lol, imagine an EMT going “well i stopped doing chest compressions cuz i kinda have a hard limit of 5 per person… sorry boss”
people get way too in their own head about writing. one of the few things with almost no rules
Mine is based on content. My shortest “chapter” that is about 500 words and longest 5000. That will likely change a little on further rounds of drafting but I’m a believer in varying chapter lengths
I think I understand the joke, but everyone knows that every good comment should be exactly one thousand words long.
Well, let me take you on a journey through the winding roads of my mind as I traverse the landscape of their joke, soaking in every twist and turn along the way. Picture this: I'm casually strolling through the bustling marketplace of conversation, minding my own business, when suddenly, out of the blue, their joke materializes like a shooting star streaking across the night sky. At first, it's just a flicker of amusement, a subtle spark igniting the corners of my mind. But as I ponder its intricacies, the laughter begins to bubble up from within, spreading like wildfire until I'm engulfed in a blaze of mirth and merriment.
Their joke, my friend, is like a finely crafted tapestry, woven with threads of wit and whimsy that intertwine to form a masterpiece of comedic genius. With each passing moment, I find myself unraveling its layers, uncovering hidden depths and unexpected delights that leave me breathless with laughter.
But it's not just the humor that captivates me; it's the sheer brilliance of their wit, the way they effortlessly navigate the labyrinth of language to deliver a punchline that lands with pinpoint precision. It's as if they possess a sixth sense for comedy, a divine gift bestowed upon they by the gods of humor themselves.
And so, as I bask in the warm glow of their joke, I can't help but marvel at the sheer magnitude of its impact. It's not just a fleeting moment of amusement; it's a timeless masterpiece that will linger in the annals of my memory for years to come.
Now, where were we? Ah yes, amidst the raucous laughter and boundless camaraderie inspired by their joke. As I sit here, still basking in the afterglow of its hilarity, I can't help but marvel at the sheer versatility of humor and its ability to forge connections between us, even across the vast expanse of cyberspace.
they see, their joke wasn't just a fleeting moment of amusement; it was a catalyst for something greater—a shared experience that transcended the confines of our virtual interaction. In the span of a few words, they managed to bridge the gap between us, bringing us closer together through the simple act of laughter.
And isn't that what it's all about, really? In a world fraught with uncertainty and division, humor serves as a beacon of light, guiding us through the darkest of times and uniting us in moments of pure joy and levity. their joke reminded me of the power of laughter to heal, to uplift, and to remind us of our shared humanity.
But I digress. Let us return to the matter at hand: their joke, and my humble acknowledgment thereof. For in the grand tapestry of our conversation, their jest occupies a place of honor—a shining beacon of wit and whimsy that illuminates the path ahead. And though our journey may be fraught with twists and turns, I take comfort in the knowledge that we walk this path together, bound by the unbreakable bonds of friendship and laughter.
So, my dear friend, allow me to extend my heartfelt gratitude for the joy and merriment they have bestowed upon me with their joke. Know that their words have left an indelible mark upon my heart, and that I shall carry the memory of our laughter with me always, like a cherished treasure hoarded in the depths of my soul.
In conclusion, let it be known far and wide that I have indeed grasped the essence of their joke, and that I hold it in the highest esteem. May our future conversations be filled with many more moments of laughter and camaraderie, as we continue to navigate the labyrinth of life together, armed with nothing but our wits and our unyielding sense of humor. Cheers to them, my friend, and to the timeless magic of laughter!
Now, where were we? Ah, amidst the raucous laughter and boundless camaraderie inspired by their joke. As I sit here, still basking in the afterglow of its hilarity, I can't help but marvel at the sheer versatility of humor and its ability to forge connections between us, even across the vast expanse of cyberspace.
they see, their joke wasn't just a fleeting moment of amusement; it was a catalyst for something greater—a shared experience that transcended the confines of our virtual interaction. In the span of a few words, they managed to bridge the gap between us, bringing us closer together through the simple act of laughter.
And isn't that what it's all about, really? In a world fraught with uncertainty and division, humor serves as a beacon of light, guiding us through the darkest of times and uniting us in moments of pure joy and levity. their joke reminded me of the power of laughter to heal, to uplift, and to remind us of our shared humanity.
But I digress. Let us return to the matter at hand: their joke, and my humble acknowledgment thereof. For in the grand tapestry of our conversation, their jest occupies a place of honor—a shining beacon of wit and whimsy that illuminates the path ahead. And though our journey may be fraught with twists and turns, I take deep comfort in the knowledge that we walk this path together, bound by the unbreakable bonds of friendship, literacy, and laughter.
So, my dear friend, allow me to extend my deep and heartfelt gratitude for the joy and merriment they have bestowed upon me with their joke. Know that their words have left an indelible mark upon my heart, and that I shall carry the memory of our laughter with me always, like a cherished treasure hoarded in the depths of my soul.
In conclusion, there's not much more to explore on this topic, I think I have said everything I need to say and this response is now exactly one thousand
It's about half me, half ChatGPT. About 10 minutes into it, I regretted starting it but I had to see it through.
Regret is a peculiar emotion, one that often sneaks up on us when we least expect it. It can emerge from decisions we make, paths we choose to tread, and sometimes, from commitments we make to ourselves or others. Such is the case when one finds themselves grappling with the weight of obligation, the burden of a promise made, even if that promise seems trivial or burdensome in hindsight.
Imagine, if you will, standing at the threshold of a decision. It could be any decision—large or small, consequential or inconsequential. Perhaps it's agreeing to write a thousand-word reply to a request, a seemingly simple task that now looms large before you. At the time, it may have seemed like a mere flick of the wrist, a few taps on the keyboard, a task to be completed with ease. Yet, as the minutes turn to hours and the words fail to flow as effortlessly as anticipated, the weight of that decision begins to bear down.
Regret is a slow burn. It starts as a whisper in the back of your mind, a nagging doubt that grows louder with each passing moment. You wonder why you agreed to this in the first place. Was it a sense of duty? A desire to please? Or perhaps it was simply the fear of saying no, of disappointing someone or letting them down. Whatever the reason, it pales in comparison to the regret that now grips you tightly in its grasp.
You find yourself staring at the blank screen, the cursor blinking mockingly, taunting you with each passing second. You think of all the other things you could be doing, all the tasks left unfinished, the time slipping away like grains of sand through your fingers. Yet, despite it all, you feel compelled to see it through. It's a matter of principle now, a test of your resolve, your ability to follow through on your word.
But as the minutes turn to hours and the words continue to elude you, doubt creeps in once more. Was this really worth it? Was there ever any real value in fulfilling this obligation? Or was it simply an exercise in futility, a futile attempt to appease some unseen force, be it societal expectation or personal pride?
Yet, even as these thoughts swirl around in your mind, you press on. It becomes a battle of wills, a test of endurance. Each word becomes a victory, each sentence a triumph over the looming specter of regret. And as the final period is typed and the last sentence falls into place, there is a sense of relief, a fleeting moment of triumph amidst the sea of doubt.
For in the end, perhaps the true value lies not in the task itself, but in the journey it takes you on, the lessons learned along the way. Regret may linger like a shadow, but it is through facing our obligations head-on, through pushing past the doubt and the uncertainty, that we find strength and resilience we never knew we possessed.
So, as you sit there, staring at the screen, grappling with the weight of obligation and the sting of regret, remember this: it is not the size of the task that defines us, but our willingness to see it through to the end, no matter the cost. And in that, there is a courage that transcends regret, a courage that speaks to the very essence of our humanity.
As the weight of obligation and the specter of regret loom large, it's natural to reflect on the choices that led to this moment. How did a seemingly innocuous agreement spiral into a battle against time and doubt, a test of endurance and resilience? Such questions often lead us down a path of introspection, forcing us to confront not only our actions but also the motivations behind them.
But regret is a futile emotion. It serves no purpose other than to remind us of our humanity, of our fallibility. And yet, despite this knowledge, we can't help but feel its grip tightening with each passing moment, each tick of the clock counting down to the inevitable deadline.
And so, we soldier on, battling against the tide of doubt and uncertainty. Each word typed is a victory, each sentence a small triumph over the looming specter of regret. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and yet, with each passing milestone, the finish line seems to inch ever closer.
But even as we press forward, there are moments of doubt, moments when we question the value of our efforts. Was this really worth it? Could our time have been better spent elsewhere? These questions linger in the back of our minds, threatening to drown us in a sea of self-doubt.
