_Phelps (Nov 7, 2013)

Depends. Normally I do not like them, but if when you reach the end you feel like you've had some closure or been told a full story even though there are still questions/conflicts left unanswered/unresolved then I am okay with it. But if you just chop a story then it pisses me off. You look at any really successful series (and I dont mean things like mystery series or what not where its a different story each time, independent of each other) where there is an overall story arch for the course of several books, you need to have something of a cliffhanger. Lord of the Rings definitely comes to mind. 

However, best example I can think of isn't from a book, but a movie. Empire Strikes Back. Look how many questions were left unanswered and yet at the movie felt complete.


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## anniejocoby (Aug 11, 2013)

Richard Stooker said:


> Same with the original Star Wars. Luke has just one shot at destroying the
> Death Star. Will he trust the Force and succeed? Just wait for the sequel.
> Might not have been one.


Ah, yes, but look at The Empire Strikes Back. Talk about the mother of all cliffhangers!!!!!!! Han Solo possibly dead, is Darth Vader really Luke's father, and who was the other hope for the Jedis? I remember thinking that I couldn't wait until the next one, even though it came about two years later. And, yes, those cliffhangers worked pretty well, you might say! The only reason why the original Star Wars didn't end in a cliffhanger was because nobody, and I mean nobody, thought that the movie would be a hit when it was being made, so there was no reason to have the viewers salivating for a sequel that probably wouldn't have happened. Otherwise, that movie probably would have had a cliffhanger of some sort as well...


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

Mimi said:


> Damned if you do, damned if you don't.


Probably the most accurate post here. I've learned quick that I can not please everyone.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

JVRoberts said:


> I'm Jon. I have strong opinions as well, I appreciate them. It's all good. I am talking about the book in my signature, but I'm working on the second part to it, will send it to the publisher, and that will be that. I didn't do a cliffhanger on the entire story, I resolved much of it, it's simply a hanger involving one character and the thread develops at the end. It's not something I start from page one and then screw the reader on.
> 
> I'll most likely leave the genre and may try indie after this second book. This isn't as glamorous as I imagined!


Ok that sounds better. I thought you meant no resolution. Oh and your blurb looked great.


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## KL_Phelps (Nov 7, 2013)

anniejocoby said:


> Ah, yes, but look at The Empire Strikes Back. Talk about the mother of all cliffhangers!!!!!!! Han Solo possibly dead, is Darth Vader really Luke's father, and who was the other hope for the Jedis? I remember thinking that I couldn't wait until the next one, even though it came about two years later. And, yes, those cliffhangers worked pretty well, you might say! The only reason why the original Star Wars didn't end in a cliffhanger was because nobody, and I mean nobody, thought that the movie would be a hit when it was being made, so there was no reason to have the viewers salivating for a sequel that probably wouldn't have happened. Otherwise, that movie probably would have had a cliffhanger of some sort as well...


  when I started writing my reply I didnt even see that anyone else had mentioned Star Wars, as you can see I agree with ESB being cliffhanger laden

and JVR you are indeed correct, you can not please everyone


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

JVRoberts said:


> Probably the most accurate post here. I've learned quick that I can not please everyone.


But you should at least try to please your readers.


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## AutumnKQ (Jul 27, 2013)

I'm writing a novella series. Each episode moves the main plot forward, but also features a story arc that is central to the POV character's development. The first four end on cliffhangers. The fifth ends in a way that makes a second "season" possible, but closes up my main plot line.
I've made it obvious this is a series of novellas.

My plot twists... the cliffhangers... I fully expect some low reviews for what I'm doing. But if I make the reader care enough about my characters that they get angry at me, then I've done my job. Hopefully some readers will like what I'm doing and it'll all balance out.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

JanThompson said:


> But you should at least try to please your readers.


Agreed, but, I'm a firm believer in first writing for yourself, with integrity. I believe the readers will follow.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

cinisajoy said:


> Ok that sounds better. I thought you meant no resolution. Oh and your blurb looked great.


Thanks, wish I could take credit, my publisher wasn't a fan of my original blurb and highly modified it. It's okay though, I'm humble enough to admit that their blurb is better than what I had.


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## mariehallwrites (Mar 14, 2013)

Hate them, hate them, hate them! That said, if you hook me I will buy the series to the bitter end. KMM got me with her fever series. In hindsight, it definitely extended my passion for her series. That said, I've yet to read her next series because she's a very slow writer and I DO NOT want to wait another 5 years to find out how it all ends. So I'm buying the books as they come out, but saving them until I have them all.


