One-Shot Question

Started by LugiaFreak November 29th, 2009 11:45 AM
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  • 2 replies
Age 27
Female
Illinois, USA
Seen July 4th, 2015
Posted July 9th, 2010
355 posts
14.6 Years
I know what a one-shot in fanfiction is in a nutshell -- a story that is only one chapter long and about 500-1,000 words. But, I was wondering if a one-shot could be a cliffhanger, or rather, an ending that leaves the reader wondering what happens next without any text left to explain. I've read that all conflicts in one-shots are supposed to be resolved within the single chapter, but the idea that I have wouldn't follow these guidelines.

...Sorry, that was rather wordy. ._.;;

But, would something like that still be considered a one-shot?


"Lugia, the Diving Pokémon. It is said to be the guardian of the seas. It is rumored to have been seen on the night of a storm."

Giratina ♀

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Female
Seen July 23rd, 2013
Posted July 22nd, 2013
1,439 posts
15.1 Years
Well, a one-shot doesn't have a set limit, nor does it necessarily need to be a chapter's length. For example, when I wrote my one-shot Indebted, my average chapter length was about five pages. Indebted weighed in at eleven. Just thought I'd clear that up for ya. Anyway, just as a select few chaptered stories take cliffhanger endings (one of my stories did this, if you didn't count the epilogue making it rather obvious what had happened), one-shots can be cliffhanger endings too... if they're done well, that is. Usually, people get irritated when someone ends on a cliffhanger and doesn't make any attempt to explain themselves, but it really depends on how skilled you are and how much you want to leave to the readers' imagination.