Cheryl Isaacs on Cliffhanger Endings and Reader Engagement
The hardest part of reading a great book is reaching the last few pages and feeling reluctant to finish it. You find yourself rationing the experience, knowing once the end arrives, the story concludes. However, the final page is never truly the end; it only marks the limit of what the author has chosen to share.
A truly satisfying story leaves readers pondering and asking, “Then what happens next?” The absence of more pages seldom stops me from imagining the characters’ ongoing journeys, making each book feel like a never-ending tale. Good stories, much like life, don’t conclude with a single victory. Each challenge overcome or problem solved brings consequences that propel the hero into new adventures.
In this way, every book concludes with a cliffhanger, whether intentional or not. Regardless of your preferred plotting method, near the end of the second act, there is typically a point when the threat appears defeated, the mystery resolved, and relief sets in. But what readers understand beyond the characters is that the story is far from over — it’s about to become much more complicated.
"This is my favorite part of any story because it’s so true to life."
Every story, like life itself, keeps unfolding beyond the apparent ending.
Author’s summary: Cheryl Isaacs highlights how cliffhanger endings mirror life’s ongoing challenges, keeping readers emotionally invested beyond the last page.