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

JVRoberts said:


> Agreed, but, I'm a firm believer in first writing for yourself, with integrity. I believe the readers will follow.


Yes, me too (it's a given), but I don't have to market to myself. I like whatever I write. 

But the readers, ah. They like it a certain way. When I put on my reader hat, and I'm reading a tradpub novel that forces me to wait a whole publication cycle before I see the conclusion, it makes me a bit agitated. The last time I had to do this, I had to read 3 books over 3 years to finish the story. By the third book, I decided I wasn't ever going to read that author again. And I haven't since. I was a loyal reader up to that point.

But for selfpub books, they are produced more frequently. So cliffhangers are fine with me if I only have to wait 1-2 months for the next book, not 1-2 years.

How far apart on the release timeline are your 2 books?


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

JanThompson said:


> Yes, me too (it's a given), but I don't have to market to myself. I like whatever I write.
> 
> But the readers, ah. They like it a certain way. When I put on my reader hat, and I'm reading a tradpub novel that forces me to wait a whole publication cycle before I see the conclusion, it makes me a bit agitated. The last time I had to do this, I had to read 3 books over 3 years to finish the story. By the third book, I decided I wasn't ever going to read that author again. And I haven't since. I was a loyal reader up to that point.
> 
> ...


Looking at hopefully early next year...hoping only 5 or 6 months apart. I'm eager to get it out and move on because I have a lot of other story ideas.


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## T.C. Beckett (Aug 12, 2013)

I agree with most others on here; I dislike them as both a reader and a writer.  I feel they're a cheap way to try and coerce readers into buying the next installment.  But I think there's a difference between a cliffhanger and leaving unanswered questions.

In my opinion, each book should have a clear resolution of a story arc, but the overarching plot doesn't have to be complete.  Someone's already referenced the Harry Potter books, and they're a great example.  Each book contains a subplot that is mainly resolved by the end, although there is the larger story of Voldemort's return to power that remains open.

An example of a book that doesn't do this is Catching Fire, from the Hunger Games trilogy.  It ends in the midst of the action, with no real feeling of resolution, and you're left feeling like the book is incomplete.


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## mariehallwrites (Mar 14, 2013)

Ugh, I so agree about the Hunger Games Trilogy. What a depressing ending. Hope they give us a little something more with the movies.


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## T.C. Beckett (Aug 12, 2013)

Agreed!  When I finished the second book, I was just like, "Really?  That was the ending?"  Fortunately, I bought all three books together so I could just go straight to the next one, but if I had been someone reading them as they came out, I would have been pretty angry.


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## AngryGames (Jul 28, 2013)

I found out the hard way with my novella. I wrote it as a stand-alone story, and it has an unintentional cliffhanger ending. I always think of novellas as little slices of a universe. Apparently I cut this slice too thin. 

Woe be the author who does this intentionally, I guess . Out of thirty-two reviews, probably twenty-six or so of them ask/demand for more because it was too short/annoying cliffhanger. I used to try and explain that it was just a stand-alone novella, but now I'm working on prequel/sequel and some short stories for it. 

The positive thing I take from it is that readers were so invested in the story that they got a little rage-y (or happ-y or annoy-y) as if I kicked in their door and made them give me half of the story back before they could read it hehe. I'm glad it was a good story for them. I'm frightened I won't be able to recapture the mood/tone of the story as I'm writing more of it. Sequels have always been a disappointment for me (thank you, Hollywood). 

Except for Empire Strikes Back. Best sequel ever.


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## Just Browsing (Sep 26, 2012)

JVRoberts said:


> The story needed a split to have a better chance at traditional publication, pure and simple, especially as a debut author. I decided to give the first a cliffhanger, and the publisher and editor gave it the thumbs up.


Oh, well, that's something quite different. If you have an editor and publisher and the book is already under contract, then I'd listen to them before us here (unless they're asking you to make the call and really don't care). Presumably they think it's something they can sell to their readers.


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## Caddy (Sep 13, 2011)

> I won't be buying your book because it is not a book but a way to just make more money. Give me a full story. Now if you want to carry the characters over to another book that is fine but if after reading 85K there is no ending, you will be put in my never bother with this author again box because he justs wants money and doesn't care about the reader.
> A sequel means a continuation of characters not the same story. That would be a serial and 85K is way too long for a serial. That would be a major waste of my time and there are too many full novels out there to waste my time.


But that discussion has been done before here. There is no word limit on serials and links were shared to an author that does serials that are anywhere from 60,000 to 85,000. He clearly marks them as episodes in the title. And does very, very well.