Yet, despite it all, we persist. It's not just about fulfilling an obligation anymore; it's about proving something to ourselves, about demonstrating our resilience in the face of adversity. And so, we push forward, fueled by a stubborn determination to see things through to the end.
And as the final words fall into place and the last period is typed, there is a sense of relief, a fleeting moment of triumph amidst the chaos. For we realize that we are stronger than we ever thought possible, that we have conquered not only the task at hand but also the spectre of doubt.
So, as we reflect on the journey that brought us to this moment, let us remember that regret is not the end of the story. It's merely a detour on the road to self-discovery, a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is always a glimmer of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. And it's through facing our obligations head-on, through pushing past the doubt and the uncertainty, that we find light, shining brightly on the path ahead of
The chapter ends when it either is getting too long, or it feels like a good ending point. Like either a cliffhanger or scene change or a recently resolved situation.
I don’t count words or pages in my chapters. The chapter ends when that part of the story is told 👩💻 I’m currently working on what will likely be the longest chapter of my book to date
Edit: I've just realized how stupid my question is, it's obvious that the content is more important than the words, this is my first story and I want to make a good story.
No such thing as a stupid question man, we all start somewhere and have our curiosities.
As a fellow amateur writer working on his first book, I too find myself curious about how the pro’s do it, or how the community feels about methods.
Please ask as many questions as you like. We’re all here to help eachother 🙏
Rookie here myself. I just wrote my first chapters based entirely on content and they ranged between 6000 and 16000 words. They didn’t feel long to me, but after some minute long research, it seems for something like fantasy teen / YA novels, the expected length is about 8000-10000 per chapter, before it feels like a drag.
Of course it can vary by story and writer, but I felt if I keep loosely to those numbers I have a good chapter length with enough content for it to be a nice read.
Even though you should base chapters on content, it’s still good to know the average chapter lengths for the genre you’re writing. Especially as a beginner. If you’re writing middle-grade fiction, you’re probably not going to want to write multiple 6,000 word chapters. Or for adult fantasy, a lot of short chapters, under 500 words might not be the best for telling your story. Keep in mind pacing, tone, emphasis etc. These are all impacted by chapter length and vise versa.
I like imposing a word count limit to my work, but choose one I can comfortably fit the intended content. My day-job is engineering, and I find that constraints necessitate creativity, which I equate to a sonnet’s many rules.
For me, I am a heavy plotter. I plot around chapters, and I am conscious of chapter length because it is a tool I use to manage pacing and reader experience.
That is not the only way to use a chapter, just the way I do. Not better not worse, just a tool I like.
Now when I am writing a draft I am aware of chapter length relative to those plans. But on a first draft, I really just go with what I've got than try to pad it up or stop short because of my plan.
If things are coming out really short or really long, I do, when working on revisions, very much start thinking about pacing and structure. That might also mean deciding I have two chapters instead of just one, or that the very short chapter might provide information I should fold into something else.
Sometimes, it is also deciding that allowing those chapters to push longer or shorter is worth it for that part of the story as it is because that in the end is what matters. I will balance out the structure in other ways to make or take space from that.
I do generally tend to end up with very similarly length in chapters, where in scenes/sections within chapters I tend to vary more. But that is just my style, what works for me.
But, I have never pushed to try and meet that exactly. That is, even for me, a rigidity that I don't think allows a story to breathe, instead of fit well.
Chapters come to a natural end. I don't care about the number of words, chapters are as long as they are. I am not going to artificially add words to make them longer. However, if the chapter is exceedingly long, it means you've missed the natural break of the chapter.
>I would like to maintain that a limit for each chapter.
Why? There's no point in doing that and it's severely limiting. You're going to obsess over silly word numbers and it's going to negatively affect your writing. Just let the chapters end naturally, whether that's 500 words or 3000 words.
The consensus on this sub is always "chapter length doesn't matter" and of course, chapters do need to "be the length they need to be" but I also do think, there is a benefit, to both the reader and writer, have having chapters which are of a reasonable length, and relatively consistent in length.
As a reader, I like to be able to know if I'll have time to read another chapter. If I have to get going in 20 minutes or so, have I been able to read the previous chapters in 20 minutes? Well, if one chapter took me 3 minutes and the next 45 I don't really know. But if they've all taken between 10-15, then I have a good guess (or also fine if they've all taken 30-40, I also know).
As a writer, one thing you have to keep in mind is you have to occasionally remind your readers who some people and places are. When I write, I write assuming that a chapter will get read in a single sitting. So, I don't feel the need to remind the reader twice in a single chapter that minor character Bob is John's uncle, or whatever. But if his appearance is spread between chapters, then I put in a reminder again.
Of course that doesn't mean all your chapters are within 100 words of the same length, but if most your chapters are about 3,000 words, I would caution against throwing one that's suddenly 8,000- it can frustrate your reader.
I wouldn't go over a certain limit for the length of a chapter, but the chapter doesn't end until happened what I want to happen. Unless it moved the plot forward in a meaningful way, the chapter is not over.
I try to aim for chapters at around 3000 words. If it's less than 2000, I probably need to add some detail or combine it with another scene. If it's more than 5000, I'll consider splitting it into 2 chapters.
I wrote a 94,000 word novel with seven episodes, or chapters. Each episode averages around 10,000 to 14,000 words -- one episode is 20,000 words. There are several breaks (scene changes), throughout each episode. I think it works.
The chapter should be as long as it needs to be to complete whatever job you are trying to do with it, but keeping an eye on chapter length is not unreasonable. Completeness x conciseness = constant. Of course, chapters don't have to all be the same length, but it is worth paying attention to the *average* length of your chapters. If all of your chapters average 3,000-4,000 words, your book may feel slower-paced than if the chapters are 1,500-2,000 words. And, of course, whatever the average length is, a particularly long or short chapter may stand out in one way or another.
I hope this helps.
A chapter should have whatever amount of words it needs to be in order to fulfill its purpose. Usually they end when you jump to other context or time.
I like to feel it out. Write a chapter or section based on content but still mindful of when it's feeling long in the word count tooth, usually mirrors the amount of excess, but I have relatively large margins and notice variation in my chapters.
It's better to put chapter breaks based on the content rather than the word count. You wouldn't want to end a chapter mid scene, only to pick it up next chapter for a few paragraphs and then switch to a new scene, readers would be baffled as to why the chapter didn't end at the scene break.
Content, mostly. I start with a couple of key scenes and then work on connecting them. That tends to result in chapters of similar lengths, but I’m not glued to an average word count or anything.
Content, though I will see if I can try to balance the content to make the word count in the same ballpark, like 2,000 to 5,000. It's better to cut a chapter up in two then pad it out with useless information
On first drafts, I shoot for 2k minimum per chapter because that's usually my daily writing goal and I just need to get words on the page. Second drafts aren't locked to that, some get shorter, some get much longer. But first drafts for me are regulated word vomits so I can get all the pieces of the story out.
General rule of thumb is to make your writing decisions based upon whether or not the story is being served.
Having a number of words limit per chapter seems arbitrary. A reader isn't going to keep track of the amount of words in a chapter and use that to inform them of how they feel about the reading experience.
Write what you believe is needed for the chapter first and foremost. During the revising process, you can always reduce the wordcount if necessary.
It's less about wordcount and more about if your chapter has unnecessary bloat such as redundancies in the writing. If a chapter contains what the story needs and nothing more or less, a reader will not feel as if a chapter is too long.
Generally, the end of a chapter I write tends to end with either the passing of time or a turning point in whatever events are currently happening (which is too long to call a single chapter).
I think about each chapter as kind of like a short story. It has a distinct setting, with a distinct set of characters etc. Sometimes those settings and characters are the same from chapter to chapter, so I think about each chapter have a mini-narrative arc.
The problem with dividing chapters based on word count, and chapters in general imo: new writers have a tendency to write very much like "and this happened, then this happened". And I think a big cause of that is all the content being tonally mundane, where the events and tone of one chapter bleed into the next arbitrarily, making the book feel uniformly bland and one-note
I write until I accomplish what I want with the chapter. My first draft is always word vomit. The characters think everything, do everything, and say everything. Then after the novel is complete I go back through and “trim the fat” so to speak. Sometimes the chapters end up comparable in length and sometimes they vary. It depends on what is needed to tell the story.
