How do you know when to end a first chapter or episode?

And how does it differ according to individual story genres?
What is the ideal way to end a Thriller or Action story in contrast to a Comedy, in your view.
Sorry for the multiple questions in one. I’m just really interested in your opinions on this topic.
Thanks in advance x

Hmm well… You want to get your readers to continue read the next episode :wink: so it would help to end an episode with some questions raised. Something like in a thriller… At the end of an episode MC finds something, looks afraid/terrified… But the author doesn’t show yet what it was.
You don’t need to write out the questions and it doesn’t always have to be something bad happening. Just something where the reader feels the need to continue reading :laughing:

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I agree that cliffhangers are very important, especially after the first episode because the majority of readers don’t read further than the first (or the first three) episode(s). I also think that it’s good to let the reader make a choice at the end of the episode and then show the consequences in the next one because the reader will want to know if they chose the right thing.
and I think cliffhangers are important no matter the genre. but they’ll look different depending on genre, of course. a comedy cliffhanger looks probably more like “oh that funny embarrassing thing is maybe about to happen to the MC” and thriller more like “oh god who’s dead??”

length is important too of course. if you end your first chapter too soon and barely anything happens, readers won’t want to read on.

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@Kax
I thinky ou should end an episode at a dramativ part

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I find a cliff-hanger is always best. You want your readers to be curious about what’s about to happen, and a cliff-hanger works for almost every genre.

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