| Creating a Page Turner by Desiree Day |
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Have you ever picked up a novel with the intention of reading only a couple chapters
but found yourself gritty-eyed and eagerly plowing through the book, reluctant to put it
down? At the time, I didn’t know that the author was skillfully leading me through the
book; all I knew was that I enjoyed it tremendously and couldn’t put it down, I ravished
it.
It wasn’t until I started writing novels that I understood this little trick. It’s a simple
technique that writers use to hook their readers, guaranteeing that they’ll always have
their attention. I call it creating a page turner, other writers might have a different
name for it, but the goal is the same, to keep the readers engrossed.
Ending your chapters with a page turner is an easily learned technique. If used
correctly, you’ll have your readers so absorbed in the story that they won’t want to put it
down.
There are several techniques a writer can use to keep readers interested, methods
that will keep them flipping the pages. Please don’t employ the same formula
several times in a row, that will become repetitive and predictable. Alternating your
chapter endings will not only keep your readers engaged but have them refer your
novel to their friends, a writer’s dream.
Read the following paragraphs, these are from the first chapter of my novel, Spiritual
Seduction, a paranormal romance. Which one would snatch you to chapter two?
EXAMPLE 1
“Bradley!” Riley called, stumbling after him. The sandals her
sister had picked out slowed her down. “We don’t have to go out,
we can stay home. I have a steak in the freezer; it’ll only take
twenty minutes if I microwave it. Come on, baby, stay with me.”
Bradley suddenly stopped and studied his wife. The right side of
her face was red from the slap, mascara ran down her cheeks like
black tar, and her once neat hair hung sadly around her face.
“You look like a shitty whore.” He slammed out of the house.
Riley fell against the door.
EXAMPLE 2
“Bradley!” Riley called, stumbling after him. The sandals her
sister had picked out slowed her down. “We don’t have to go out,
we can stay home. I have a steak in the freezer; it’ll only take
twenty minutes if I microwave it. Come on, baby, stay with me.”
Bradley suddenly stopped and studied his wife. The right side of
her face was red from the slap, mascara ran down her cheeks like
black tar, and her once neat hair hung sadly around her face.
“You look like a shitty whore.” He slammed out of the house.
Riley fell against the door.
Loud banging snatched Riley from a restless sleep. She tiredly
reached for Bradley but found herself groping air. Her eyes
popped open and she turned toward the clock: 3:00 glared at
her. “He must’ve lost his keys.” She threw on a nightgown,
stumbled down the stairs half asleep, and pulled open the door.
“I see you forgot your ke—” She stopped when she saw the two
police officers standing in front of her.
“Mrs. Tyson?” Riley nodded. “Wife of Bradley Tyson?” Riley’s
hand went to her mouth as she began to tremble. She nodded.
“May we come in? We have some bad news.”
If you picked example two, then you were correct. While the ending in example one
proved to be adequate, example two won the challenge. The appearance of the
police piques readers’ interest, seducing them to read the next page to find out what
happens. In the above scenario I utilized a simple technique, the anticipation of bad
news, then ending the chapter.
Another technique that I use is ending the chapter with a question. In, Spiritual
Seduction, I ended several chapters with a question. It’s a subtle technique to get
readers to find out the answer by continuing to the next chapter.
Ending the chapter with an unresolved situation is an in-your-face page turner. In my
first novel, Crazy Love, Stacie and Tameeka had their share of conflicts and the only
way to find out if they were resolved was to hurry to the next chapter.
One of my favorite techniques is an uninvited visitor. In Spiritual Seduction, a man
shows up at the house, stunning everyone speechless. Actually, I used this
technique a couple times throughout the book, although sparingly, it was very
effective.
The whiff of a secret and the anticipation of its reveal is enough to keep readers
turning pages. Let’s me share with you the end of chapter one of my novel, Cruising.
Which example do you think would keep readers’ interest?
EXAMPLE 1
Go ‘head Rich!” Lauren said. “I’m so jealous. Cleve and I haven’t been on a real
vacation in years. Between his business and my job we don’t have the time. I wish
we could get away,” she said wistfully. “You two have the perfect marriage, the perfect
house, and the perfect kids. You got it all, girl.” Lauren sighed, then reached over and
clasped Blair’s hand.
Blair smiled weakly. “Oh, thanks. But I think we all have it all,” she said, glancing
around the table and then raising her cup. “We should make a toast.” Blair cocked
her head and studied her friends. Her green eyes flicked over the ladies she loved
like sisters. Like her momma used to say, they were tighter than a gaggle of geese.
“To our perfect lives,” she murmured.
There was a moment’s hesitation before a round of cheers went up. The friends shot
furtive glances at one another before gulping down their drinks.
EXAMPLE 2
Go ‘head Rich!” Lauren said. “I’m so jealous. Cleve and I haven’t been on a real
vacation in years. Between his business and my job we don’t have the time. I wish
we could get away,” she said wistfully. “You two have the perfect marriage, the perfect
house, and the perfect kids. You got it all, girl.” Lauren sighed, then reached over and
clasped Blair’s hand.
Blair smiled weakly. “Oh, thanks. But I think we all have it all,” she said, glancing
around the table and then raising her cup. “We should make a toast.” Blair cocked
her head and studied her friends. Her green eyes flicked over the ladies she loved
like sisters. Like her momma used to say, they were tighter than a gaggle of geese.
“To our perfect lives,” she murmured.
Example one is the right one. The furtive glances and hesitation all scream secrets
and lies, two things that would have me turning the pages.
Another technique is the possibility of getting caught; this one is a heart pumper. In
my novel, Cruising, there is a scene where Madison and her lover are in the middle of
making loving in the library on a cruise ship and they hear someone approaching the
door. The readers are breathless with fear wondering if they’re going to get caught.
Naturally the only way to find out is to turn the page to the next chapter.
These are just a few techniques writers can use to create a page turner. The goal of
a novel is to transport readers to a new world and to keep them engrossed.
Happy writing!!!
DESIREE DAY is the author of Crazy Love—chosen by Romantic Times as one of its
Top 5 African-American Novels for 2005, Cruising, and One G-String Short of Crazy.