Techniques Analysis

Worksheet Description

This worksheet outlines various techniques for writing cliffhangers, as recommended by the renowned author R.L. Stine, famous for the “Goosebumps” series. It provides a list of strategies to create suspenseful moments and engaging chapter endings that compel readers to continue reading. Among the suggestions are introducing chapters with urgency, writing concisely, blending descriptions into the action, focusing on the protagonist’s sensory experiences, withholding information from the reader, starting new chapters mid-scene, and using flashbacks to build suspense. Each technique is aimed at enhancing the reader’s engagement and creating a compelling narrative drive.

Students are tasked with applying these techniques to their own writing. They are instructed to read through the listed methods and identify instances of these techniques in the texts they are reading. The goal is to encourage them to recognize these strategies in action and understand how they contribute to the creation of suspense. Then, the students must identify a technique, pinpoint where it occurs in the reading, and briefly describe the resulting situation. This exercise not only helps students to grasp the concept of cliffhangers but also aids them in effectively incorporating such techniques into their own storytelling.