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I would like to know if there are any guidelines about when to break for chapters? In my years as a reader, I've noticed wildly different styles among writers - some break for each scene or vignette, others go ON and ON and ON.... I'd be interested in hearing suggestions, as I'm struggling with this issue in my book right now. To break, or not to break... that is my question.
Posts: 2026 | Registered: Mar 2005
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In my current novel, I use chapter breaks for POV changes. Sometimes the chapter ends at the end of a scene, and sometimes it's in the middle. Sometimes it ends as a cliffhanger, and sometimes it ends at the conclusion of an event.
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As a reader, I dislike long, on and on, chapters. I said this before, but Peirs Anthony's final Mode book really made me mad...
Posts: 1275 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Some writers suggest writing the whole thing without chapter breaks and then coming back and adding them. I haven't done that, but I have moved them around during the editing process.
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Jul 2003
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Terry Prachett's Small Gods doesn't have chapter breaks, only section breaks. Because the sections are fairly short, the book doesn't feel nearly as long as it probably would if he inserted chapters.
It also makes it easy to lose track of time ("just one more section, that's all, then I'll put it down").
I don't know if he does this with his other books, but I think it's an interesting idea.
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lol, i could almost get away with that section break only method in a book i'm writing right now... a lot of section breaks and very frequent too... hmm...
well, i wonder how to go about having a prologue, possible epilogue, and then a chapterless body... i don't think it'd work for me
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The trend these days is to publish in shorter chapters, but it's not a hard and fast rule. You asked for guidelines, and I don't even think it's a guideline.
I believe story pace is much more important than actual chapter length.
My advice is to form your novel so that you could make frequent chapter breaks. That means every one to three thousand words you should reach some sort of tense moment where you could insert a cliffhanger . . . if you wanted to. That way, if a publisher asks you for shorter (or longer) chapters you can easily provide them.
Long narrative passage that go five to ten thousand words with no tense climax are an outdated style that most readers today do not enjoy.
[This message has been edited by Doc Brown (edited April 14, 2005).]
As a reader, I enjoy shorter chapters for the beginning of the book. I feel like they draw me in better than long first chapters. I actually cringe at long first chapter. 1000 words would be about my limit.
They let me start in without making me commit. They're like dating before marriage. The first few chapters you're just dating. Then the chapters become longer and more involved. If you're still sticking around you've become engaged. The wedding takes place when you cry at the end. So the key is to really 'impress the girl' in those first few dates and don't disappoint right on down through the honeymoon.
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