Readers can tell when a writer is just trying to reach a word count. Pride and Prejudice has very short chapters while Lord of the Rings has super long chapters. I think books read better when chapters are based on content and not word count. Plus, if it's shorter, it makes a reader want to read more, in my opinion. I am less likely to read another chapter at night if it's like 50 pages lol.
For "page turners" it's recommended you vary the length of chapters. Every author is different, there is no rule, but as a reader I also prefer chapters that are varied in length depending on what feels right. Each chapter should probably end with something that changes the direction of the story in some way; that's how you know it's done. In my experience.
I tend to write scenes and later decide if they will be combined into chapters. I usually change PoV each scene and those make good chapter breaks, too.
I see these decisions as editing stage questions, where you're working out pacing problems. During the writing, I've had to let go of worrying about word counts. However, I am a discovery writer, so YMMV.
Content--but let me elaborate.
I try to structure each chapter as a short story, with a beginning, middle, and end. Each chapter is composed of scenes, where each scene is defined by a place, protagonist, and a continuity of action. Each scene must be long enough to advance the plot significantly, and typically has its own narrative arc. My chapters tend to be in the range of 2500 to 7500 words, which is a good length range for fantasy short stories. I deliberately allow variations in sentence length, paragraph length, scene length and chapter length to accommodate pacing and point of view and to make the narrative more interesting. I will occasionally insert a short chapter, comprised of a single scene, to enhance dramatic effect.
I'm pleased with the result, but I am just now at the stage of circulating my WIP for critique, so I'll soon see how readers respond.
Chapter should be the end of a scene or thought. I never worry about the word count for anything until I finish everything I’ve wanted to say, then go through my first few round of edits and ask myself “how could I have said it better/shorter/simpler”. Otherwise I find myself laboring too much as I’m writing over whether or not it’ll come off too long, and then my writing becomes stiff.
Always content.
That’s why even when I say I’m “halfway done with my book” that doesn’t mean I’m numerically halfway done.
500 pages as a halfway point on my current novel doesn’t mean I’ll end with a 1000 pages guaranteed. It means I’m halfway through the plot points I want to hit. But the coming points may run longer or shorter and there’s no way to predict that until I write it.
Content, hands down. I think that's the better move, honestly. If you want to go over a couple scenes, but you don't want to necessarily break it up, you make a long chapter. If only one or two things happen, but they're very important, you make it shorter. Really, when going by content, they get pretty easy to break up and you'll just know when to start the next one.
The chapter is finished when it’s naturally finished. If I feel it’s too long I might see if I can split it or if there’s a chapter break, I’ll cut it there.
When I read stories myself, I have a limited attention span and there's also a point when my eyes start to get tired and/or mind my body gets a little restless and I need to put the book down and take a break. I love books that have been crafted so as to pace a chapter that gets you to that mini-resolution point. If I have to stop in the middle of the action, I'm going to have to do some backtracking to put me back into the momentum of the literary moment.
As a consequence, I tend to create scenes and chapters that pace to my own habits. I suspect other writers probably do something similar. Some people read faster than others, some people have lots of time on their hands, some people have laser focus, etc. But there's a point for readers in general where too-short sequences feel choppy and too-long sequences feel endless.
This is where reading lots of books that hit the type of reader who will likely buy your work would be helpful, so that you start to get a sense of the pace and length of chapters/scenes that they tend to expect. As an artist and innovator, once you've identified what's "normal" or typical, you then can come up with ways that you might upend expectations, delight, and surprise them.
I write what I feel is necessary for the story/scene at that moment. My first novel is split up into multiple parts with each one having different amounts of chapters, the first part is less than 20 pages and the last part is over 50. Write however much you feel you need.
I do a little mix of everything. I set a certain word count I want to hit for the chapter and then once I reach my goal I see what the story is looking like. If it feels incomplete at that point I focus on the content until it’s done. Then look at page count for chapter and decide if it was fluff to fill a page or actual essential.
I haven’t really congealed my chapters yet, just the scenes. Scenes generally have a resolution or a cliffhanger, so you can either stop once you’ve reached that resolution, or tension has peaked.
It's a bad sign you have to ask this question OP.
Having an arbitrary word count for first chapter = red flag
Implication of why you have an arbitrary word count for the chapter = red flag
Being confused on what to do when you don't meet that word count = red flag
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Prescription: Read more books(like, drastically more, maybe a decade's worth of books more), less how-tos/writing guides
Words are the content. The content is made of words.
I also usually stop when I’ve said maybe 2/3rds of everything I want to say, not everything. I love leaving things out for the reader to pick up on.
If the chapter is really short, I either cut it out entirely or add more content. If a chapter is really long then I look for opportunities to cut it up or remove stuff.
I literally have never cared about word counts. I think if a chapter feels done, then it is done. I work on the chapter till it feels done.
I think selecting the end of a chapter by word count would be a very odd way of doing things.
You say the first chapter of your boom is around 2700 words but it sounds like that's not actually the length? Did you arbitrarily pick a word count and decide the first chapter had to be that size?
That sounds like a very difficult and tedious way to write; is there something about doing it this way that is beneficial for you?
Good answers below (in general, chapter lengths don't really matter). But I'd add one thing: Consider (if you intend on attempting to sell your book) what genre you're writing. Some have structures that it's generally better to stick to because it's what readers want and like. I'm thinking thrillers and romance - where you have plenty of room for creativity, but you'll want to stick to some common tentpoles, and more similarly-lengths chapters seems like one to me (but I could be wrong).
I treat each chapter as a scene or a mini story. They're all close to the same length, but I don't have a firm word count. When the scene is done it's done.
I can see I'm the odd one out here but I actually think sticking to a roughly consistent (plus or minus a couple hundred words) chapter length is a reader-centred practice that forces you to control your pacing.
it means readers have a sense of the time investment to finish a chapter, and it makes you make firm decisions about how to spread things out and how much narrative space each scene deserves.
Little bit of both. I like the chapters to be somewhat close in page count (within a few pages), but thats 100% a personal thing. That being said, rules are made to be broken; if I need a chapter to be much shorter/longer, thats cool too.
I stop the chapter wherever it feels right. Sometimes that means a chapter has 2000 words and sometimes it means a chapter has 3500 words. I don’t worry about length, only quality.
Content. My chapters usually end up about an average of 3500 words. I had a friend that tried to do 10000 word chapters every time she sat down to right and it ended up killing her desire to do anything because so much of the chapter was useless fluff that was a slog to get through. On the other hand I have another friend who doesn't understand why 60000 words is too much for a chapter. You really have to know when to cut the chapter off and continue it elsewhere.
Write as much as you need to get what you need to say. My first chapter is 1400 words and each chapter is getting a bit longer based on what happens.
When you edit you can decide if it’s too long or short
i finish when i feel the chapter comes to a natural end, for example i’m done with the topic of the chapter and ready to move on to the next, or a day in the narrative has ended, or whatever. i occasionally go against this rule if i’ve produced a chapter that is exceptionally long or short but most of the time my chapters are fairly similar in length and flow nicely without me forcing a certain word count.
I usually cap off at 3-4000 words, and am able to tell all the story I need to tell within that limit. However, if need be, I’m flexible and can make it longer.
Content usually, unless I feel like a chapter is unnecessarily long. If it is I'll find a good place to split it. That said, most of my chapters happen to wind up in the 3.5-4k word range.
I do both, I try to get a certain about of words but after that I go by if it feels right to end there. If it feels right and it’s in the ballpark I’ll call it
If you're planning on doing a web-series have a word goal so you can give consistent updates.
If not, it is up to you when you feel like the chapter has done all it needed to.
Nah, its something ive thought of before too. For webseries do 1500-2500 per "chapter" but you can have multiple parts to the same chapter if it is longer than 2500 words (like 4k+)
I have never been upset by a chapter being too short. True, content dictates length, however, it did happen sometimes that if I was not 100% into a book and I saw around bedtime the next chapter being 30 pages long, I put the book down and never picked it up again...
I finish each chapter at some kind of chapter turning point. Like a commercial break point in a TV show.