You may not want to buy my next story then because I'm doing it the same way. At least 60,000 words per episode. And, no, it's not to "try to get as much money as I can". I want the story told the way I feel it should be told, it's really that simple.  Making it shorter to fit in one book wouldn't tell what I want told. And, while I'm not trying for gouging, I also won't sell 260,000 words for $4.99. I want it to be fair to both parties. It will probably be called something like:

There Was a House Saga
Episode 1
House of Pleasure.

(Etcetera.)

Some readers won't like that and some will. Some won't care either way. A writer can only do what they feel is best for the story and the telling of it.


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## dotx (Nov 4, 2010)

I don't mind cliffhangers and my novel ends in one. I think it might have to do with the fact that I love YA novels and pretty much every YA trilogy out there is full of cliffhangers. So I'm used to them as a reader -- which means I plan on using them as a writer as well. 

Not in every book, of course. But if I feel the book needs to end in a certain place and that place is a cliffhanger, then so be it. 

Yes, some readers hate them. You can't help that.


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## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

I've had some review hate on one of my books for this. I never reply to reviews, but if I DID, I would say something like "hey look, book one was written second like a prequel and leads immediately into book 2--like turn the page leads in, not even a different time zone or something--and book one is free to make you want to buy the next one! I have a ton of story with multiple plots all are complete except one dangling end that reaches directly and immediately to page one of book 2"

So there!

Haha, seriously though some reviewers will hate on you, but I have found it's a tiny percentage. I like to think it's because books 2 and 3 are already out and the reader doesn't have to wait. If I was reading book 1 and had to wait a year for book 2 to get an ending to a cliff hanger, that might pee me off as well.


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## Magda Alexander (Aug 13, 2011)

My book has a huge cliffhanger at the end. Didn't intend to write more than one book, but the story needed a longer length. So I cut if off at the cliffhanger and shifted the rest to book 2. Book 1 is close to 80K; book 2 will be longer than that. Romance books tend to fall in the range of 50K-100K.

Do the readers like it? No. But it hasn't hurt its sales or reviews. As long as you write a good story, your readers should be willing to go along on the ride.


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## Rick Gualtieri (Oct 31, 2011)

They annoy me in a series (despite having done it myself), but at least there's the unspoken commitment that the story would continue.  To do so in what I assumed was stand alone novel, though, would drive me nuts. You would most certainly not see me returning for the next one.

May I ask why you felt the need to unnaturally chop up your novel? 150K words would be fine. There's no magic number beyond which people won't read a good book.  No offense if this isn't the case, but it comes across as a cash grab by releasing two novels instead of one.


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## katherinef (Dec 13, 2012)

Cliffhangers are awesome. Yes, some people whine about them, but they come for the next book. I made a mistake of not ending some of my books with cliffhangers and readers mostly said they loved the ending, but... they're either taking their sweet time to come for the next book or the ending was so satisfying they don't want more.


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## Joe_Nobody (Oct 23, 2012)

I've used them in every one of my six book series, and if I may, a couple of tips:

1. Make sure you put "THE END" at the bottom of the text. I've had readers complain in reviews that they didn't get the whole book on download and give bad reviews.

2. Make sure you very clearly communicate that it is a series - that the next book will start up where the current one ended. I tried this with epilogues, and some folks still don't seem to understand. Now, I put EPILOGUE as a chapter heading at the end, and then below that I include "from Holding Their Own xx, scheduled for release fall of 201x," or whatever.

History is full of examples; Star Wars, who shot JR and dozens of other well-used cliffhangers. I see zero issue with it.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I absolutely despise them, hate them with the passion of a thousand suns and all that. Hate hate hate them. 

It has gotten so bad out there with so many half books that I can't even enjoy browsing in the store anymore. No kidding. I can't tell you how many times I come across a book that looks great, the blurb sounds great, I am really interested and then luckily I read some of the 1 star reviews and they say cliffhanger. It is such a let down for me. And in many cases there is no indication if there will be just one more book for conclusion, or 3, or if the author says 3 and then sees the dough rolling in and stretches it out to 5. I have seen it all. 
I almost one clicked on a book yesterday, it was on sale and recommended. I loved the premise of it and again, just to make sure I started looking at the reviews. Its one of those rah rah rah best thing evahhhhh books with like over 4 star average, but when looking closely, even at some 4 star reviews, cliffhanger was mentioned. The next in the half book is coming out end of the month. No notice anywhere in the blurb by the author. Nada. Not in the first, not in the second. If I knew it was going to be told in the 2 books, I wouldn't mind getting the first. But I have no clue. So I move on. 

