Length of first chapter: err on the shorter side?

[Tchaikovsky]

Hi all,

From my experience, shorter first chapters tend to grip me in more, because it encourages me to read on.

Right now, my first chapter is at 4,000 words, which seems long to me. As a reader, would your eyes glaze over if the first chapter seemingly never ends? Or does it not matter what length it is?

 

[Testome]

Is it long because it's full of backstory? That might be a bad idea in that scenario. Otherwise, I don't care about length while I'm reading if it's filled with conflict and a neat premise. A neat premise and good worldbuilding and description and I won't notice the length.

 

[Jan74]

I personally prefer small chapters, gives me plenty of opportunity to put the book down and go to bed. I hate breaking mid-chapter. There was an author and I forget who, but all of their chapters were never longer than 1-2 pages.

 

[Tchaikovsky]

Is it long because it's full of backstory? That might be a bad idea in that scenario. Otherwise, I don't care about length while I'm reading if it's filled with conflict and a neat premise. A neat premise and good worldbuilding and description and I won't notice the length.

Not backstory, just a chain of events that would be easier presented as one chapter instead of breaking off into multiple. Originally this was supposed to be chapter 2. It's weird, but I just have this notion that chapter one should always be brief, and the rest can be as long or short as you want. Probably a way-off-the-charts notion.

 

[Marlys]

If it doesn't grab me, it doesn't matter how short the chapter is.

That said, 4K doesn't seem all that excessive. I checked my two (quite different) WIP, and find that one's opening chapter is 4170 words and the other 4150. That puts them both under 15 manuscript pages, which will be even fewer pages once published. Not terribly long at all.

 

[The Urban Spaceman]

Right now, my first chapter is at 4,000 words, which seems long to me. As a reader, would your eyes glaze over if the first chapter seemingly never ends? Or does it not matter what length it is?

Terry Pratchett does not write in chapters.

You could look at it that his first and only chapter of every Discworld book is (approx. average) 80,000 words long.

4,000 words isn't seemingly endless if you make those words exciting. A chapter will be as long as it needs to be.

 

[BethS]

Hi all,

From my experience, shorter first chapters tend to grip me in more, because it encourages me to read on.

Right now, my first chapter is at 4,000 words, which seems long to me. As a reader, would your eyes glaze over if the first chapter seemingly never ends? Or does it not matter what length it is?

If it's engaging and I'm pulled into the story world and enjoying the read, it doesn't matter how long it is.

 

[VoireyLinger]

My chapters are usually in that range, two to three scenes per chapter. When I read, I don't often notice chapter or scene breaks, so where they fall is irrelevant to me. I do think a single scene at 4K would probably be noticed, simply because a scene that long is likely to have pacing issues.

 

[Calder]

A chapter is a defined segment of an overall narrative. During each chapter, the narrative/plot should progress and character(s) be developed. In terms of structure, chapters often, but not invariably, are limited to either a single location (it could be anything from single room to a city) in which we follow and observe the characters; and/or a set point in time. Again the length of the point in time is very variable. It could be seconds, days, or even weeks, but in a chapter, the narrative is often continuous, like a single scene, or sequence in a movie. The following chapter takes the action and the reader to a different location and/or another point in time.

Length is immaterial. It's possible to have a chapter which contains only one, or two sentences. It's equally as possible to have one which contains a hundred thousand words, or more. It depends on what you want to include and how you wish to express it and, as others have already said, the main thing is to engage your reader. Once they're hooked on your narrative and your characters, they won't be counting words, or pages.

 

[Sonsofthepharaohs]

In terms of structure, chapters often, but not invariably, are limited to either a single location (it could be anything from single room to a city) in which we follow and observe the characters; and/or a set point in time. Again the length of the point in time is very variable. It could be seconds, days, or even weeks, but in a chapter, the narrative is often continuous, like a single scene, or sequence in a movie. The following chapter takes the action and the reader to a different location and/or another point in time.

What you're describing seems more like a scene than a chapter. Chapters can have multiple scenes, and therefore encompass multiple times and locations. Multiple POV novels, or novels with multi stranded plots often do this. I also think scene length has more to do with pacing than chapter length, so I've never understood why people are more obsessed with chapters than scenes.

To the OP, I don't think the first chapter needs to be short in order to 'hook' the reader more - it's more important to generate intrigue through your characters and story. If those aren't engaging, maybe a short first chapter just gives them an excuse to put the book down sooner.

 

[BethS]

I do think a single scene at 4K would probably be noticed, simply because a scene that long is likely to have pacing issues.

I'm going to politely take issue with that. A scene's pace and its length are not necessarily related. Scenes are units of storytelling, and some units are going to be longer than others due to the ground that must be covered. A very complex scene may well run thousands of words because it needs to, not because its pacing is off.

 

[indianroads]

Why not break up your chapters by scenes? I've seen this in pretty much everything I read. Break scenes with a line break and some stars centered.

I think my chapters were too long in my first book, I plan to correct that on my second. Not sure if there's a magic number or not.

 

[Laer Carroll]

The length of a scene is immaterial in how engrossing it is. I've read books where several long scenes begin the story and yet my vision was glued to the page.

I've seen this in cozy mysteries, where the author sets up a seemingly idyllic small town before a murder takes place. Some authors do it so well that I enjoy being in this lovely place and meeting these interesting people. Something similar I've also seen in epic fantasy. And in noir detective stories where the place and people were engaging because of the weird dark twisted beauty the author showed me.

 

[jjdebenedictis]

I'm a reader who never notices chapter breaks if I'm really engrossed in a story. I'll blast right through them without even seeing the title.

So I don't think a shorter chapter saves you any readers -- although that may only be true of readers like me. If you haven't hooked their interest with the first scene/chapter, a new one isn't going to convince them better things are on the way. But if you have, then it really doesn't matter how long your scene, chapter, or even your book is -- they'll plough onward very happily.