by Dan Walsh, @DanWalshAuthor
In my column last month, we looked at how important reader reviews are to successful Book Marketing. With so many people buying their books online, I believe having A LOT of reader reviews (in the 4.5 to 5 Star range) is FAR more important than getting magazine and/or Bestselling Author endorsements.
Why? Because THAT’S what readers pay the most attention to when buying online.
Last month, I mentioned a tip that’s increased my Reader Reviews significantly…I actually ask Readers (politely) to leave a review in one my first back pages (at the end of each book). At the end of last month’s column, I shared one final tip: “The best way to insure a reader will want to leave a positive review is to work hard to craft a great, climactic ending for your book. Nothing will generate strong motivation to leave a good review than a good book with a great ending.”
So, that’s what we’re looking at this month: the importance of great endings.
You’ve heard the expression, “You only get one chance to make a great first impression.” Well, in fiction writing the flipside of that is ALSO true: “You only get one chance to make a great LAST impression.” No matter how catchy your book’s beginning is, how gripping your story’s premise is, or how interesting your characters are…for many readers, if the ending falls flat—or worse, ends leaving them frustrated—they’re not likely to buy any more of your books or leave a good review.
It’s that simple.
The late, great crime fiction author Mickey Spillane said it like this: “Your first chapter sells your book. Your last chapter sells your next book.” Of course, this assumes your last chapter has a great ending. If not, the opposite is true. Your last chapter will kill your next book’s chances.
Let me illustrate this way. Imagine a guy and girl go out on a first date. He picks her up on time and cleaned up real nice. She loves his cologne, and his smile. He takes her to a nice restaurant. They enjoy a delicious meal. The conversation flows easily. He has a good sense of humor. He doesn’t talk too much and asks her lots of get-to-know-you questions. Everything is going so well until the end. Suddenly, he gets up without explanation and walks away. She watches as he walks through the restaurant and out the front door. She stands and through the front window sees his car drive out of the parking lot. She realizes…he’s left her there, alone, to pay the bill and find her own way home. Once home, she checks her phone several times. No texts from the guy, and no phone calls.
So…how would this young lady rate this date? What are the chances she’d go out with this guy again? Regardless of how well the beginning and the middle of the date went, the ending changes everything.
That’s what happens to readers after turning the last page of a book with a bad ending. Forget any chance they’ll buy any of your other books. Forget any chance they’ll leave a great review.
Because I know this is true, and I’ve known it from the first book I wrote (20 books ago), I still and will ALWAYS spend at least as much time crafting my endings as I do my first chapter. I want that last impression to be just as strong. Because I know if I do, they’ll be in no hurry to go away. They’ll linger a little while, checking out my Back Pages. And they’ll see a page and a link introducing them to the NEXT book, and another page politely asking them to please help me out by taking a few moments to leave a positive review. Because they loved the book (and how it ends), a good number of them will.
So, I hope by now at least some of you are convinced and hope I’ll begin to share some tips on how to craft a Great Ending. Well, that’s the plan. And here’s my first Great Ending Tip: “Unless your next book comes out next month, avoid cliff-hanger endings at all costs.” Regardless of what you’ve heard, most Readers hate them. They leave them feeling frustrated and confused.
Just like the way I’m about to leave you.
Because this is a Blog Post and not a book. And I’ve run out of time. I have no choice but to leave you hanging. But hey, NEXT MONTH is not that far away, and I plan to spend the whole column sharing lots of other tips I’ve learned about Great Endings.
Young history Professor Jack Turner is settling into his new position at Culpepper University, when he gets a surprise visit from his friend, police Sgt. Joe Boyd. Joe has started a new hobby, a fun pastime that’s also helping him lose some weight — metal detecting. Joe asks if he can do this on Jack’s lakefront property, which includes over a dozen acres of woods. Intrigued by a hobby that combines physical exercise and Jack’s love of history, Jack asks to tag along. Neither man has any idea that this seemingly harmless hobby will cause their paths to cross with a 70-year-old mystery involving tragedy, smuggling, multiple murders and stolen Nazi loot. It’s just an innocent hobby Jack tells his wife, Rachel. Really, what could go wrong?
Dan Walsh is the bestselling author of 20 novels including The Unfinished Gift, The Reunion and When Night Comes. He has won 3 Carol Awards (finalist 6 times), 4 Selah Awards (finalist 5 times), and 4 of his books have been finalists for RT Review’s Inspirational Book of the Year. A member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Word Weavers International, Dan writes fulltime in the Daytona Beach area. He and his wife Cindi have been married 42 years, have 2 children and 4 grandchildren. You can find out more about Dan’s books or follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads or Pinterest from his website at http://www.danwalshbooks.com.