What makes me really mad is that this stuff is permeating the romance section. Romance is not cliffhangers. If you can't sell me a complete story its just not romance and this lack of honesty upfront is really grating. And its pretty much only indy's doing that. So the result is, I am not willing to try indy authors anymore unless I know them already, know 100 percent sure its not a half book. 

You know who's doing it right? Elle Casey. In the first line of her new adult she tells the readers its a standalone with no cliffhanger. Bam, simple and up front. I am baffled at the lack of upfront honesty in many authors. 

And to be clear, I am talking about cliffhangers, piecemeal books and half books. I am not talking about series which might have a arch going over several books. Not the same. I think a half book is about the worst of them. Its like going to the book store and someone ripping my paper version in half and selling me only the first part.


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## Hugh Howey (Feb 11, 2012)

I'm releasing my next novel in 4 or 5 parts, each one with a cliffhanger. And I'll make less money doing so. At 99 cents or $1.41 each (don't ask), I'll make less on 4 or 5 books at 35% than I would at $5.99 at 70%.

So why do it? Because some readers dig being in the trenches as the story unfolds. Some readers enjoy waiting three weeks while they mull over the last bit and look forward to the next. It's how I feel waiting for the next comic book to come out.

Of course, some readers hate this. Which is why the product description will come with a warning and a plea to hold off and buy the entire book (with a ballpark release date).

I think if you can release the works in a timely fashion, there's a way to tell a story in serial form that gives it more power than it would if you could just turn the page and keep reading. I guess transparency, price, and providing an option to get it all at once are the keys to upsetting as few readers as possible.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Star Wars: yeah, those movies ended in cliff hangers.  But they're movies.  In my brain that's different.  There was, though, an internal, shorter story that was completed, even if there were some over reaching questions that had yet to be answered.  It was done Very Well and served to get people talking and excited for the next book.

Game of Thrones: I only read the first book. I guess it ended in a cliff hanger.  I know it ended with almost nothing resolved and it was pretty clear that everyone was in for a long slog.  Made me decide I had no desire to continue the journey, so I got off the ride.

Harry Potter: Again, done Very Well.  Earlier books had a full adventure and introduced longer story arcs and possible future sources of conflict.  It's true that by the last couple, there were MAJOR things hanging out there. . . . but it didn't happen like that at the end of the first book.  By the 5th or 6th book, people were invested in the characters, knew that some might not survive  and, again, excited about then next chapter and discussing what they thought would happen.  

I have read one or two books that ended on a bona fide cliff hanger.  Turn the page looking for what happens next and there's nothing there. In most cases I was annoyed. Problem was, they were decent books, but not great books, so I was just left with a feeling of, "why didn't they just finish it?"  

I think that, depending on how well the book is written, that sort of thing might make for delicious anticipation, or just disgust at being left hanging. Whether it works all hinges on if you can get your readers to really care. That's hard to do in just one book. If you're not really good, you're more likely to leave readers saying, "Joe's stuck on a cliff and there's a storm coming up and we don't know if he'll survive? Oh well, who cares."

OR, you've made it so darn clear that Joe is a MAJOR Character that the reader says, "What? No way he'll die here.  How lame to end the book there."  In that case it'd be better to get Joe safe and then use a couple of chapters to wrap up the major plot issues of THIS book while setting out the difficulties that might be on the horizon. 

So it might be a matter of how 'cliffhangery' is the 'cliffhanger' in terms of whether it annoys the readers or entices them to the next book -- as well as how much you can get them to invest in the characters. But, again -- it's got to be really well done either way to get a reader to make note and look for the next book.

FWIW, that is one thing about Game of Thrones that makes his loose threads a little more interesting.  Whether or not you ever get to the point where you care about specific characters, you have learned at least one thing by the end of the first book: no one is safe.  NO character is too critical to kill off. I think that does really appeal to some people.


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## KL_Phelps (Nov 7, 2013)

Hugh Howey said:


> I'm releasing my next novel in 4 or 5 parts, each one with a cliffhanger. And I'll make less money doing so. At 99 cents or $1.41 each (don't ask), I'll make less on 4 or 5 books at 35% than I would at $5.99 at 70%.
> 
> So why do it? Because some readers dig being in the trenches as the story unfolds. Some readers enjoy waiting three weeks while they mull over the last bit and look forward to the next. It's how I feel waiting for the next comic book to come out.
> 
> ...


You hit the nail on the head, with the timely fashion comment. I think if a reader knows he is getting into a serial novel at the start that is one thing. He/she should expect cliffhangers. However if you are talking about a 350-400 page novel that just stops, that's an entirely different beast.


