I'm asking because I am now reading a book I picked up from the library and have noticed this author used lip prints in place of chapters.
It fits perfectly with the story.
The author didn't do that, thought it's possible the author requested it (and also, not likely).
That decision was made by the publisher's art director/designer.
Do Chapters matter? Do we have to have chapters? Should the pages be numbered?
I've seen both ways. Just not sure what route to take.
It is rare for a book not to have chapters. Numbers are also generally used to help the reader navigate.
If you are producing ebooks, you do not create numbered pages (that happens on the devise where the book is read) but you will need to produce chapter breaks and chapter openers.
The decision to use numbers, (Roman or Arabic) or text or both is made by the art director in consultation with the editor, and based in part by the publisher's style guidelines.
I am submitting for publication and going to self publish. I don't want to wait months to find out the publisher isn't accepting it.
If you self-publish you drastically reduce the chances of a commercial publisher taking an interest unless you sell thousands of copies of the book.
Were I you, I'd write the first novel, revise, get people to beta read and crit, revise, have someone read it through again, revise, submit it to agents and/or publishers, and while you wait, write a second book.
The best way to sell more copies of book 1 is to publish another book six months to a year later, and then, a third six months to a year later.
Each new book sells, but more importantly, a new book sells your back list.
