Chapters

Marc.B

Marc.B

Anyone help with this one? Is there some kind of rule length for chapters. If they are consistantly around 2k long can some subsequent chapters be shorter, less than 1k. Thanks    Marc.

bochok

Hi Marc.  I've just read 'Cell' by Stephen King, and some of the chapters are less than a page long.  One chapter was only a paragraph long.  Others were several pages.  All lengths.  Hope that helps.

Marc.B

Thanks Becs, If it's good enough for SK it's  etc....

Howard

I've read that publishers like the first chapter of novels to be between 8 and 10 pages long. Hopefully, it wouldn't disqualify a publishable book.

Lauren

A chapter should provide a natural pause for the reader before you take the action on. If this is only a page before you are changing the scenery or viewpoint etc. then so be it. Remember, the chapters are another tool for us writer's to create dramatic effect and to control the ace of our story.

Crazy Horse

I don't know if this wil help or if it is a bad way of doing it, but here is my method; I provisionally mark every seventh page as a chapter then when finished I read through and adjust to a change of scene or action nearest these points. Sometimes I need to add extra chapters or miss some out endng up much shorter or longer than they started but at least I have a working structrue to start with.

Marc.B

This is all good stuff and further testament to the quality of this site. Marc.

Jay Mandal

Have a look at this comment - you'll love it! (Last paragraph, if I've lost you. Oh, and highlight, copy and paste to get it in your browser/address.)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/1905202644/sr=1-3/qid=1186938522/ref=cm_cr_dp_all_top/103-2019515-6579865?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1186938522&sr=1-3#customerReviews

Marc.B

Jay.  ta for this. however, the link you suggest is all 'Greek' to me. I really don't know what to do with the sequence you went to the trouble of spelling out. Have you tried writing a novel from the Da Vinci code genre  LOL.    Marc

Jay Mandal

Hi, Marc. Sorry about that. Actually it's a review of 'All About Sex' where the reader comments on the number of scene changes.

To read the quote on Amazon, highlight the Amazon link (click and drag your mouse over it); then copy it (possibly edit + copy); then go to your address box (where writersnews.co.uk appears) and paste the Amazon link there. Then press return/enter to get you to the page on Amazon.

Does that help?

Jay Mandal

If you're interested, I'll explain why the novel(la) turned out the way it did.