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## Carol (was Dara) (Feb 19, 2011)

I have no problem reading cliffhangers but I know lots of readers don't like them. For me, it's just like a TV show. Don't we all like those to end in cliffhangers so we can get excited about what's coming in the next episode? I suppose the difference is we're not paying for that next episode.


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## Terrence OBrien (Oct 21, 2010)

> But you should at least try to please your readers.


Which ones? Consumers and producers will sort themselves out. People who like a certain type of product will return to buy more. People who don't like it will go somewhere else.

There are so many different consumer tastes and preferences that nobody has standing to speak for them, and no author can accommodate them all.


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## Alan Petersen (May 20, 2011)

There is a fascinating study about the effects of cliffhangers has on books sales. You can find it...

The End


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## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

The key is being upfront about it, I think. Let people know what they're getting.


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

Hugh Howey said:


> I think if you can release the works in a timely fashion, there's a way to tell a story in serial form that gives it more power than it would if you could just turn the page and keep reading. I guess transparency, price, and providing an option to get it all at once are the keys to upsetting as few readers as possible.


IMO even readers who didn't care about serials before would be willing to give it a try if you do what HH just said: "timely fashion" and being clear from the get-go that the story is "in serial form."

For me, I will read serials if each episode release is just a few weeks apart (before I forget the story).

HH: How far apart are your episodes?



Monique said:


> The key is being upfront about it, I think. Let people know what they're getting.


I concur!

But what the OP was saying was this:



JVRoberts said:


> There was no way I could tell the story in less than 150k words, so, I chopped the first book down to 85k, ended it on a cliffhanger, and am going to release the rest as a sequel.


He's "chopped" up the 150K book into two. More power to him if he can effectively do this.

Those who write true serials plan their story arc and sub-arcs as serials to begin with, like HH. He knew up front it would be a serial novel. Not wait until he has too many words and then decide to chop it up into little pieces.

Having said that... TIME is very important to a reader, IMO, thus...



JVRoberts said:


> Looking at hopefully early next year...hoping only 5 or 6 months apart. I'm eager to get it out and move on because I have a lot of other story ideas.


This is not too bad, JVR! I can see how you could create a buzz for the sequel and have pre-orders. Nice balance between time and space.

But what I don't understand is why your publisher just doesn't publish your book as ONE BOOK considering you had written it as ONE to begin with? Sure, you gave them 150K but they have editors right? By the time your macro and copy editors and proofreaders and beta readers go through your novel, you might only have 120K words left, and if so, that's totally printable, right?

OTOH, it's a gamble only you can make. You roll the dice. What does your publisher say about this? Did they want to know what KB authors think about it?

Disclaimer: All the above are from my POV as an avid reader. As a writer of trilogies and series yet to be published, every book of mine, whether cliffhangered or not, has the words "THE END" on the last page, and can be read as standalones.


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## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

I addressed it up-thread, but I don't think the OP is being as upfront as he could be about the splitting of the novel or the cliffhanger. I think that could bite him in the patootie. If I bought his book and found out it was half a book, I'd be cranky.


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## Incognita (Apr 3, 2011)

I've been following this thread with interest, because the trilogy I'm currently sketching out in my head will most likely have the first book end on a cliffhanger. That's out of character for me, because all of my books, even those in series, are written as standalone pieces. Certain questions will be answered by the end of the first book, but the love story will have its arc over all three books (and they will be full-length novels, around 80-90K). 

I'd already planned to have the second book written before I even released the first one, just so there won't be a huge gap between them (probably around a month). I know some people are going to be annoyed that book one ends on a cliffhanger, but I do intend to have a note immediately after the end indicating that the story continues, along with the release date so it's very clear that they won't have to wait long for the next one.

Really, that's about the only way I can think of to do it, since I don't want to release one 240,000-word book.


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## trublue (Jul 7, 2012)

Cliffhangers are the reason I don't need a day job ( at least for now)
But make sure you have the first two books ready or close to being ready.


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## Hugh Howey (Feb 11, 2012)

JanThompson said:


> HH: How far apart are your episodes?


I haven't had a single one since I got on these meds!

(three to four weeks)


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## Eric C (Aug 3, 2009)

Cliffhangers? Oh, I've got the answer, but I'll have to get back to you later ...


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## Seanathin23 (Jul 24, 2011)

I would say leave threads, hell even the major arch unresolved at the end of the book but tie it up into something that is satisfying. I've never been a big fan of cliff hangers in books, I feel that is a convention that needs to stay in the world of TV.