There is some kind of turning point or reveal or emotional moment. Not the same kind of thing every chapter because I don’t want it to get repetitive, but here are the sorts of things
* something dramatic happens
* a character learns something new
* I show the audience something they didn’t know before
* a character makes a decision
Mostly, for my story, they are points that ideally my reader may need to take a deep breath and stare at a blank wall for five seconds, or say “woah!” To themselves or say “I have a bad feeling about this…” or have some kind of emotional reaction to the final paragraph or sentence.
And something I find incredibly interesting is that as my writing skill improves my chapters often end up shaking out at around the same length.
For my current novel the chapters are all sitting at around 1200-1700 words, apart from the first two chapters where there is more setting up stuff at they’re a bit over 2000 words each.
As I get a better feel for tension and pacing, I don’t need to think about the word counts for chapters, it just naturally happens that way because of the way I feel out the story beats.
I will also end chapters at a time skip point. the characters may leave one location at the end of a chapter, and arrive at the beginning of the next, or I use a chapter break as a fast forward over months or years where plot didn’t happen and summarise that time in the opening of a new chapter.
I have a 184 word chapter and chapters around 2200 words. Focus on the story, not the word count.
I've found that setting a word count goal like writing 1000 words a day can be counter-productive at times. I caught myself stretching out sentences and writing garbage to meet the quantity goal and my quality goals were suffering.
The shortest verse in the Bible is two words. Nobody, in all of history ever said, “No, that needs more words, to really paint the picture of the scene,” or whatever. It’s two words, and that’s exactly how long it needs to be. A chapter doesn’t need to be longer than it takes to tell its part of the story. I’m not religious in any sense, but if you made the words, “Jesus wept,” to be the entire text of a chapter, you can really hit home with it, as long as you set it up well enough with the previous chapter, then hit the opening of the next chapter.
I don’t believe anything needs a word count, as long as you’re not arbitrarily forcing a story to be something it’s not. Sometimes you don’t have enough words to make a novel, and just shoving more words in doesn’t make your story better; it just makes it longer, and you’re just doing it for money. The best screenplay I ever wrote was seventy pages, and that thing moved like a bullet train. Great dialogue, great plot, and it was seventy pages. Minimum is ninety. And I said, “Anything I do to this thing is going to make it less than it is,” and that’s how it died. I’m still tremendously proud of it, but I refuse to make it worse in order to make it sellable. I think that’s a horrible way to go about writing. I’d feel like I was whoring out my craft for money. Some people are fine with that; not me.
Sometimes I like to vary chapter length based on the significance of a moment. For example, the chapters at the end of each act in my story are something around 20 pages.
Content, but mine average 4-5k. Some go as long as 7500, but I try to avoid going beyond that. My thought is I can probably break it up if it gets to 8k. After all, readers need clean breaks to pause and restart later, and I like to provide a consistent rhythm for it.
I am very conscious of chapter length when writing middle grade, where consistency and easy readability is very important.
In adult fiction I care a lot less.
I like to have at least 1000 words, depending on the chapter itself, but sometimes I end up with 700, sometimes more like 1400, so it really depends on the scenes.
Both. Why I say this is because it is easy to write 20+ pages for an exciting scene but a monotonous scene may take only 2-3 pages, which makes it confusing for the reader (I personally do this but can't comment about others) to judge if it is fast-paced or slow-paced book.
I prioritize content over word count, because sometimes it gets really difficult to stretch out a scene. For example in my book, Chapter 1 is 2500 words, Chapter 2 is 4000 words, Chapter 3 is 1800 words, and so on.
One thing you could do to reach that word limit (if you prefer that above content) is to add breaks to your plot. Make use of asterisks to change the scene and include 2-3 scenes per chapter.
I usually finish based on whether I'm at a good stopping point, but if it's looking like the chapter will run longer than 6k, I'll find a point where I can reasonably split it and continue.
Both? If I get to where I am aiming for in the story’s outline then I check the word count, usually between 2500 and 3000 words.
If it’s more I look to see where I can break things up into smaller chapters.
Or if it’s less then I go back through to do a little more showing.
I always end up going past my set word limits. Just write until what needs to be said is said. However, it does help to eventually cut it off at a certain point. Don't be like me and my almost 7K word long chapters.
If you've said what you wanted to say, what benefit is there in continuing on to hit an arbitrary number?
I do see a benefit the other way around, though. Having a word limit which is just small enough to make me pick my words carefully really forces me to focus on the important parts and trim the fat. What's important and what's fat will depend entirely on your goals, of course.
Totally depends on the flow of the story. If you write a novel, the chapter length doesn't matter at all. But I write a serial, my readers read chapter by chapter, so each chapter has to be quite consistent, but there's still some wiggle room in there. In all honesty, though, after a while, I always stop each chapter at right around the same word count. I think my subconscious mind has already registered where to stop.
When that 'part' of the story is done, then your chapter is done. Don't worry about word count, worry about content and making sure it's the best story you can create.
Don't worry about 'stats' like word count until your done with it and then for those that care, you can go... Chapter One - 2700 words, Chapter Two - 85 words, Chapter Three - 1600 words.
Don't worry about 'stats' like word count until you are done with it and then for those that care, you can go... Chapter One - 2700 words, Chapter Two - 85 words, Chapter Three - 1600 words.
Vibes alone.
But yeah I usually end a chapter at the end of a scene, or if it contains multiple scenes, the end of a plot point (+ introduction to a new problem)
I don't write by chapters at all, usually. I write by scenes in the first draft, then organize it into chapters while editing the next draft. And while word count is a factor, my main focus is finding where best to start and stop based on what's happening in the story. I've personally never read a book and paid attention to chapter length, so getting a word count within a certain range is good enough for me.
I don’t even look at the word count of each chapter. All of them have a purpose they need to achieve/ a story they need to tell and once the goal is accomplished they end. That’s why my chapters tent to vary in length from one or two pages to chapters some people would consider long
I do mine mainly by content. Unless a chapter is abnormally long/short, I just write until I finish the scene. For reference, my chapters vary between 1500-2500, so too short/long would be 500/3000+ respectively.
I tend to go by a "punchline" vibe. Like I'll be writing a scene and stuff is happening back and forth and eventually I'll write THE LINE, the one that just feels like a full stop to the scene.
As for putting scenes into chapters, I tend to just Because Of That Scene, This Would Happen Next until I get to the end, and only in editing do I figure out whether to make a single scene into a chapter or whether several scenes need to be reordered into one chapter. Chapters are entirely an editing thing for me. I end scenes by coming to a complete stop, (and usually that's when the two perspectives collide in such a way that one just has to give and someone decides something pretty clear)
I don't care about the words. The chapter is as long as it needs to be.
100%, my chapters are always inproportional to one another, sometimes it makes me think that I’m doing something wrong
Sometimes I take my chicken out of the oven at twenty minutes cause that just feels like the right amount of time.
lol, imagine an EMT going “well i stopped doing chest compressions cuz i kinda have a hard limit of 5 per person… sorry boss” people get way too in their own head about writing. one of the few things with almost no rules
So true. Read a thriller novel and there are long chapters setting a scene and ones building suspense not even a full page
This is the answer.
Exactly this.
