Expanding Horizons: Writing Cliffhangers

Cliffhangers are story points which leave the reader in suspense. I recommend writing cliffhangers as a way of engaging students in the writing process. In this exercise students take three steps recommended by writing educators toward effective writing. First, they develop raw written material during several minutes of nonstop freewriting (Elbow, 1981). Second, they reread material, searching until they find a focus to develop further (Murray, 1987). Third, they publish a book when finished (Calkins, 1986)