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## Guest (Nov 17, 2013)

Sounds like most readers like seeing a 1-star review warning them.  Might behoove many to put that warning up themselves, at least if they don't want a lot of bad reviews.

I think there's a difference between a cliffhanger and leaving the story open.  A cliffhanger leaves one scene open and on the edge.  An open ending leaves all the questions of the story unresolved.  One's more physical, the other psychological.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Greg Strandberg said:


> I think there's a difference between a cliffhanger and leaving the story open. A cliffhanger leaves one scene open and on the edge. An open ending leaves all the questions of the story unresolved. One's more physical, the other psychological.


 I don't see any difference in what you list. They are both the same to me. I am left hanging. Same difference. Sounds like just a different way to say the same thing to me. But then, I am just a reader and I hate them.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

Monique said:


> I addressed it up-thread, but I don't think the OP is being as upfront as he could be about the splitting of the novel or the cliffhanger. I think that could bite him in the patootie. If I bought his book and found out it was half a book, I'd be cranky.


Umm, I'm extremely upfront about it, hence book 1. Also if you read my other responses I resolve most major threads. The one left hanging is a late development and is the one thread that carries over aside from the apocalyptic scenario. It's not like I introduce something early and just screw the reader. I see no reason for anyone to be cranky, can't please everyone.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

JanThompson said:


> IMO even readers who didn't care about serials before would be willing to give it a try if you do what HH just said: "timely fashion" and being clear from the get-go that the story is "in serial form."
> 
> For me, I will read serials if each episode release is just a few weeks apart (before I forget the story).
> 
> ...


The book, as a series is written into my contract that way, as a series of books. It's definitely a gamble! I appreciate the feedback. Also, I checked out your website, you graduated from UGA, my hometown, Athens/Watkinsville! My series actually starts, and a majority of it, takes place in and around the Athens area. I miss it, I keep planning on going back someday.


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## Monique (Jul 31, 2010)

JVRoberts said:


> Umm, I'm extremely upfront about it, hence book 1. Also if you read my other responses I resolve most major threads. The one left hanging is a late development and is the one thread that carries over aside from the apocalyptic scenario. It's not like I introduce something early and just screw the reader. I see no reason for anyone to be cranky, can't please everyone.


We are talking about Rabid, right? If so, I don't see book 1, nor would that tell me there's nec. a cliffy. If this is half a book, you should call it part 1 of 2, or something. I don't see any mention in the title or blurb. If this thread is about another book...nevermind.


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## Vera Nazarian (Jul 1, 2011)

katherinef said:


> Cliffhangers are awesome. Yes, some people whine about them, but they come for the next book. I made a mistake of not ending some of my books with cliffhangers and readers mostly said they loved the ending, but... they're either taking their sweet time to come for the next book or the ending was so satisfying they don't want more.


This is a very important point.

To utilize the power of perma-free to its full potential and to keep the purchase chain going, you really must have cliffhangers. Just be sure to complete the mini-arc of each volume, and let the cliffhanger be the greater overall unifying arc.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

I know an author that is writing a series about SEALS.    The first book focused primarily on one SEAL and completed that story line but left a cliffhanger about a second SEAL.  She did introduce all the others and made them sound interesting too.  So one story finished and did I like the other SEAL enough to want to read the next book.  The answer was a resounding yes.  She now has a devoted follower.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

Monique said:


> We are talking about Rabid, right? If so, I don't see book 1, nor would that tell me there's nec. a cliffy. If this is half a book, you should call it part 1 of 2, or something. I don't see any mention in the title or blurb. If this thread is about another book...nevermind.


It is about the Rabid. It's on the inside front cover during the preview and in print. I'm not sure why my publisher didn't put it in the blurb or title. If it were self published and my decision I would have done so.


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## cinisajoy (Mar 10, 2013)

JVRoberts said:


> It is about the Rabid. It's on the inside front cover during the preview and in print. I'm not sure why my publisher didn't put it in the blurb or title. If it were self published and my decision I would have done so.


Might I advise you put it in the blurb. Some people do not look at the inside front cover. Hold on going to look inside your book.
Looked. If one clicks the look inside or gets a sample, it is obvious. 
If one just buys off the blurb, you may get some bad reviews and or returns.
You might want to make it completely obvious. 
I do grab just off blurbs and don't sample or look inside first.

Though looking close at your book did answer one other question. When you said you were traditionally published I thought you meant with one of the big 5/6. I did not realize until I looked that you were with a small press.
Good luck again in your writing. Oh and on something you said earlier...no career is as glamourous as some people make it look.


