Cliff hanger chapter followed by a chapter from a different arc.

[msstice]

(Once more, a fairly theoretical question without my actual manuscript in your hand, but you all have been wonderful with advice before)

Chapter 1 closes on a cliff-hanger, with the MC running into mortal danger in his quest (say facing off a dragon).

Chapter 2 switches, figuratively, to the MC's home village, where his friends are discussing his fate over a pint of ale at the tavern and discussing the mortal dangers posed by dragons one might encounter on such a quest. This chapter introduces us to his friends, his home village and some ominous portends of said dragons.

I tried it out as an experiment and initially liked it, but on rereading the chapters together I worry that a cliffhanger is a bad time to do an interlude like this. Theoretically, it looks like a drop off of pace at the wrong time. I suspect my readers will be in a hurry to get that chapter over with so they can see what happens with the dragon.

Have any of you run into a similar issue with multiple arcs? What are your preferences for pacing and interweaving in such multiple arc cases? Thank you.

 

[ckatt]

I think I can certainly work. I think the trick is quickly grabbing the readers attention in the new storyline. Doesn't need to be action but there must be a draw, an intriguing new question posed so they won't be tempted to flip ahead.
That said, I think chapter 2 might not be the best time to do it. But that depends on how much time we spent in chapter 1. If it was fairly long and has already delivered some payoffs, I think you're good. But if the first major event ends in a cliffhanger then you may find readers put the book down rather than move onto a new narrative.

 

[HareBrain]

I suspect my readers will be in a hurry to get that chapter over with so they can see what happens with the dragon.

I think you might be right. And some will skip ahead to get a vague idea, then return to ch2 so they can read it without stress, which is OK.

Interweaving POVs is a difficult one. Ideally you want the reader to be equally invested in both/all, but in reality most readers have a favourite character. In one book I tried mostly to round off POVs before they switched; in others I've left the tension high (without actual cliffhangers necessarily), and I couldn't tell you which worked better. My ideal would be for each POV to shed light on the others, and for the reader to know this, so they're not tempted to rush through certain of them. But I've never really tried to work out how to implement this in practice.

 

[The Big Peat]

I am too braindead to think my way through this properly but have seen too many storytellers to do this other than to regard it as a major part of the multi-arc arsenal. Not doing it is like saying "I'm going to open an Italian restaurant but we won't serve pasta or pizza". Completely possible! But very much a "but why" moment.

 

[tinkerdan]

If you were 3 quarters of the way though your work and did this the cliffhanger at the end of a chapter would be fine--however it might be close enough to the end that the reader might get royally miffed that this is the main resolving conflict and you took them somewhere else: for what?.

Early in the story it shouldn't be that conflict--if it is then it's in the wrong place--so cutting to another arc shouldn't be a big deal, although I'd get back to that arc as soon as possible or--as a reader--I'd be miffed.

 

[Swank]

Seems normal to me.

 

[sknox]

This may go a little beyond the bounds of the OP, but perhaps msstice will find it worth consideration.

The issue I would have is a cliffhanger in chapter one. By the end of chapter one, I've barely had time to get to know the characters and setting, and to get some sense of tone and plot. Any cliffhanger--indeed, any sort of grand action--that early just doesn't resonate. Give me a cliffhanger in Chapter Six and I'm probably right there with you, but we've barely been introduced! I just don't care that much yet.

So, an interruption at that point is very nearly like encountering a new story. I'm not thinking about the previous events. By the time we get back to them, I'm more inclined to shrug than to gasp.

Now, it's certainly possible for a writer to snag me somehow in the opening. It's been done. I'm just saying it might be worth considering other approaches. If none satisfy, then by all means swing for the fences.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

It works fine but not every switch as I’ve known to happen - that serves to make cliffhangers feel false as they’re resolved each time

 

[Wayne Mack]

Having a cliff hanger and then switching story arcs is a viable technique. I would only advise against having multiple cliff hangers open as the reader will start to lose track of who is in which danger. I would also avoid overusing it for a single character and the story degenerating into a 'perils of Pauline' serial. Used appropriately, though, it can serve to build tension.

 

[msstice]

Thank you all for these (as usual) in depth thoughts. I really appreciate this because you don't even have a sample to look at.

You've made me understand that it takes skill to pull this (early cliffhanger + shift of POV) off without turning the reader away. The placement of Ch2 affects reader mood but not plot or character. I many not have managed to put enough interesting things in that chapter to justify the break at that point. It sounds like it will be a good fit after the opening denouement, when we are looking for some respite and could do with some background to the world.