Chapter Length Doesn't Matter - Get Over It!

I see a lot of feedback on chapter length..too long, too short...does it really matter?

Ok for the first time in my writing life I’m going to give you the punch line first.

When it comes to chapter length, who the hell cares?

I do not think that chapter length, in and of itself, matters at all. For every novel where you think the chapter is too short, I can find a published one that is shorter, and similarly for longer ones.

What matters are the things I’ve been discussing up to this point. If you don’t get those things right: identification, conflict, action, resolution, emotion, etc. who gives a damn how long your chapters are?

I have a sneaking suspicion though, that folks who provide comments about chapter length might be alluding to a deeper problem with your story (or their lack of attention span) and are either not able to vocalize what it is, or are afraid to hurt your feelings.

Maybe they think your chapters are too long because your story is boring to them. Perhaps you are not creating enough identification? or have no dramatic conflict?. Or maybe they say they are too short because they just can’t get enough of the action you’re feeding them. My point is that I believe if they are bringing up chapter length as a critique, it’s probably something else.

I put chapter length up there with “writing style” of which I don’t have much room to comment,  because criticizing someone's style is more like a judgment than a real critique to improve someone's writing. For that i say “to each his (or her) own”.

To me there really are very few things that are important to writing a good story, but those few things are critical. And I just don’t find chapter length to be one of them. I've read chapters that are sixty pages long and when I’m through I can’t believe how quickly they went! And I've read chapters that are less than three pages and thought that they would never end.

If you’re one of those folks that is bothered by short chapters, I encourage you to try a different perspective. Short chapters are a technique employed by NY Times bestselling authors like James Patterson, who uses very short chapter length deliberately as a technique to get readers to keep turning pages because the next chapter is just a couple of pages away.

There are about 350 words to the typical paperback page (or so Google told me) on WritersCafe, the first page of my story is 820 words, or just under 2.5 paperback equivalent pages. In my story Sight, the first 6 chapters consist of about 8400 words, which would be about 24 pages in a typical paperback, but only 6 pages on Writerscafe. So what does it matter? It doesn't.

Bottom line is, if you are worried about how long your chapters are (or someone else’s for that matter) you probably have other things that you should be much more deeply concerned about.

There are so many things that writers get sidetracked on, or provided feedback on that don’t really matter at all. I just feel that chapter length is one of them.

Reviews

[K. D. Kromminga]

A word on Style...
Style matters in terms of clarity and readability. Not only must an author make sure his writing is understood, but he must also make sure his is getting across the message he intends to get across.

Style matters in pacing. Like shorter scenes and shorter chapters, shorter sentences can ramp up the pacing of the story for the reader. A variety in style of sentences can also establish a rhythm in prose almost like the cadence of poetry. Variety in length and form also spices up the style helping to keep a reader's attention better.

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Very helpful.

[byPatKeegan]

I think you're right. Style can be important. Like i don't think you'd write a complaint letter in the same style you'd write a love letter. But that's usually the extent of my focus.

I'm probably limited in that way but I'm not big on providing feedback in terms of style. Again for me it's the basics. If people don't have the basics right, the last thing I would comment on is style.

You are exactly right in that it is important to be clear and readable. However, if i find a writer's work unclear or unreadable, style wouldn't be where i would start with addressing the problem. I'm probably just not that smart.

Thanks for trying to expand my horizon's...you certainly provide good food for thought. :)

[K. D. Kromminga]

Well clarity and readability are the basics of style, they are concepts that have to be learned before you can learn the tricks like train of thought and alliteration etc. etc. Clarity has more to do with using the right words in the right context for the right situation. Good overwriting is overwriting for content, bad overwriting is using too many words to explain a concept were fewer words would be clearer and more powerful in meaning. Unreadability in the terms I have learned has more to do with not targeting your audience appropriately with the words chosen. Too many technical terms, too many slang terms, or too many foreign terms of any kind that are put in fiction with appropriate context can ramp up the learning curve of any writer's work. You don't want your reader to have to break out the dictionary or technical glossary to have to read your work

[byPatKeegan]

Too true :)

[K. D. Kromminga]

Chapter length, like scene length is very relevant either for pacing or dramatics elements in a story. James Patterson purposefully writes short chapters to increase the pacing of his books, to keep the reader on a breathless roller coaster from beginning to end. The same in turn applies to longer chapter lengths, which can be used to slow the pace of a story and ease the reader tension(lull them into relaxing just before you spring the next surprise on them). Whatever the chapter length is as far as pacing is concerned a chapter should always end at a point of dramatic tension.
Examples of different types of chapter ends include:
1. right before the reveal of a mystery.
2. Eminent conflict
3. A shocking event
4. Character vow or declaration.
5. An epiphany or 'aha' moment.
6. Introduction of something that turns the story upside down.
7. Any major or main plot turning point.
8. Etc. (you all can come up with dramatic tension events too).

