Chapter length question...

I try to keep the lengths in the same range--the longest chapter should be no more than twice the length of the shortest chapter. If they're off, I try to find a different stopping place. It's usually not that hard. Try making a list of all your potential chapter breaks along with their page numbers and some notes about how strong a break they'd make (strong = really must break here, weak = only break here for the convenience of a reader who needs to stop soon).

I not sure that this is that important, because when I read, I'm rarely aware of chapter length and I won't think twice about stopping in the middle of a chapter if I run out of time.

Heh--this question comes up a lot. Basically, the answer is: a chapter should be as long as it needs to be and if it is then it shouldn't affect the reader negatively.

What it really comes down to is pacing. Do the longer chapters hinder the type of pacing you want for that portion of the book, or do they enhance it?

If several scenes are included in one chapter, do you have scene breaks to identify them? Readers can always stop at those if they want to.

As a reader, I only get annoyed when there are pages upon pages with no scene break. As far as chapters, I'm more interested in them hanging together and sort of having some commonality that makes sense as to why its together.

As a writer, I tremendously admire writers who can almost turn each chapter into its owns mini, pseudo story. Length doesn't even factor into that for me.

Isaac Espriu said:

Heh--this question comes up a lot. Basically, the answer is: a chapter should be as long as it needs to be and if it is then it shouldn't affect the reader negatively.

What it really comes down to is pacing. Do the longer chapters hinder the type of pacing you want for that portion of the book, or do they enhance it?

If several scenes are included in one chapter, do you have scene breaks to identify them? Readers can always stop at those if they want to.

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I agree one hundred percent with that. But that being said, I don't like chapters that are way to long for no reason. Maybe you need to cut down on some words or something. But otherwise what is stated above is good advice.

maddicharmed said:

I agree one hundred percent with that. But that being said, I don't like chapters that are way to long for no reason. Maybe you need to cut down on some words or something. But otherwise what is stated above is good advice.

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What's too long? Eight pages? Ten? Twenty? Thirty? Some subjective point at which you get bored?

This really confuses me because there are many books that don't even have chapters (Terry Pratchett is a good example), and I'm writing my WIP in the first draft without chapters, just breaks every 10~ pages.

Wordiness shouldn't have a huge bearing on the length of the chapter. Rather, the amount of stuff you have to say and the time you're covering in the narrative is going to dictate the chapter's length.

When I'm writing, the chapters seem to end with a "button" on a scene. When I go back to edit, I find that I can often change where the chapter ends, leading me to believe that while I need a certain length to feel a chapter is done, it may not, in fact, be the best place to stop.

Salis said:

What's too long? Eight pages? Ten? Twenty? Thirty? Some subjective point at which you get bored?

This really confuses me because there are many books that don't even have chapters (Terry Pratchett is a good example), and I'm writing my WIP in the first draft without chapters, just breaks every 10~ pages.

Wordiness shouldn't have a huge bearing on the length of the chapter. Rather, the amount of stuff you have to say and the time you're covering in the narrative is going to dictate the chapter's length.

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I'd say for me if most of your chapters were about ten pages, then maybe 20 or more would seem long. With something like this, it isn't based on some kind of formula but whats inside your WIP and can change just based what you're writing at the time.

I'd just aim for something consistent. If your chapters are about ten pages then I'd keep them 8-15 pages in length and I normally find that most of the time, the chapters will work out that way.

bagels said:

As a writer, I tremendously admire writers who can almost turn each chapter into its owns mini, pseudo story. Length doesn't even factor into that for me.

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This makes me extremely happy. I do this a lot and am incredibly self-conscious about it. But you've boosted my self-esteem about it a little.

Fuchsia, concentrate on saying what you need to say in each chapter. If something's irrelevant, take it out. It doesn't matter how long each chapter becomes, as long as the story is effective, continuous and consistent. If it makes you feel better, my chapters (first draft) currently range between 9 and 64 pages. Double-spaced, but still.

Fuchsia Flower said:

Hi all. I'm editing my book and have cut and pasted some of the scenes (for the better of the story), but it means that some chapters are far longer than others, and some scenes now stretch several chapters whereas others will be one shortish chapter.

Do you think this may hinder me in any way? Or make the book less readable? I know there are no set 'rules' and that if it works then it works etc. But honestly, would it put you off reading a book?

Thanks in advance

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Isaac Espriu said:

Heh--this question comes up a lot. Basically, the answer is: a chapter should be as long as it needs to be and if it is then it shouldn't affect the reader negatively.

What it really comes down to is pacing. Do the longer chapters hinder the type of pacing you want for that portion of the book, or do they enhance it?

If several scenes are included in one chapter, do you have scene breaks to identify them? Readers can always stop at those if they want to.

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Indeed, I see this question come up a lot too. And I agree with Isaac: your chapters should be as long as they need to be to get the job done. If that means that they're 30 pages long, write them 30 pages long. Conversely, if that means the chapter is 30 words long, write it as 30 words long. Whatever your work needs to tell the story properly is what you need to adhere to. I have never seen any rule stating that chapters need to be X-amount of words long, or they won't work.

One of my favorite books, The Elvenbane by Andre Norton & Mercedes Lackey, has a first chapter that is more than thirty pages long. It took me a couple days to get up enough gumption to actually finish reading the chapter. But when I finished reading the book, I could see why that chapter had to be that length.

The only thing that should decide your chapter length, IMHO, is what the book itself needs, not what other people say or what some supposed convention of thought says. Story is king; tell it like it needs to be told.


Blessed Be!

I don't even HAVE chapters. If it hinders you, I am screwed. LOL