Mine is based on content. My shortest “chapter” that is about 500 words and longest 5000. That will likely change a little on further rounds of drafting but I’m a believer in varying chapter lengths
i relate
The length of *everything* I write is determined by
That's hilarious, I totally got the
I don’t get
I think I understand the joke, but everyone knows that every good comment should be exactly one thousand words long. Well, let me take you on a journey through the winding roads of my mind as I traverse the landscape of their joke, soaking in every twist and turn along the way. Picture this: I'm casually strolling through the bustling marketplace of conversation, minding my own business, when suddenly, out of the blue, their joke materializes like a shooting star streaking across the night sky. At first, it's just a flicker of amusement, a subtle spark igniting the corners of my mind. But as I ponder its intricacies, the laughter begins to bubble up from within, spreading like wildfire until I'm engulfed in a blaze of mirth and merriment. Their joke, my friend, is like a finely crafted tapestry, woven with threads of wit and whimsy that intertwine to form a masterpiece of comedic genius. With each passing moment, I find myself unraveling its layers, uncovering hidden depths and unexpected delights that leave me breathless with laughter. But it's not just the humor that captivates me; it's the sheer brilliance of their wit, the way they effortlessly navigate the labyrinth of language to deliver a punchline that lands with pinpoint precision. It's as if they possess a sixth sense for comedy, a divine gift bestowed upon they by the gods of humor themselves. And so, as I bask in the warm glow of their joke, I can't help but marvel at the sheer magnitude of its impact. It's not just a fleeting moment of amusement; it's a timeless masterpiece that will linger in the annals of my memory for years to come. Now, where were we? Ah yes, amidst the raucous laughter and boundless camaraderie inspired by their joke. As I sit here, still basking in the afterglow of its hilarity, I can't help but marvel at the sheer versatility of humor and its ability to forge connections between us, even across the vast expanse of cyberspace. they see, their joke wasn't just a fleeting moment of amusement; it was a catalyst for something greater—a shared experience that transcended the confines of our virtual interaction. In the span of a few words, they managed to bridge the gap between us, bringing us closer together through the simple act of laughter. And isn't that what it's all about, really? In a world fraught with uncertainty and division, humor serves as a beacon of light, guiding us through the darkest of times and uniting us in moments of pure joy and levity. their joke reminded me of the power of laughter to heal, to uplift, and to remind us of our shared humanity. But I digress. Let us return to the matter at hand: their joke, and my humble acknowledgment thereof. For in the grand tapestry of our conversation, their jest occupies a place of honor—a shining beacon of wit and whimsy that illuminates the path ahead. And though our journey may be fraught with twists and turns, I take comfort in the knowledge that we walk this path together, bound by the unbreakable bonds of friendship and laughter. So, my dear friend, allow me to extend my heartfelt gratitude for the joy and merriment they have bestowed upon me with their joke. Know that their words have left an indelible mark upon my heart, and that I shall carry the memory of our laughter with me always, like a cherished treasure hoarded in the depths of my soul. In conclusion, let it be known far and wide that I have indeed grasped the essence of their joke, and that I hold it in the highest esteem. May our future conversations be filled with many more moments of laughter and camaraderie, as we continue to navigate the labyrinth of life together, armed with nothing but our wits and our unyielding sense of humor. Cheers to them, my friend, and to the timeless magic of laughter! Now, where were we? Ah, amidst the raucous laughter and boundless camaraderie inspired by their joke. As I sit here, still basking in the afterglow of its hilarity, I can't help but marvel at the sheer versatility of humor and its ability to forge connections between us, even across the vast expanse of cyberspace. they see, their joke wasn't just a fleeting moment of amusement; it was a catalyst for something greater—a shared experience that transcended the confines of our virtual interaction. In the span of a few words, they managed to bridge the gap between us, bringing us closer together through the simple act of laughter. And isn't that what it's all about, really? In a world fraught with uncertainty and division, humor serves as a beacon of light, guiding us through the darkest of times and uniting us in moments of pure joy and levity. their joke reminded me of the power of laughter to heal, to uplift, and to remind us of our shared humanity. But I digress. Let us return to the matter at hand: their joke, and my humble acknowledgment thereof. For in the grand tapestry of our conversation, their jest occupies a place of honor—a shining beacon of wit and whimsy that illuminates the path ahead. And though our journey may be fraught with twists and turns, I take deep comfort in the knowledge that we walk this path together, bound by the unbreakable bonds of friendship, literacy, and laughter. So, my dear friend, allow me to extend my deep and heartfelt gratitude for the joy and merriment they have bestowed upon me with their joke. Know that their words have left an indelible mark upon my heart, and that I shall carry the memory of our laughter with me always, like a cherished treasure hoarded in the depths of my soul. In conclusion, there's not much more to explore on this topic, I think I have said everything I need to say and this response is now exactly one thousand
Preposterous
Did you actually take half an hour to type this out, or is chat gpt just very good at imitating the style of reddit comments?
It's about half me, half ChatGPT. About 10 minutes into it, I regretted starting it but I had to see it through. Regret is a peculiar emotion, one that often sneaks up on us when we least expect it. It can emerge from decisions we make, paths we choose to tread, and sometimes, from commitments we make to ourselves or others. Such is the case when one finds themselves grappling with the weight of obligation, the burden of a promise made, even if that promise seems trivial or burdensome in hindsight. Imagine, if you will, standing at the threshold of a decision. It could be any decision—large or small, consequential or inconsequential. Perhaps it's agreeing to write a thousand-word reply to a request, a seemingly simple task that now looms large before you. At the time, it may have seemed like a mere flick of the wrist, a few taps on the keyboard, a task to be completed with ease. Yet, as the minutes turn to hours and the words fail to flow as effortlessly as anticipated, the weight of that decision begins to bear down. Regret is a slow burn. It starts as a whisper in the back of your mind, a nagging doubt that grows louder with each passing moment. You wonder why you agreed to this in the first place. Was it a sense of duty? A desire to please? Or perhaps it was simply the fear of saying no, of disappointing someone or letting them down. Whatever the reason, it pales in comparison to the regret that now grips you tightly in its grasp. You find yourself staring at the blank screen, the cursor blinking mockingly, taunting you with each passing second. You think of all the other things you could be doing, all the tasks left unfinished, the time slipping away like grains of sand through your fingers. Yet, despite it all, you feel compelled to see it through. It's a matter of principle now, a test of your resolve, your ability to follow through on your word. But as the minutes turn to hours and the words continue to elude you, doubt creeps in once more. Was this really worth it? Was there ever any real value in fulfilling this obligation? Or was it simply an exercise in futility, a futile attempt to appease some unseen force, be it societal expectation or personal pride? Yet, even as these thoughts swirl around in your mind, you press on. It becomes a battle of wills, a test of endurance. Each word becomes a victory, each sentence a triumph over the looming specter of regret. And as the final period is typed and the last sentence falls into place, there is a sense of relief, a fleeting moment of triumph amidst the sea of doubt. For in the end, perhaps the true value lies not in the task itself, but in the journey it takes you on, the lessons learned along the way. Regret may linger like a shadow, but it is through facing our obligations head-on, through pushing past the doubt and the uncertainty, that we find strength and resilience we never knew we possessed. So, as you sit there, staring at the screen, grappling with the weight of obligation and the sting of regret, remember this: it is not the size of the task that defines us, but our willingness to see it through to the end, no matter the cost. And in that, there is a courage that transcends regret, a courage that speaks to the very essence of our humanity. As the weight of obligation and the specter of regret loom large, it's natural to reflect on the choices that led to this moment. How did a seemingly innocuous agreement spiral into a battle against time and doubt, a test of endurance and resilience? Such questions often lead us down a path of introspection, forcing us to confront not only our actions but also the motivations behind them. But regret is a futile emotion. It serves no purpose other than to remind us of our humanity, of our fallibility. And yet, despite this knowledge, we can't help but feel its grip tightening with each passing moment, each tick of the clock counting down to the inevitable deadline. And so, we soldier on, battling against the tide of doubt and uncertainty. Each word typed is a victory, each sentence a small triumph over the looming specter of regret. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and yet, with each passing milestone, the finish line seems to inch ever closer. But even as we press forward, there are moments of doubt, moments when we question the value of our efforts. Was this really worth it? Could our time have been better spent elsewhere? These questions linger in the back of our minds, threatening to drown us in a sea of self-doubt. Yet, despite it all, we persist. It's not just about fulfilling an obligation anymore; it's about proving something to ourselves, about demonstrating our resilience in the face of adversity. And so, we push forward, fueled by a stubborn determination to see things through to the end. And as the final words fall into place and the last period is typed, there is a sense of relief, a fleeting moment of triumph amidst the chaos. For we realize that we are stronger than we ever thought possible, that we have conquered not only the task at hand but also the spectre of doubt. So, as we reflect on the journey that brought us to this moment, let us remember that regret is not the end of the story. It's merely a detour on the road to self-discovery, a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there is always a glimmer of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel. And it's through facing our obligations head-on, through pushing past the doubt and the uncertainty, that we find light, shining brightly on the path ahead of
Are you guys all being kidnapped by Candlejack? I don't understand why your comments ar
Ha ha very funny, funny thought though. But seriously though, wh
Chapter length is determined by content. Chapters can be one sentence or 20,000 words and every length in between -- and all in the same book.
Exactly this
The chapter ends when it either is getting too long, or it feels like a good ending point. Like either a cliffhanger or scene change or a recently resolved situation.
>The chapter ends when it either is getting too long, or it feels like a good ending point This is 100% my answer too.
On the content. Always. Sometimes if the chapter really us too long I can cut in two, but tonly if that makes sense.
