Learn how writers and illustrators use cliffhangers, carefully chosen images, and page turns to build suspense and keep readers engaged.
A character reaches for a locked door. Someone calls from the other side. End the page there, and readers have a reason to turn it. An illustration can hold that same moment in a hand hovering over the handle or a face suddenly recognising the voice.
Cliffhangers depend on choosing where to pause. For writers and illustrators, that means deciding what readers should know now and what the next page will reveal. Words and pictures can each create that anticipation.
Give Readers a Question They Need Answered
A strong hook creates curiosity. What will the character choose? Who is telling the truth? The answer does not have to come immediately. Delaying it can create momentum, as long as readers trust the story to deliver.
A University at Buffalo study published in Media Psychology found that cliffhangers can encourage readers to continue to another instalment. That makes the unresolved moment worth considering when planning a scene.
Readers also need to care about the person involved. Give your character something they want. Then make getting it difficult. A letter could contain news about a missing friend. The question matters because the answer could change the character’s life.
Choose the Moment That Holds the Tension
- Imagine a child discovering something moving inside a cupboard. You could illustrate the closed door, the child opening it, or the creature stepping out. Each choice gives readers different information.
- To build anticipation, show the moment before the door opens. A narrow gap and the child’s cautious posture can suggest what might happen without revealing it.
- Showing the creature immediately answers the question of what is inside. Its appearance could still raise another question.
- A close view of a face can delay a reveal. Readers see the character react before learning what caused it. Give them enough context so the expression creates curiosity rather than confusion.
- A visual cliffhanger can be emotional too. Imagine two friends sitting together when one notices an old photograph. Show the recognition before the explanation.
- A change in posture or a hand pulling away can suggest that the relationship is about to change. Readers turn the page to understand why.
Let Words and Pictures Share the Story
In an illustrated story, the text and image can reveal different things. A character might insist that nobody has followed them while the picture shows a shadow beneath the door.
Readers notice the danger first and want to see when the character will discover it.
If you write books that will be illustrated, consider which information needs to appear in the prose. Describing every visible detail can remove opportunities for the artist to contribute to the storytelling.
When a visual detail is essential to understanding the plot, a brief illustration note can explain its purpose.
You might note that the reader must see the hidden key before the character finds it. Leave room for the illustrator to decide how to show it.
Use the Page Turn to Time the Reveal
Placement matters as much as the image itself. A surprise on the facing page may be visible before the reader reaches it. Keeping it over the page allows the physical turn to separate anticipation from discovery.
Chris Haughton describes this in his account of making Shh! We Have a Plan. He places a page turn between the characters preparing to catch a bird and their unsuccessful attempt.
The pause gives readers time to anticipate the outcome. The reveal then delivers the joke.
Try sketching a rough sequence of pages. Stick figures are enough to test the order. Read the words aloud and turn the pages at the intended moments. Notice whether the picture reveals something before the text has prepared for it.
Try the Technique Across Different Forms
Illustrated Fiction
In an illustrated novel, an image might draw attention to a clue that the prose treats casually. A broken clasp or an unfamiliar footprint can stay in the reader’s mind. Plan its position carefully so it supports the discovery instead of revealing a later twist too soon.
Comics and Cartoons
Comics let you divide an action across panels. A glance, a hand reaching into a pocket, and another character’s reaction can delay the discovery of what is hidden there. A cartoon strip can use the same timing for a joke. Its final panel may resolve the setup rather than leave a cliffhanger.
Try turning one of your scenes into a short cartoon sequence. Choose what each panel reveals. Even rough drawings can expose where you have explained too much or skipped a moment readers need.
Keep the Promise Behind the Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger becomes frustrating when information is withheld purely to force another page turn. Let the next scene answer the question or develop it meaningfully. Repeated interruptions can make readers feel that their curiosity is being used against them.
Not every ending needs a shock. A changed relationship or a difficult decision can provide quieter momentum. Give readers time to absorb a revelation before introducing another.
Watch How Webtoons Handle the Reveal
Webtoons offer another way to observe these choices. In a vertical sequence, a creator can place a reaction above the image that explains it.
Scrolling brings the answer into view. Episode endings can extend that anticipation until the next instalment.
You can explore manhwas (South Korean comics and style) online at Honey Toons to study how illustrated stories handle pacing. Choose a scene and notice which moment receives its own panel. Ask what would change if the next image appeared sooner.
If you are researching the platform before browsing, reader discussions such as Is HoneyToon Safe & Legit? can form part of that research alongside the service’s own policies.
Then return to your own scene. Identify the question you want readers to carry over the page. Decide which words or image will raise it and where the answer belongs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a story addictive to readers?
Curiosity, emotional investment, meaningful stakes, and forward momentum all help keep readers engaged. A story does not need constant action. Readers need a reason to care about what happens next and trust that the story will eventually provide satisfying answers.
How do you keep readers interested between chapters?
End chapters with meaningful unresolved tension. A new question, difficult decision, or change in circumstances can create anticipation. The strongest endings make readers curious without feeling as though the writer is deliberately withholding information just to force another chapter.
Do all chapters need a cliffhanger?
Nope. A chapter may end in revelation, emotional realization, character decision, or a quieter moment. What matters is an ending that provides the reader a reason to continue. If you put cliffhangers everywhere, they become predictable and lose their power.
How can writers improve their pacing?
Read a lot and see where your interest peaks or wanes. See how writers handle scenes, dialogue, and chapter endings. For illustrated work, rough out a page sequence and see whether the words and pictures give information at the right time. Read widely and notice where your interest rises or fades.
See here for more on the importance of cliffhangers in your writing.
