Chapters cut a story up into manageable chunks, but there are so many brilliant ways of ending them. The aim is to keep your readers turning the pages because they just have to know what happens next (even after lights out; did you do that? :-)). Even the most desperate of readers may have to break off at some point, and that’s usually at a chapter break, so you want to make sure your readers can’t wait to get back into the action.
Of course you need a gripping plot and excellent, relevant characters, but the way you set out your chapter endings could make all the difference to your novel’s success. Could you end on a cliffhanger, give the plot an unexpected twist, or have a change of scene? You’ll want to ring the changes, of course!
Take a look at the way you have ended the chapters of your work in progress. Could you improve them? Is there a way you could entice your readers to keep reading? Have you finished at lights out and everyone asleep, or with a mysterious knock on the door? 🙂
Let me know what you think!
Janet
P.S. We looked at chapter breaks in detail in last month’s Write for a Reason membership programme. If you don’t want to miss out on next month’s look at ‘heroes’, sign up now! 🙂 More info here.