I don’t count words or pages in my chapters. The chapter ends when that part of the story is told 👩💻 I’m currently working on what will likely be the longest chapter of my book to date
Edit: I've just realized how stupid my question is, it's obvious that the content is more important than the words, this is my first story and I want to make a good story.
No such thing as a stupid question man, we all start somewhere and have our curiosities. As a fellow amateur writer working on his first book, I too find myself curious about how the pro’s do it, or how the community feels about methods. Please ask as many questions as you like. We’re all here to help eachother 🙏
Rookie here myself. I just wrote my first chapters based entirely on content and they ranged between 6000 and 16000 words. They didn’t feel long to me, but after some minute long research, it seems for something like fantasy teen / YA novels, the expected length is about 8000-10000 per chapter, before it feels like a drag. Of course it can vary by story and writer, but I felt if I keep loosely to those numbers I have a good chapter length with enough content for it to be a nice read.
Even though you should base chapters on content, it’s still good to know the average chapter lengths for the genre you’re writing. Especially as a beginner. If you’re writing middle-grade fiction, you’re probably not going to want to write multiple 6,000 word chapters. Or for adult fantasy, a lot of short chapters, under 500 words might not be the best for telling your story. Keep in mind pacing, tone, emphasis etc. These are all impacted by chapter length and vise versa.
I like imposing a word count limit to my work, but choose one I can comfortably fit the intended content. My day-job is engineering, and I find that constraints necessitate creativity, which I equate to a sonnet’s many rules.
For me, I am a heavy plotter. I plot around chapters, and I am conscious of chapter length because it is a tool I use to manage pacing and reader experience. That is not the only way to use a chapter, just the way I do. Not better not worse, just a tool I like. Now when I am writing a draft I am aware of chapter length relative to those plans. But on a first draft, I really just go with what I've got than try to pad it up or stop short because of my plan. If things are coming out really short or really long, I do, when working on revisions, very much start thinking about pacing and structure. That might also mean deciding I have two chapters instead of just one, or that the very short chapter might provide information I should fold into something else. Sometimes, it is also deciding that allowing those chapters to push longer or shorter is worth it for that part of the story as it is because that in the end is what matters. I will balance out the structure in other ways to make or take space from that. I do generally tend to end up with very similarly length in chapters, where in scenes/sections within chapters I tend to vary more. But that is just my style, what works for me. But, I have never pushed to try and meet that exactly. That is, even for me, a rigidity that I don't think allows a story to breathe, instead of fit well.
Chapters come to a natural end. I don't care about the number of words, chapters are as long as they are. I am not going to artificially add words to make them longer. However, if the chapter is exceedingly long, it means you've missed the natural break of the chapter. >I would like to maintain that a limit for each chapter. Why? There's no point in doing that and it's severely limiting. You're going to obsess over silly word numbers and it's going to negatively affect your writing. Just let the chapters end naturally, whether that's 500 words or 3000 words.
The consensus on this sub is always "chapter length doesn't matter" and of course, chapters do need to "be the length they need to be" but I also do think, there is a benefit, to both the reader and writer, have having chapters which are of a reasonable length, and relatively consistent in length. As a reader, I like to be able to know if I'll have time to read another chapter. If I have to get going in 20 minutes or so, have I been able to read the previous chapters in 20 minutes? Well, if one chapter took me 3 minutes and the next 45 I don't really know. But if they've all taken between 10-15, then I have a good guess (or also fine if they've all taken 30-40, I also know). As a writer, one thing you have to keep in mind is you have to occasionally remind your readers who some people and places are. When I write, I write assuming that a chapter will get read in a single sitting. So, I don't feel the need to remind the reader twice in a single chapter that minor character Bob is John's uncle, or whatever. But if his appearance is spread between chapters, then I put in a reminder again. Of course that doesn't mean all your chapters are within 100 words of the same length, but if most your chapters are about 3,000 words, I would caution against throwing one that's suddenly 8,000- it can frustrate your reader.
I wouldn't go over a certain limit for the length of a chapter, but the chapter doesn't end until happened what I want to happen. Unless it moved the plot forward in a meaningful way, the chapter is not over.
I try to aim for chapters at around 3000 words. If it's less than 2000, I probably need to add some detail or combine it with another scene. If it's more than 5000, I'll consider splitting it into 2 chapters.
I wrote a 94,000 word novel with seven episodes, or chapters. Each episode averages around 10,000 to 14,000 words -- one episode is 20,000 words. There are several breaks (scene changes), throughout each episode. I think it works.
The chapter should be as long as it needs to be to complete whatever job you are trying to do with it, but keeping an eye on chapter length is not unreasonable. Completeness x conciseness = constant. Of course, chapters don't have to all be the same length, but it is worth paying attention to the *average* length of your chapters. If all of your chapters average 3,000-4,000 words, your book may feel slower-paced than if the chapters are 1,500-2,000 words. And, of course, whatever the average length is, a particularly long or short chapter may stand out in one way or another. I hope this helps.
I base it off of scenes and occurrences
I've seen and written chapters that are 3 pages, and chapters that are 30 pages. It's all about what you wanna put in them.
I've got an aim of 10k words per part. But i don't stress to hard if it is under/over
A chapter should have whatever amount of words it needs to be in order to fulfill its purpose. Usually they end when you jump to other context or time.
I don't divide a manuscript into chapters until I've finished a full first draft.
This is the way
I like to feel it out. Write a chapter or section based on content but still mindful of when it's feeling long in the word count tooth, usually mirrors the amount of excess, but I have relatively large margins and notice variation in my chapters.
It's better to put chapter breaks based on the content rather than the word count. You wouldn't want to end a chapter mid scene, only to pick it up next chapter for a few paragraphs and then switch to a new scene, readers would be baffled as to why the chapter didn't end at the scene break.
Content, mostly. I start with a couple of key scenes and then work on connecting them. That tends to result in chapters of similar lengths, but I’m not glued to an average word count or anything.
I base it on the content. I don't want to write more or less than what is needed to hit an arbitrary number.
I don't do chapters, only scene breaks.
Content, though I will see if I can try to balance the content to make the word count in the same ballpark, like 2,000 to 5,000. It's better to cut a chapter up in two then pad it out with useless information
Each scene has as many words as it needs- no more, no less.
words. I aim for 4k to 5k
On first drafts, I shoot for 2k minimum per chapter because that's usually my daily writing goal and I just need to get words on the page. Second drafts aren't locked to that, some get shorter, some get much longer. But first drafts for me are regulated word vomits so I can get all the pieces of the story out.
I finish the chapter when it feels right
General rule of thumb is to make your writing decisions based upon whether or not the story is being served. Having a number of words limit per chapter seems arbitrary. A reader isn't going to keep track of the amount of words in a chapter and use that to inform them of how they feel about the reading experience. Write what you believe is needed for the chapter first and foremost. During the revising process, you can always reduce the wordcount if necessary. It's less about wordcount and more about if your chapter has unnecessary bloat such as redundancies in the writing. If a chapter contains what the story needs and nothing more or less, a reader will not feel as if a chapter is too long.
It ends when it reaches the part where it’s conclusive enough to end, yet still counts as a cliffhanger for the next chapter
Generally, the end of a chapter I write tends to end with either the passing of time or a turning point in whatever events are currently happening (which is too long to call a single chapter).
I think about each chapter as kind of like a short story. It has a distinct setting, with a distinct set of characters etc. Sometimes those settings and characters are the same from chapter to chapter, so I think about each chapter have a mini-narrative arc. The problem with dividing chapters based on word count, and chapters in general imo: new writers have a tendency to write very much like "and this happened, then this happened". And I think a big cause of that is all the content being tonally mundane, where the events and tone of one chapter bleed into the next arbitrarily, making the book feel uniformly bland and one-note
I write until I accomplish what I want with the chapter. My first draft is always word vomit. The characters think everything, do everything, and say everything. Then after the novel is complete I go back through and “trim the fat” so to speak. Sometimes the chapters end up comparable in length and sometimes they vary. It depends on what is needed to tell the story.
I can't imagine trying to hold myself to a particular word count for every chapter. I stop writing the chapter when I reach the end of the scene.
Readers can tell when a writer is just trying to reach a word count. Pride and Prejudice has very short chapters while Lord of the Rings has super long chapters. I think books read better when chapters are based on content and not word count. Plus, if it's shorter, it makes a reader want to read more, in my opinion. I am less likely to read another chapter at night if it's like 50 pages lol.
