: Re: Is it okay to end a novel with a cliffhanger? First thing you should know: I'm writing the first book in a trilogy and I'm at that beautiful moment where I'm ending it. I know exactly how

@Samaraweera193

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More than likely you will alienate whatever readers did pick up your book.
They PAID to buy your story, and you did not provide them with a complete story.
A Series does not mean each story segment is left unfinished.
If it is made clear up front your Trilogy is an ongoing SERIAL which requires all three books to reach the conclusion, you might get by with it.
But you don't find booksellers offering SERIAL as an option for categorizing the books they sell.
Another option is to only sell your story as a three book SET. Do not allow individual sales of each book.

I'm writing a very long series spanning 175 years. In each book I cover the major events that take place within the time frame established for that book. Readers will know the story doesn't end. But they won't be left wondering what happened. Each book can stand-alone, but is not written in episodic fashion either. EG: One book may lead through teens to early adult and end before marriage, or at graduation. The next book may start with the wedding and carry the story through married life and up until the kids begin leaving the nest. But the reader will not be cheated on finding out what happened during the specified time frame. Perhaps a mild hook, did he marry his college sweetheart?
The only way to find out is to buy the next book, but no topics started in the book are left unanswered, unless impossible to answer them until the end.

VTY
Dutch

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