Warning: Readers Despise... #Cliffhangers
(anyone yodeling?)
synonyms: detest, hate, loathe, abhor, execrate, deplore, dislike
I might have touched on this topic in a previous post, but while browsing Amazon for more reads today, I landed on some poor author's page and was stunned to find a slew of bad reviews with low star scores because of this topic.
It IS one word (compound) by the way, but that isn't today's topic issue.
I think the phrase Teaser Cash is funny.
Not for the poor author, though 😢
However, if they ARE cliffhanging with a purpose, then I don't feel sorry for them and instead say Shame On You!
Please note the 'dates' on these reviews... which says authors continue to do this regardless of what a host of readers have railed against for awhile now.
STOP DOING THIS!
I think we can all agree that to get our Reader Hands on a really amazing SERIES is rare but cherished, and you can bet the readers will come back for more if EACH BOOK is written completely and with the inevitable HEA taking up the last chapter.
It's alright to introduce the characters of book two in book one... no worries!
You start to push things to the wall, however, if you decide to include them ALL in the first book and then expect the reader to remember everyone as the series unfolds.
Personally, I think this is mean because we're not all so photographic memory blessed to possess total recall.
Especially when it might take some of us weeks or even months to get around to being able to read book two after finishing book one and so forth.
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| credit in title |
As a fan of Prologues AND Epilogues, you might want to consider utilizing at least the latter if you intend to jump right into your next in the series.
At least let the reader know, Hey guys, they made it! Now, guess what's in store for (so and so) in book two?
If I were to hazard a guess as to the reason for the Dreaded Cliffhanger, I'd bet the author is thinking TV Series... yes?
It's a bit like saying your taste in music is AWESOME and, therefore, everyone is bound to like it.
We all know this isn't true and never will be.
And, when you try to Market your novel as being some form of plagiarized work, then I'm not interested even further.
"If you Like Outlander, you're going to LOVE my book!"
"If you're a big fan of Lisa Kleypas, then you're going to be an even bigger fan of me!"
"Fans of the hit TV Series Desperate Housewives are going to love this!"
"Reads like Game of Thrones only better."
No, I'm not making any of this up, and yes, I've seen them advertised this way.
To me, it is as bad, if not worse, than being a huge fan of utilizing the cliffhanger in your novels and expecting everyone who reads them to be on board with your hopeful pipe dreams of becoming the next Outlander Series.
We're fans of something because it's good, somewhat original, and manages to hold our attention long enough to get the gist of the story.
Why would we want to continue that momentum with another set of characters in another setting doing basically the same things?
It doesn't work, trust me.
Remember Twilight?
Everyone and his Uncle hopped on the revised version of Dark Shadows and added to the frenzy by quoting or mimicking to death poor Anne Rice.
Then the fad wore off and shifters took center stage.
Now, it's Time Travel.
So, what do you suppose the NEXT fad will be?
Why not wait and see and then hop on that bandwagon?
Or, better still, create your OWN novel idea and run with it.
And nope.
Not saying Vampire, Shifter, Time Travel novels are awful and overkill... NOT saying that!
What I am saying is, if it's your heart's delight to work with any of these genres of Romance novel, and if you aren't hell-bent on presuming to have the next TV Series in the works (thereby creating 7 cliffhangers for that purpose) then by all means, write away!
And, yes, I'll be reading them (if they are up to snuff), but I won't be interested if you are writing on the coattails of another...
... or because you've got grandiose ideas about something that may or may not happen.
If I wanted to read Outlander, I would... then I'd want to read your work because it ISN'T Outlander.
See, I already read that book, so I'm not interested in reading a book like it.
The sad reality is, it reminds me of the old Gambling commercials where the old lady introduces us to all of the make-believe crap inside her empty house that she HOPES to buy just as soon as her LUCK turns around.
Don't live that way.
It's sad.
To which I would HUMBLY respond: Never Set Your Cart Before the Horse.
AND ANOTHER THING
While we're on the topic of TV Series Hopefuls who cliffhanger to upset their fan base, let me just say that if you try marketing your novel this way...
you still lose.
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| Guardians of the Galaxy nod |
It's a bit like saying your taste in music is AWESOME and, therefore, everyone is bound to like it.
We all know this isn't true and never will be.
And, when you try to Market your novel as being some form of plagiarized work, then I'm not interested even further.
"If you Like Outlander, you're going to LOVE my book!"
"If you're a big fan of Lisa Kleypas, then you're going to be an even bigger fan of me!"
"Fans of the hit TV Series Desperate Housewives are going to love this!"
"Reads like Game of Thrones only better."
No, I'm not making any of this up, and yes, I've seen them advertised this way.
To me, it is as bad, if not worse, than being a huge fan of utilizing the cliffhanger in your novels and expecting everyone who reads them to be on board with your hopeful pipe dreams of becoming the next Outlander Series.
We're fans of something because it's good, somewhat original, and manages to hold our attention long enough to get the gist of the story.
Why would we want to continue that momentum with another set of characters in another setting doing basically the same things?
It doesn't work, trust me.
Remember Twilight?
Everyone and his Uncle hopped on the revised version of Dark Shadows and added to the frenzy by quoting or mimicking to death poor Anne Rice.
Then the fad wore off and shifters took center stage.
Now, it's Time Travel.
So, what do you suppose the NEXT fad will be?
Why not wait and see and then hop on that bandwagon?
Or, better still, create your OWN novel idea and run with it.
And nope.
Not saying Vampire, Shifter, Time Travel novels are awful and overkill... NOT saying that!
What I am saying is, if it's your heart's delight to work with any of these genres of Romance novel, and if you aren't hell-bent on presuming to have the next TV Series in the works (thereby creating 7 cliffhangers for that purpose) then by all means, write away!
And, yes, I'll be reading them (if they are up to snuff), but I won't be interested if you are writing on the coattails of another...
... or because you've got grandiose ideas about something that may or may not happen.
If I wanted to read Outlander, I would... then I'd want to read your work because it ISN'T Outlander.
See, I already read that book, so I'm not interested in reading a book like it.
The sad reality is, it reminds me of the old Gambling commercials where the old lady introduces us to all of the make-believe crap inside her empty house that she HOPES to buy just as soon as her LUCK turns around.
Don't live that way.
It's sad.
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