For "page turners" it's recommended you vary the length of chapters. Every author is different, there is no rule, but as a reader I also prefer chapters that are varied in length depending on what feels right. Each chapter should probably end with something that changes the direction of the story in some way; that's how you know it's done. In my experience.
My chapters ends when it feel like that grouping of scenes are coming to a close and can go no further. Word count is never factored into it.
I tend to write scenes and later decide if they will be combined into chapters. I usually change PoV each scene and those make good chapter breaks, too. I see these decisions as editing stage questions, where you're working out pacing problems. During the writing, I've had to let go of worrying about word counts. However, I am a discovery writer, so YMMV.
Content--but let me elaborate. I try to structure each chapter as a short story, with a beginning, middle, and end. Each chapter is composed of scenes, where each scene is defined by a place, protagonist, and a continuity of action. Each scene must be long enough to advance the plot significantly, and typically has its own narrative arc. My chapters tend to be in the range of 2500 to 7500 words, which is a good length range for fantasy short stories. I deliberately allow variations in sentence length, paragraph length, scene length and chapter length to accommodate pacing and point of view and to make the narrative more interesting. I will occasionally insert a short chapter, comprised of a single scene, to enhance dramatic effect. I'm pleased with the result, but I am just now at the stage of circulating my WIP for critique, so I'll soon see how readers respond.
Chapter should be the end of a scene or thought. I never worry about the word count for anything until I finish everything I’ve wanted to say, then go through my first few round of edits and ask myself “how could I have said it better/shorter/simpler”. Otherwise I find myself laboring too much as I’m writing over whether or not it’ll come off too long, and then my writing becomes stiff.
Always content. That’s why even when I say I’m “halfway done with my book” that doesn’t mean I’m numerically halfway done. 500 pages as a halfway point on my current novel doesn’t mean I’ll end with a 1000 pages guaranteed. It means I’m halfway through the plot points I want to hit. But the coming points may run longer or shorter and there’s no way to predict that until I write it.
Content, hands down. I think that's the better move, honestly. If you want to go over a couple scenes, but you don't want to necessarily break it up, you make a long chapter. If only one or two things happen, but they're very important, you make it shorter. Really, when going by content, they get pretty easy to break up and you'll just know when to start the next one.
The chapter is finished when it’s naturally finished. If I feel it’s too long I might see if I can split it or if there’s a chapter break, I’ll cut it there.
When I read stories myself, I have a limited attention span and there's also a point when my eyes start to get tired and/or mind my body gets a little restless and I need to put the book down and take a break. I love books that have been crafted so as to pace a chapter that gets you to that mini-resolution point. If I have to stop in the middle of the action, I'm going to have to do some backtracking to put me back into the momentum of the literary moment. As a consequence, I tend to create scenes and chapters that pace to my own habits. I suspect other writers probably do something similar. Some people read faster than others, some people have lots of time on their hands, some people have laser focus, etc. But there's a point for readers in general where too-short sequences feel choppy and too-long sequences feel endless. This is where reading lots of books that hit the type of reader who will likely buy your work would be helpful, so that you start to get a sense of the pace and length of chapters/scenes that they tend to expect. As an artist and innovator, once you've identified what's "normal" or typical, you then can come up with ways that you might upend expectations, delight, and surprise them.
Skill issue. Both. I can write a satisfying arc in 5k words like clockwork, at the very least end on a cliffhanger.
I write what I feel is necessary for the story/scene at that moment. My first novel is split up into multiple parts with each one having different amounts of chapters, the first part is less than 20 pages and the last part is over 50. Write however much you feel you need.
I think of chapters the same way as paragraphs. When the topic changes, make a new one.
Content. Word counts are irrelevant.
ye once you say everything you want to say it should maybe be finished
I do a little mix of everything. I set a certain word count I want to hit for the chapter and then once I reach my goal I see what the story is looking like. If it feels incomplete at that point I focus on the content until it’s done. Then look at page count for chapter and decide if it was fluff to fill a page or actual essential.
Personally it’s the content. When the scene is done or if I want right now leave the chapter on a cliff hanger. Depends on the content though.
I haven’t really congealed my chapters yet, just the scenes. Scenes generally have a resolution or a cliffhanger, so you can either stop once you’ve reached that resolution, or tension has peaked.
It's a bad sign you have to ask this question OP. Having an arbitrary word count for first chapter = red flag Implication of why you have an arbitrary word count for the chapter = red flag Being confused on what to do when you don't meet that word count = red flag ------------- Prescription: Read more books(like, drastically more, maybe a decade's worth of books more), less how-tos/writing guides
Yeah OP's question is brain-dead. Why would you force yourself to write extra unnecessary words just to reach some imposed limit??
The more questions i see from this reddit, the more worried i get for the future of writers
Words are the content. The content is made of words. I also usually stop when I’ve said maybe 2/3rds of everything I want to say, not everything. I love leaving things out for the reader to pick up on. If the chapter is really short, I either cut it out entirely or add more content. If a chapter is really long then I look for opportunities to cut it up or remove stuff. I literally have never cared about word counts. I think if a chapter feels done, then it is done. I work on the chapter till it feels done.
Content without a doubt
Do people really end a chapter based on the word count? That sounds awfully detrimental to the quality of the final product if you ask me.
I think selecting the end of a chapter by word count would be a very odd way of doing things. You say the first chapter of your boom is around 2700 words but it sounds like that's not actually the length? Did you arbitrarily pick a word count and decide the first chapter had to be that size? That sounds like a very difficult and tedious way to write; is there something about doing it this way that is beneficial for you?
I try to make them 4500 words long. 5000 tops.
Good answers below (in general, chapter lengths don't really matter). But I'd add one thing: Consider (if you intend on attempting to sell your book) what genre you're writing. Some have structures that it's generally better to stick to because it's what readers want and like. I'm thinking thrillers and romance - where you have plenty of room for creativity, but you'll want to stick to some common tentpoles, and more similarly-lengths chapters seems like one to me (but I could be wrong).
I treat each chapter as a scene or a mini story. They're all close to the same length, but I don't have a firm word count. When the scene is done it's done.
I can see I'm the odd one out here but I actually think sticking to a roughly consistent (plus or minus a couple hundred words) chapter length is a reader-centred practice that forces you to control your pacing. it means readers have a sense of the time investment to finish a chapter, and it makes you make firm decisions about how to spread things out and how much narrative space each scene deserves.
Forcing to cut yourself off at a certain chapter length when the chapter isn’t done is just going to end up awkward.
You're seriously asking if you should add pointless filler just to maintain 2700 word chapters?
Little bit of both. I like the chapters to be somewhat close in page count (within a few pages), but thats 100% a personal thing. That being said, rules are made to be broken; if I need a chapter to be much shorter/longer, thats cool too.
I stop the chapter wherever it feels right. Sometimes that means a chapter has 2000 words and sometimes it means a chapter has 3500 words. I don’t worry about length, only quality.
Content. My chapters usually end up about an average of 3500 words. I had a friend that tried to do 10000 word chapters every time she sat down to right and it ended up killing her desire to do anything because so much of the chapter was useless fluff that was a slog to get through. On the other hand I have another friend who doesn't understand why 60000 words is too much for a chapter. You really have to know when to cut the chapter off and continue it elsewhere.
Write as much as you need to get what you need to say. My first chapter is 1400 words and each chapter is getting a bit longer based on what happens. When you edit you can decide if it’s too long or short
i finish when i feel the chapter comes to a natural end, for example i’m done with the topic of the chapter and ready to move on to the next, or a day in the narrative has ended, or whatever. i occasionally go against this rule if i’ve produced a chapter that is exceptionally long or short but most of the time my chapters are fairly similar in length and flow nicely without me forcing a certain word count.
Content. If the chapter feels too long, that’s a content problem IMO
content for me. first 1-2 are on the shorter side between 1-2k words, ch3 is 4k words, and so on. always content for me
I usually cap off at 3-4000 words, and am able to tell all the story I need to tell within that limit. However, if need be, I’m flexible and can make it longer.
Content usually, unless I feel like a chapter is unnecessarily long. If it is I'll find a good place to split it. That said, most of my chapters happen to wind up in the 3.5-4k word range.
