If you’re writing a series, have you ended each volume with a cliffhanger? Most series constitute an ongoing story, but if you end each one in the middle of a nail-biting scene, bear in mind that there are pros and cons.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve encountered such endings before and actually said something out loud that wasn’t very nice. In other words, sometimes they irritate your readers. If the sequel has not yet been released, it’s even worse. In that case, if a reader has to wait, they may forget all about your story in the meantime or remember how frustrated they were at how the book ended. Granted, if your reader really loves your story and characters they’ll deal with it and look forward to the next book, but otherwise it could backfire. Mainly, be aware it doesn’t always work as expected.
Another thing to consider is that not all readers will start with volume 1. Starting a book in the middle of an intense scene carried over from the previous book is likely to be confusing, not something you want to do to a reader.
What do you think of cliffhangers? Feel free to leave your thoughts on them in the comments.
Marcha's Two-Cents Worth 
Reading this made me think of one of my favorite series, Keeper of The Lost Cities. Ever since book 3 they’ve all ended with cliffhangers, but not in the way that they end in the middle of a scene, but they reveal a bit of something we really, REALLY want to know, and then cuts the book off. It feels like it’s better than ending in the middle of an intense scene, but still kills me.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m curious what my readers thought of how I ended mine. There were still major things to be worked out but the basic story for that episode closed. It’s always a challenge when it’s really one, big, long story.
LikeLiked by 1 person
For me, each story (even in a series) should be able to stand on its own as a tale. It should wrap up nicely and make the reader feel like it is completed. If I read something and it just stops dead with a cliff-hanger, then I tend to feel cheated. If it’s one story, finish it here. If it’s more than one, then end this one and show me that there is more. Cliff-hangers are for chapters, not for books.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I agree entirely that each one should stand alone. Hopefully they entice the reader to find out what happened before and what happens in the sequel.
LikeLike
As an author I see the value in cliffhangars but I try to avoid them. As a reader I find them irritating most of the time and a cheep ploy to hook people into buying the next book. I prefer some sort of conclusion, however I also do not mind a tease of what’s to come. Not having a conclusion to a full-length novel feels too cheep to me most of the time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
In my series there was always an issue yet to be resolved, but what I hoped was a satisfying ending or hints at how it would be taken care of. I hate it the most when a book ends in the middle of a scene.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Agreed, ending in the middle of a scene is irritating.
LikeLike