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## JV (Nov 12, 2013)

cinisajoy said:


> Might I advise you put it in the blurb. Some people do not look at the inside front cover. Hold on going to look inside your book.
> Looked. If one clicks the look inside or gets a sample, it is obvious.
> If one just buys off the blurb, you may get some bad reviews and or returns.
> You might want to make it completely obvious.
> ...


Yeah, it's small press. They paid for editing and cover art and did decent circulation, but, after this second book I'm either going with one of the big boys or going indie. Small press isn't for me.


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

Hugh Howey said:


> I haven't had a single one since I got on these meds!


LOL! This is why I need a macro editor. 



Hugh Howey said:


> (three to four weeks)


Thanks! That's a very reasonable time for book serials. For TV episodes, one week is too long. I tend to just wait until the season is on DVD then get the whole thing. I expect most of the time I'll be among those who wait for the bundle. But I might read serials if I can afford each episode.

Have you done a subscription option (or pay up front for the entire set) and then download the episodes as they are available? Does Amazon let authors do that? If that's an option it might put you in the 70% royalties bracket instead of 35% with 99c per episode?


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

JVRoberts said:


> The book, as a series is written into my contract that way, as a series of books. It's definitely a gamble! I appreciate the feedback. Also, I checked out your website, you graduated from UGA, my hometown, Athens/Watkinsville! My series actually starts, and a majority of it, takes place in and around the Athens area. I miss it, I keep planning on going back someday.


GO DAWGS!!!!!

How cool is that!!! Small world, as they say 

Well, I'm a big fan of regional history/geography so Athens is fair game.

Y'all come back! (I know how to say that though I'm a transplant.)



cinisajoy said:


> Might I advise you put it in the blurb. Some people do not look at the inside front cover.


How about in the title? I don't know what the convention is for adding a "Book 1" to the title if the series name is the same as the first book title name.



JVRoberts said:


> Yeah, it's small press. They paid for editing and cover art and did decent circulation, but, after this second book I'm either going with one of the big boys or going indie. Small press isn't for me.


I like small presses. I thought it's easier to work with their editors? I also thought the royalties are higher. But I might be wrong on both counts here. I was approached by a small press for some of my books, but by then I had made a decision to try self-pub to get the 70% royalties myself bwahaha... 

BTW depending on your contract, you could write another series in another genre and just self-publish those, right?


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## Mark E. Cooper (May 29, 2011)

JVRoberts said:


> It is about the Rabid. It's on the inside front cover during the preview and in print. I'm not sure why my publisher didn't put it in the blurb or title. If it were self published and my decision I would have done so.


I seem to recall if you go over to Amazon author central and claim the book as yours, you can add a paragraph that appears on the sales page as "From the author" or it might have been "A word from the author" something like that. You could put something in that?


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## Nic (Nov 17, 2013)

As a reader I hate them quite passionately, especially if they are sprung on me without warning. I try to avoid them. The only kind I can tolerate are serials with short self-contained episodes and an over-arching main story-arc. I still get angry when it's clearly just gaming for money though.

Word count? One of my favourite authors consistently hits 200 and 250k - self-published ebook, spec fiction.


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## Graeme Reynolds (Jul 8, 2012)

I use them a lot. I even try to end most chapters on mini-cliffhangers because it keeps the reader turning the page, especially given that my chapters are usually quite short. However, I think that it's important to wrap up the main plot elements within a book. I approach this by finishing the story that I was telling, and then at the end introducing a little bit of what comes next. I think that it's fine to do that for most books. The only time it's ever bothered me as a reader is when a trilogy ends on an ambiguous plot point / cliffhanger. One book in particular really annoyed me by doing that to such an extent that I never picked up anything by that author again, because at some point you need to wrap things up and give your readers a satisfying conclusion to the story. In the case I mention, I even contacted the author and asked him point blank what happened afterwards. His reply was "I don't know. I left before he did / didn't do anything". Grrr.


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## Nic (Nov 17, 2013)

tkkenyon said:


> I about freaked. Then I immediately DLed the next one and kept reading.


When that happens to me, as in unannounced cliffhangers, I return the book and that's that. I've never read on a serial which came my way so underhanded.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Nic said:


> When that happens to me, as in unannounced cliffhangers, I return the book and that's that. I've never read on a serial which came my way so underhanded.


Yeah. . . .I think I'm more likely to just say, 'the heck with it', too. It would have to have been really really really good for me to care enough to go seek out the next book in that case.


