“Give your chapter endings extra love”

“. . . Have you ever noticed that [the] desire to keep reading is amplified by how the chapter ends?” asks Ashley Martin.

We all know this: Readers have a choice at the end of each chapter. They can turn the page and begin the next chapter—or not.

As writers, we want to prevent that “or not.”

Ashley continues, “. . . it’s our job to craft chapter endings that pull our stories—and our readers—forward. But sometimes, finding the perfect end to a chapter can be tough….”

That’s why we must learn to write effective chapter endings.

Book chapter endings aren’t supposed to resemble composition endings we penned in college freshman English. Back then we concluded with a summary that tied everything together and provided a satisfying end. Our endings brought a sense of closure. Resolution.

We might think that’s how to end a memoir’s chapters, too, but that’s not the case.

Rebecca Belliston writes, “if we end every chapter with a resolved scene, readers might leave for those Oreos and find something else to do. When it comes to holding reader interest, knowing when to end a chapter matters almost as much as knowing what content to include within the chapter.”

So, let’s get to work. Examine the endings of your memoir’s chapters.  Ask yourself if each one compels readers to turn the page and keep reading.

Here are a few techniques for grabbing and holding readers’ attention:

• Drop a new twist into your story—maybe a surprise, or a new conflict, or a secret, or something terrifying.
• Ask a captivating question.
• Reveal a tidbit that hints at the future and creates curiosity.
• Humor is good. Make ’em laugh.
• Or make ’em cry.

Mystery, tension, emotion, and suspense motivate readers to keep reading. End a chapter in the middle of a conflict (real or emotional).

Ashley Martin recommends, “Look for places in your story where something BIG happens. Once you’ve found that big event—rewind. When you’ve found the apex—the point where your chapter is teetering on the edge of that pivotal moment—FREEZE. Stop your chapter there, and don’t reveal what happens until the start of the next.”

We call that a cliffhanger.

Aaron Elkins offers this advice: “. . . A cliffhanger ending to a chapter doesn’t have to be an action scene. As long as it leaves the reader ‘hanging,’ you’re in business. For example:

“END OF ONE CHAPTER: Nan’s normally rosy face was the color of putty. ‘There’s something I need to tell you.’ Her eyes were fixed on the floor. ‘Something you don’t know about me.’

“BEGINNING OF NEXT CHAPTER: It had all started, she said, tight-lipped, when her mother’s brother moved in. She was 12….”

And here’s an important takeaway: End your chapters in a variety of ways—mix them up. Be unpredictable.

“One of the best things an author can hear

from a reader is,

‘I’m so exhausted.

I stayed up until four in the morning

to finish your book.’

. . . If they were willing to give up sleep,

they must have really liked the book.”

Rebecca Belliston

Whatever you do and however you do it, hook your readers—make them curious to know what will happen next. Compel them to turn the page.

If you don’t want your memoir to sit on a shelf and collect dust, craft intriguing chapter endings. In the words of K.M. Weiland, “give your chapter endings extra love.”

The following offer additional inspiration on crafting chapter endings with pizzazz:

Rebecca Belliston’s “Mastering the Art of the Cliffhanger Ending”

Ashley Martin’s “Chapter Endings: Pull Your Readers Forward”

K.M. Weiland’s “How to Write Can’t-Look-Away Chapter Breaks”

K.M. Weiland’s “The Lazy Technique that Can Cripple Suspenseful Chapter Endings”

Jessica Bell’s “How to Write Chapter Endings that Make Readers Want to Turn the Page”

Aaron Elkins' "3 Ways to Know When to End Your Chapters" (He refers to novels but his info pertains to memoirs, too.)