Imagine sitting in your favorite reading place- hot tea, cold tea, maybe a coke near you. A warm blanket wrapped around your feet. You have spent the last few hours being held captive by the words on a page.
You are besties with the main characters, emerged in the world and dying to know what happens. You turn the page knowing you are near the end. You even know that there is another book coming out soon, twelve months or less, so the wait isn't going to be too bad. Then it happens- the book ends on a cliffhanger!
You start biting your nails or your bottom lip. You wonder if you new fictional besties are going to be okay. You pace- you may even look up fan created theories on the internet about what will happen next.
The fall is steep and you know not to look down, you can't help it though.You give it a day or two, then check online to see if the author posted anything on social media about your besties- no you aren't insane. You are suffering from cliffhanger syndrome.
Cliffhangers are a great writing tool for authors. They ensure that the reader will want to read the next book in the series. Ensuring sales, people talking about the book even hate email.
via GIPHY
via GIPHY
Lots of readers though hate cliffhangers. They can't handle the wait, they want every book to end in a happily ever after. I am not that reader.
via GIPHY
I love cliffhangers, although I will admit, I tend to get obsessed with some series. Going as far as joining online communities to talk about the characters or to ask questions. Even post theories. Cliffhangers are made for readers like me. They make me want to stay in the world I was just in and make me want to know what happens next. They don't have to be action packed, anxiety filled either. Emotional cliffhangers get me right in the gut.
Rather you hate them or love them cliffhangers are always a risk when reading (unless it is a choose your own adventure.)
Cliffhangers are also the devil- for the reader of course. You try to move on, you read another book or two but periodically you check to see when the next release date will happen. You maybe write it down, put it in your calendar on your phone, maybe pre-order the next one.
Lots of readers though hate cliffhangers. They can't handle the wait, they want every book to end in a happily ever after. I am not that reader.
I love cliffhangers, although I will admit, I tend to get obsessed with some series. Going as far as joining online communities to talk about the characters or to ask questions. Even post theories. Cliffhangers are made for readers like me. They make me want to stay in the world I was just in and make me want to know what happens next. They don't have to be action packed, anxiety filled either. Emotional cliffhangers get me right in the gut.
Rather you hate them or love them cliffhangers are always a risk when reading (unless it is a choose your own adventure.)
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