Follow-Up Question questions

Darkstar12c

Darkstar12c

Virgin
New-ish author here and very new to the forums so if this is out of place

I wanted to ask for some advice. I'm plugging along with my chapters and every time without fail I get to the follow up question and I just trip and fall at the hurdle. There's only one I would say I really nailed and that's because it's a take on There's Something About Mary ,and I've never even seen the movie. Every follow up after that feels like I kinda missed the mark or just settled for something that just gets the reader to the next chapter. Any suggestions
 
As a writer, I never bother with a follow-up question as a writer*. Why? because as a reader, I never even register it.

Because the question is not what's interesting. It never is. The answer is. They can hint at things to come, teasing or joking, tickling readers' curiosity. And as an added bonus, they are listed on the story map, providing another entry point into your story.

You can use the question as a kind of setup, nothing wrong with that. But the pay-off should be in the answer.



* With one exception: to write 'the end'.
 
I guess the one concern I have is less with the typical reader and more potential contributors. I'd want to frame as many of the follow-up questions as I could in such a way that they can easily branch off from that point if they're struck by an inspiration. Of course, the follow-up question is only one component of that. The more important decision is where I'm choosing to break up my chapters in the first place.
 
TheLowKing said:
As a writer, I never bother with a follow-up question as a writer*. Why? because as a reader, I never even register it.

Because the question is not what's interesting. It never is. The answer is. They can hint at things to come, teasing or joking, tickling readers' curiosity. And as an added bonus, they are listed on the story map, providing another entry point into your story.

You can use the question as a kind of setup, nothing wrong with that. But the pay-off should be in the answer.



* With one exception: to write 'the end'.
Click to expand...
I have realised I've not used a follow up question at the end of any chapter. To a certain extent I may have missed that it was an actual editable field. I may start to utilise it
 
TheLowKing said:
As a writer, I never bother with a follow-up question as a writer*. Why? because as a reader, I never even register it.

Because the question is not what's interesting. It never is. The answer is. They can hint at things to come, teasing or joking, tickling readers' curiosity. And as an added bonus, they are listed on the story map, providing another entry point into your story.

You can use the question as a kind of setup, nothing wrong with that. But the pay-off should be in the answer.



* With one exception: to write 'the end'.
Click to expand...
Huh didnt think of it exactly like that. I usually try to title my chapters as answers but still something that draws the eye. Looking at it now im going to start paying more attention to the titles and see where i can make improvements
 
bartolimieu07 said:
I guess the one concern I have is less with the typical reader and more potential contributors. I'd want to frame as many of the follow-up questions as I could in such a way that they can easily branch off from that point if they're struck by an inspiration. Of course, the follow-up question is only one component of that. The more important decision is where I'm choosing to break up my chapters in the first place.
Click to expand...
I think my chapter breaks are mostly alright definitely a lot of room for improvement. But I definitely faceplanted on giving room for branches I only really left explicit room for other branches in like one instance, definitely something i need to get better on.
 
Darkstar12c said:
I think my chapter breaks are mostly alright definitely a lot of room for improvement. But I definitely faceplanted on giving room for branches I only really left explicit room for other branches in like one instance, definitely something i need to get better on.
Click to expand...
In general I think I've not really bothered as I usually know where the next few chapters are going.
 
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