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Topic : How can I prevent the ends of my chapters from feeling forced? Background I've found that at the end of a lot of my chapters, the endings feel quite forced and abrupt. This is because I - selfpublishingguru.com

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Background

I've found that at the end of a lot of my chapters, the endings feel quite forced and abrupt. This is because I don't know where to go, I've done what I need to do. For example:

Excerpt from my own writing:

“Let us see this matter through. None need to know of this; it is a private issue only for the castle to see to.”
“It would be best to seek out the adviser’s” suggested (name removed).
“Very well.”

This seems extremely abrupt. Its almost like 'okay lets do this' 'do this' 'that it is, see you!'. This comes right after the two characters in this scene discovering a 'page without context'. Considering they've just discovered something so vital and important, I feel like there isn't enough of a winding down section at the end of this chapter.

Excerpt from my own writing:

A glowing explosion had imploded with embers, knocking warriors away as their clothes were ignited and weapons abandoned.
(name removed) watched one fumble for life as he toppled to the ground.

I just want to make a note that I haven't decided whether I want to use fumble or cling here, so this example will be edited a lot. I haven't edited this work yet. Anyway, I feel like I've gone from the battle scene to the chapter's end extremely fast, its almost like 'fire explosion!' 'see you'. Normally, after a battle you would have a bit of a winding down section where you consolidated. I haven't had this because I thought it would be obvious that the battle was won, however, it still seems a little bit forced. Also, I changed my mind, I'm changing it to cling the second I finish this question. Fumble connotates that someone is fumbling around the place or fumbling to keep his life, whereas cling infers that he is clinging on to his final moments.

Question

How can I prevent the ends of chapters feeling abrupt? Is it always good to have a falling action section at the end, after the climax of the chapter?

Thanks.

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Depends on the story you are telling "and in the telling how the story is told."

Traditionally the end of a chapter provides a "forewarning" that more is to come...though maybe not exactly in the next chapter certainly in the coming ones.

The "boring" or trite way this is done is to literally repeat the last sentence of the last Chapter as the first sentence of your next Chapter...which sounds goofy today but does have literary merit actually.

For example "And he thought 'I think therefore I am' because of what had happened." End of Chapter followed by

Chapter 2: not in quotes
I think therefore I am.
What the heck does that mean?

And then you go from there...

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