Books Quote by Cheryl St.John
““Avoid ending a scene with your character going to bed. Your reader will shut off the light and go to sleep, too.””
About This Quote
Source Writing Guide: Crafting Narrative Tension, Cheryl St.John, 2018
Ending a scene with a character going to bed can cause readers to lose engagement and fall asleep, so avoid it.
In simple terms: Ending with sleep cues disengages readers.
Key Takeaway
Keep scenes active to maintain interest.
Themes
narrative pacing
reader engagement
storytelling
Mood
practical
guiding
Type
instructional
creative
When to use this quote
- novel chapters
- short stories
- screenplays
- blog posts
Key Concepts
writing technique
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you signal scene closure without sleep cues?
- What alternatives keep tension alive?
A Different Perspective
Sometimes a calm ending is appropriate for tone.