So to reiterate chapter length should depend on the pacing requirements of the story and the dramatic intentions of the author. Same goes in smaller context to scenes except for plot turning points in scenes are usually more minor elements(unless the scene ends the chapter of course). That is the main difference between scene ends and chapter ends. To use a road analogy, scenes are the minor signposts(shorter scenes mean higher velocity) along the road of your story telling you what path you are currently on, chapters are the major signposts telling you when you need to prepare to change direction(which is why a reader feels that they are on a rollercoaster when you change direction a lot: hint hint).

[byPatKeegan]

Clearly we need to write a book together on how to create good fiction :).

Just a little background: I've been on other writing websites and the same feedback I found that people were giving when it came to chapter length was pretty irrelevant. People were stating things like "chapter was too short, it needs to be longer", or "this chapter is so long, you should consider chopping it up".

But they did not, or could not, articulate very well why it should be shorter or longer. Here, I was suggesting only that if people are commenting on the length only, perhaps there was something else wrong with your story that they couldn't put a finger on. Perhaps it is, as you suggest, a pacing issue. Me personally? i think people get board easily, and some just say anything is great and don't want to upset the writer.

I do like your road analogy though, and can see where it applies.

I don't know if the average writer (note i said average, not superstar like patterson or baldacci, etc.) consciously constructs chapter length with any deliberation, and I'm not sure I believe it's necessary to focus on. I've read many books with short chapters that dragged on and on and on. Similarly I've read many books with much longer chapters that flew by and in no way influenced the velocity of the story.

Last year while on a plane I read Patterson's postcard killers (short chapters) and did NOT get the sense of a high velocity roller coaster, at least not at all times. I still believe that it can be used to get people to keep reading when the next chapter is only a couple of pages away.

I do believe it's a good technique to think about and apply if you understand how to use it, but it's definitely NOT a guarantee.

Most of us still have to get the basics right before we can worry about secondary constructs like this.

I do like your analogy about the road though and if properly implemented can really add flavor to your writing.

Me personally, i don't care a about chapter length. Perhaps it's because i view that when the scene ends, the chapter ends. If I've written a scene and it has what it needs, then I'm done.

But I think you have captured the spirit of what this "Better Fiction" thing I've posted is all about: providing food for thought. I prefer to think of them as rules, but as rules of thumb. I could certainly augment this chapter with the pacing element.

Thanks for the detailed response, and as usual, thought-provoking ideas :)

[K. D. Kromminga]

Some may not consciously construct chapter length with deliberation as far as pacing is concerned as that is a rather advanced technique(pacing can be adjusted in sentence and scene length as well), but it is fairly basic to construct chapters on major or main plot points. That may be why people say a chapter is going to long, because it goes past the a major plot point without stopping(which deflates tension) or too short, because it never got to a major plot point to begin with(and therefore never has enough tension to begin with).

[byPatKeegan]

Definitely agree. I did like the technique that Patterson used though. Interesting to think about. I'll have to go back and look to see if his are on scene boundaries or not (just for my own knowledge)...

Thanks again K.D.

[char]

Oh. Oh. OH!!! So that's why some people say I should put chapters out faster!! They like my work! Cooool!! Your work is cooler though. This will really improve my manuscript. This book and my notes (which are VERY detailed) will help. Thanks, you are a badass!!!

[byPatKeegan]

My work is not cooler! And I'm not a badass...many of these concepts i learned from others, so i didn't just make it up. I have added things over the years to help refine them from my own perspective. So don't give me tooooo much credit. I'm just glad they help.

[char]

You're a badass teacher. I've never had a formal writing class, except for what is offered in my English class, so I'm glad you're here on this site. :)

[byPatKeegan]

Maybe i should put a picture of Yoda as my alias...hahahahahha.

[char]

Hah!! Then I'll be your young Jedi!! Writing with the Force and riding Banthas into the night!

[byPatKeegan]

And i thought they smelled bad on the OUTSIDE!

[char]

OH MY GOD!!!!! YODA!!!! Should I get a pic of Luke? And the bantha's lips scare the hell out of me! Why does it stick out like that?? Please tell me, wise one!!!

[byPatKeegan]

To me, the sound they make is even more disturbing...please tell me you've seen the Robot Chicken spoofs on Star Wars?

[char]

Then I would be a liar. I did see the Family Guy version, though. That nodding scene still annoys me.

[byPatKeegan]

omg...youtube "Robot Chicken Emporer's Phone Call" and "Robot Chicken Hold the Elevator" there are a bunch of others...you won't be disappointed.

[Shannen Forrester]

Anna sent me, and all I can say is that she was right, you are spectacular :) Insightful, telling us things we already know and helping us to realize where we go wrong with them and we do, we all have to admit to it :) I will be keeping an eye on you and probably recommending you to everyone I know.

[byPatKeegan]

I'm truly at a loss for words. I'm not too good at taking compliments, but thank you very much for the kind words.

[Shannen Forrester]

I suggest you learn to take them :) you will be getting a lot more if Anna and I have anything to say about it.

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Very Helpful Ilove it!

[byPatKeegan]

Thanks!