Chapter Length
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No.
A chapter should be as long as it needs to be.
Or as short.
I generally have chapters that end up between 15-22 pages, with most of them coming in at about 20.
That's just cause that's how I like to structure my work. Sometimes they're shorter. Sometimes a smidge longer. (but not too much longer just cause I don't like really long chapters.)
Susan G.
A chapter should be as long as it needs to be.
Or as short.
I generally have chapters that end up between 15-22 pages, with most of them coming in at about 20.
That's just cause that's how I like to structure my work. Sometimes they're shorter. Sometimes a smidge longer. (but not too much longer just cause I don't like really long chapters.)
Susan G.
Well...my current WIP is a sort of bastardisation of women's fiction/erotica, to be tightened up and edited later, but as it stands now, my chapters vary from ten manuscript pages (2k) to around thirty-something (over 6k).
As has been said, a chapter is as long as it needs to be.
As has been said, a chapter is as long as it needs to be.
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Yep, mine are anywhere from 10-20 generally, although rarely at the far ends of those numbers; they average 13 or 14.
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Like Allie said, I'm not sure it matters???
As long as you end a scene in a logical way--preferably a way that makes a reader flip to the next chapter--you should be okay.
As long as you end a scene in a logical way--preferably a way that makes a reader flip to the next chapter--you should be okay.
I think every author sort of sets her own rhythm. Mine tend to be between 2500 and 4500 words. Depends on what's happening.
Don't you love wishy-washy answers?
Don't you love wishy-washy answers?
No.
A chapter should be as long as it needs to be.
Or as short.
I generally have chapters that end up between 15-22 pages, with most of them coming in at about 20.
That's just cause that's how I like to structure my work. Sometimes they're shorter. Sometimes a smidge longer. (but not too much longer just cause I don't like really long chapters.)
Susan G.
Susan,
are you chapters that are 15-22 pages, double spaced? is this 15-22 pages when you are writing or when it is printed?
I hope it's okay to bump this, because I want to ask about it too - when people are talking about "15-20 pages", does that mean A4 size, size 12 font?
I'm looking at my novel in A5 format, size 11 font, to try and figure out how long my chapters should be. My chapters were originally about 5-6 k each, but they seemed way too big, so I cut them all in half. But now I'm thinking of going back to about 4-5k standard size. Which seems to work out at about 15-17 pages long, in A5 size 11 font.
I'm guessing the answer will be..."it doesn't matter"?
I'm looking at my novel in A5 format, size 11 font, to try and figure out how long my chapters should be. My chapters were originally about 5-6 k each, but they seemed way too big, so I cut them all in half. But now I'm thinking of going back to about 4-5k standard size. Which seems to work out at about 15-17 pages long, in A5 size 11 font.
I'm guessing the answer will be..."it doesn't matter"?
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Most of the time when writers are talking about pages, they're talking estimated printed pages; the rule of thumb tends to be somewhere between 200 and 250 words per printed page, I've found.
Depends on the genre. Depends on the scene. So long as that length has purpose, and isn't because of overwriting (something that can be fixed in revisions anyway), then it shouldn't be an issue.
Mine have ranged anywhere from 500 words for short-short scenes to 6k. I also recognize a trend that scenes start around 2-3k in the first third, get longer during the middle (4-5k) and then start getting choppy, down to 1k, as I get nearer to the climax.
Mine have ranged anywhere from 500 words for short-short scenes to 6k. I also recognize a trend that scenes start around 2-3k in the first third, get longer during the middle (4-5k) and then start getting choppy, down to 1k, as I get nearer to the climax.
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I hope it's okay to bump this, because I want to ask about it too - when people are talking about "15-20 pages", does that mean A4 size, size 12 font?
I'm looking at my novel in A5 format, size 11 font, to try and figure out how long my chapters should be. My chapters were originally about 5-6 k each, but they seemed way too big, so I cut them all in half. But now I'm thinking of going back to about 4-5k standard size. Which seems to work out at about 15-17 pages long, in A5 size 11 font.
I'm guessing the answer will be..."it doesn't matter"?
That's what I'm talking about, yes. We don't have A4 or A5-size paper here in the States, it's 8.5" x 11", but the difference isn't great.
A chapter really is just as long as it needs to be. Mary Higgins Clark writes very short chapters, for example, often only a couple of pages in the printed book. Others make them longer. I try to keep mine around the same length, but if a chapter goes longer or ends shorter, it goes long or ends, because it really doesn't matter. I try to keep them the same just for consistency, because I'm anal that way.
When you go to submit, though, make sure you switch back to size 12 font, and I'd switch it to A4 paper as well, since that's the UK standard afaik.
Yeah, generally I have it as A5 and size 12 font, but after the CreateSpace proof copy experience (where it had to be A5 and size 11, or it would have been very LARGE writing), I consider that my test of how long my book would be if printed
Thanks for your info guys!
I am kind of anal too, so I feel like my chapters should all be the same size. But maybe it won't work that way.
It's an interesting idea, not having any chapters until the novel is done. I've never written that way.
Thanks for your info guys!
I am kind of anal too, so I feel like my chapters should all be the same size. But maybe it won't work that way.
It's an interesting idea, not having any chapters until the novel is done. I've never written that way.
Since posting this thread, my chapter lengths have changed.
Romance- 3000 words
Horror- Varies.
Lit- Varies.
Romance- 3000 words
Horror- Varies.
Lit- Varies.
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I basically put a # wherever a scene breaks, and then later on I eyeball the pages, and when it looks/feels like there should be a chapter break, I stick one in there instead of the #.
It's a precise method, to be sure.
It's a precise method, to be sure.
I don't know if I could handle a full document without easy-to-find breaks. In Scrivener you can have each chapter in its own document, but compile them all together to make one document when exporting.
To parrot everybody else, it does depend on an author's personal feelings. Averagely my chapters will be 4000 words but can be shorter if I feel it'll break it apart better, or longer if I get really involved and only think to break it afterwards. I know that when I read books, I don't care how long the chapters are unless I'm finding the current chapter boring and want to put it down (I'm one of those weird people who can't stop in the middle of a chapter!)
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Every author and book is different. There is no right or wrong answer. Personally, I like my chapters to run around 10 pages (approx 2500 words). Some go a bit over, but I like that length for myself.
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Chapter breaks are random and can be manipulated to do whatever you want them to do. They can happen in the middle of a scene or between scenes. They're not really part of the story structure, not the way scenes are.
Focus on scenes. Make sure you know when scenes start and end, and that they're meaty enough to do their jobs, without dragging. Check your favorite authors, the ones that are your role models, and see how long their SCENES are. See if your scenes are comparable, and if not, try to figure out why not.
Comparing your chapter breaks to your role models' breaks isn't as informative since, again, those breaks are imposed by the author, rather than being an intrinsic part of story structure.
Focus on scenes. Make sure you know when scenes start and end, and that they're meaty enough to do their jobs, without dragging. Check your favorite authors, the ones that are your role models, and see how long their SCENES are. See if your scenes are comparable, and if not, try to figure out why not.
Comparing your chapter breaks to your role models' breaks isn't as informative since, again, those breaks are imposed by the author, rather than being an intrinsic part of story structure.
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