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

Some possibly acceptable cliffhangers:









http://www.pinterest.com/pin/353884483190893900/









http://www.pinterest.com/pin/353884483190893917/









http://www.pinterest.com/pin/353884483190893891/


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

Graeme Reynolds said:


> I use them a lot. I even try to end most chapters on mini-cliffhangers because it keeps the reader turning the page, especially given that my chapters are usually quite short. However, I think that it's important to wrap up the main plot elements within a book. I approach this by finishing the story that I was telling, and then at the end introducing a little bit of what comes next. I think that it's fine to do that for most books.


You make an excellent point and an even more excellent distinction. IMO anyway.

Almost all the writing books I have (from Mass to Bickham to Lukeman to Bell to whoever) have said that you *do* want cliffhangers at the end of every chapter, part, episode, book.



Graeme Reynolds said:


> The only time it's ever bothered me as a reader is when a trilogy ends on an ambiguous plot point / cliffhanger. One book in particular really annoyed me by doing that to such an extent that I never picked up anything by that author again, because at some point you need to wrap things up and give your readers a satisfying conclusion to the story. In the case I mention, I even contacted the author and asked him point blank what happened afterwards. His reply was "I don't know. I left before he did / didn't do anything". Grrr.


Therein is the distinction. I think if the OP masterfully splits up his 150K tome into two books that are satisfying, then it should be OK. The danger is when the reader is left "dangling" (not exactly cliffhanging) in Book 1... and they may decide not to buy Book 2. So it's a risk but it can be done.

Edited: I deleted the rest of this post re: sample serial I had read bc WC is public and I don't want the author whose 3-book partials I had used as Exhibit A to feel bad about it should they somehow stumble onto WC (there are lurkers).


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## Amanda Brice (Feb 16, 2011)

Monique said:


> I addressed it up-thread, but I don't think the OP is being as upfront as he could be about the splitting of the novel or the cliffhanger. I think that could bite him in the patootie. *If I bought his book and found out it was half a book, I'd be cranky.*


This.

I love series. I write them, I read them. But I absolutely expect a full and satisfying beginning, middle, and end in EACH part of the series. Each part better darn well stand alone. Sure, leave some threads unresolved, of course. There may even be an overarching series question that you won't resolve until the bitter end. But if each book isn't...well, a book...in and of itself then I'm not buying the rest, no matter how much I may have enjoyed the writing.


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

Amanda Brice said:


> I love series. I write them, I read them. But I absolutely expect a full and satisfying beginning, middle, and end in EACH part of the series. Each part better darn well stand alone. Sure, leave some threads unresolved, of course. There may even be an overarching series question that you won't resolve until the bitter end. But if each book isn't...well, a book...in and of itself then I'm not buying the rest, no matter how much I may have enjoyed the writing.


This totally sums it up best, IMO. I write series too but each book has a complete story arc.


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## Amanda Brice (Feb 16, 2011)

JanThompson said:


> Have you done a subscription option (or pay up front for the entire set) and then download the episodes as they are available? Does Amazon let authors do that? If that's an option it might put you in the 70% royalties bracket instead of 35% with 99c per episode?


Amazon Publishing offers this through the Kindle Serials program, which isn't self-publishing. And it makes the book exclusive to Kindle.

But this is the only way I buy serials. I love it because I pay one low price, then every 2 weeks I get a new two episodes automatically delivered to my Kindle, and it appears right at the end of the previous episode, so by the time all 10 episodes have been delivered there is a full novel. Amazon sets the pricing at $1.99 during the serialization period or $3.99 once the serial is completed and it becomes a full novel.

Oh, and I should mention that I wait until the entire book has been delivered before I start reading. I hate reading serial format...I'm way too impatient and want to glom on and read the entire story in one or two sittings at most.


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## Jan Thompson (May 25, 2013)

Amanda Brice said:


> Amazon Publishing offers this through the Kindle Serials program, which isn't self-publishing. And it makes the book exclusive to Kindle.
> 
> But this is the only way I buy serials. I love it because I pay one low price, then every 2 weeks I get a new two episodes automatically delivered to my Kindle, and it appears right at the end of the previous episode, so by the time all 10 episodes have been delivered there is a full novel. Amazon sets the pricing at $1.99 during the serialization period or $3.99 once the serial is completed and it becomes a full novel.
> 
> Oh, and I should mention that I wait until the entire book has blivered before I start reading. I hate reading serial format...I'm way too impatient and want to glom on and read the entire story in one or two sittings at most.


Me too. I do that with TV shows too.

Thanks! I haven't looked into Amazon Serials. Appreciate the info!


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## Guest (Nov 18, 2013)

I can tell you that if I could do it again, I would find a resolution to each book in my series that would allow it to stand alone.


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