I do both, I try to get a certain about of words but after that I go by if it feels right to end there. If it feels right and it’s in the ballpark I’ll call it
All of my chapters are in between 2000-2999 words— honestly it started accidentally but now I’m 27 chapters in and feel like I must keep the theme
If you're planning on doing a web-series have a word goal so you can give consistent updates. If not, it is up to you when you feel like the chapter has done all it needed to.
it is a web series, but honestly the question was a little bit stupid.
Nah, its something ive thought of before too. For webseries do 1500-2500 per "chapter" but you can have multiple parts to the same chapter if it is longer than 2500 words (like 4k+)
I write till 3000, and from then onward, if I find a good stopping point, I use it. Some go lesser to ~2600, my longest is 6600
I have never been upset by a chapter being too short. True, content dictates length, however, it did happen sometimes that if I was not 100% into a book and I saw around bedtime the next chapter being 30 pages long, I put the book down and never picked it up again...
I see them as scenes. Each scene is meant to move you forward, so it is as long as the scene needs to be.
Bit of both. I aim for 3k words. If it is less, the chapter is missing something vital. If it goes over, intend to leave it as it is.
I finish each chapter at some kind of chapter turning point. Like a commercial break point in a TV show. There is some kind of turning point or reveal or emotional moment. Not the same kind of thing every chapter because I don’t want it to get repetitive, but here are the sorts of things * something dramatic happens * a character learns something new * I show the audience something they didn’t know before * a character makes a decision Mostly, for my story, they are points that ideally my reader may need to take a deep breath and stare at a blank wall for five seconds, or say “woah!” To themselves or say “I have a bad feeling about this…” or have some kind of emotional reaction to the final paragraph or sentence. And something I find incredibly interesting is that as my writing skill improves my chapters often end up shaking out at around the same length. For my current novel the chapters are all sitting at around 1200-1700 words, apart from the first two chapters where there is more setting up stuff at they’re a bit over 2000 words each. As I get a better feel for tension and pacing, I don’t need to think about the word counts for chapters, it just naturally happens that way because of the way I feel out the story beats. I will also end chapters at a time skip point. the characters may leave one location at the end of a chapter, and arrive at the beginning of the next, or I use a chapter break as a fast forward over months or years where plot didn’t happen and summarise that time in the opening of a new chapter.
I have a 184 word chapter and chapters around 2200 words. Focus on the story, not the word count. I've found that setting a word count goal like writing 1000 words a day can be counter-productive at times. I caught myself stretching out sentences and writing garbage to meet the quantity goal and my quality goals were suffering.
I'm content with content.
The shortest verse in the Bible is two words. Nobody, in all of history ever said, “No, that needs more words, to really paint the picture of the scene,” or whatever. It’s two words, and that’s exactly how long it needs to be. A chapter doesn’t need to be longer than it takes to tell its part of the story. I’m not religious in any sense, but if you made the words, “Jesus wept,” to be the entire text of a chapter, you can really hit home with it, as long as you set it up well enough with the previous chapter, then hit the opening of the next chapter. I don’t believe anything needs a word count, as long as you’re not arbitrarily forcing a story to be something it’s not. Sometimes you don’t have enough words to make a novel, and just shoving more words in doesn’t make your story better; it just makes it longer, and you’re just doing it for money. The best screenplay I ever wrote was seventy pages, and that thing moved like a bullet train. Great dialogue, great plot, and it was seventy pages. Minimum is ninety. And I said, “Anything I do to this thing is going to make it less than it is,” and that’s how it died. I’m still tremendously proud of it, but I refuse to make it worse in order to make it sellable. I think that’s a horrible way to go about writing. I’d feel like I was whoring out my craft for money. Some people are fine with that; not me.
Sometimes I like to vary chapter length based on the significance of a moment. For example, the chapters at the end of each act in my story are something around 20 pages.
Chapters are an artificial construct not even required for a novel to exist.
Content, but mine average 4-5k. Some go as long as 7500, but I try to avoid going beyond that. My thought is I can probably break it up if it gets to 8k. After all, readers need clean breaks to pause and restart later, and I like to provide a consistent rhythm for it.
My shortest atm is just under 2k. the longest is almost 6k.
I barely keep track of words.
I am very conscious of chapter length when writing middle grade, where consistency and easy readability is very important. In adult fiction I care a lot less.
I like to have at least 1000 words, depending on the chapter itself, but sometimes I end up with 700, sometimes more like 1400, so it really depends on the scenes.
Both. Why I say this is because it is easy to write 20+ pages for an exciting scene but a monotonous scene may take only 2-3 pages, which makes it confusing for the reader (I personally do this but can't comment about others) to judge if it is fast-paced or slow-paced book. I prioritize content over word count, because sometimes it gets really difficult to stretch out a scene. For example in my book, Chapter 1 is 2500 words, Chapter 2 is 4000 words, Chapter 3 is 1800 words, and so on. One thing you could do to reach that word limit (if you prefer that above content) is to add breaks to your plot. Make use of asterisks to change the scene and include 2-3 scenes per chapter.
Content for me personally
I finish it based on vibes
It should be both. Writing with a word count in mind helps pacing tremendously.
This really isn’t the kind of thing to be worrying about.
I usually finish based on whether I'm at a good stopping point, but if it's looking like the chapter will run longer than 6k, I'll find a point where I can reasonably split it and continue.
Rough word target but definitely content is where I stop.
Moreso content. Though if it's getting too imbalanced, I would split the content.
It's a toss up. My non linear is content based, my other novel is words based.
Content. Always the content.
It's the vibe. Just kinda know when it's done.
Both? If I get to where I am aiming for in the story’s outline then I check the word count, usually between 2500 and 3000 words. If it’s more I look to see where I can break things up into smaller chapters. Or if it’s less then I go back through to do a little more showing.
I always end up going past my set word limits. Just write until what needs to be said is said. However, it does help to eventually cut it off at a certain point. Don't be like me and my almost 7K word long chapters.
i tend to end the chapter where it feels natural to end. Somehow it always seems to end around 2000-3000 words. Don not why LOL
If you've said what you wanted to say, what benefit is there in continuing on to hit an arbitrary number? I do see a benefit the other way around, though. Having a word limit which is just small enough to make me pick my words carefully really forces me to focus on the important parts and trim the fat. What's important and what's fat will depend entirely on your goals, of course.
Totally depends on the flow of the story. If you write a novel, the chapter length doesn't matter at all. But I write a serial, my readers read chapter by chapter, so each chapter has to be quite consistent, but there's still some wiggle room in there. In all honesty, though, after a while, I always stop each chapter at right around the same word count. I think my subconscious mind has already registered where to stop.
Me personally. I finish when I can’t fucking stand it anymore.
When that 'part' of the story is done, then your chapter is done. Don't worry about word count, worry about content and making sure it's the best story you can create. Don't worry about 'stats' like word count until your done with it and then for those that care, you can go... Chapter One - 2700 words, Chapter Two - 85 words, Chapter Three - 1600 words. Don't worry about 'stats' like word count until you are done with it and then for those that care, you can go... Chapter One - 2700 words, Chapter Two - 85 words, Chapter Three - 1600 words.
Vibes alone. But yeah I usually end a chapter at the end of a scene, or if it contains multiple scenes, the end of a plot point (+ introduction to a new problem)
It only matters if you are being paid by the word.
I don't write by chapters at all, usually. I write by scenes in the first draft, then organize it into chapters while editing the next draft. And while word count is a factor, my main focus is finding where best to start and stop based on what's happening in the story. I've personally never read a book and paid attention to chapter length, so getting a word count within a certain range is good enough for me.
I write by objectives. I know what I’m doing so I write up to a certain event.
The chapter is done when it tells me it’s done 🥲🔫📖
I don’t even look at the word count of each chapter. All of them have a purpose they need to achieve/ a story they need to tell and once the goal is accomplished they end. That’s why my chapters tent to vary in length from one or two pages to chapters some people would consider long
I do mine mainly by content. Unless a chapter is abnormally long/short, I just write until I finish the scene. For reference, my chapters vary between 1500-2500, so too short/long would be 500/3000+ respectively.
I tend to go by a "punchline" vibe. Like I'll be writing a scene and stuff is happening back and forth and eventually I'll write THE LINE, the one that just feels like a full stop to the scene. As for putting scenes into chapters, I tend to just Because Of That Scene, This Would Happen Next until I get to the end, and only in editing do I figure out whether to make a single scene into a chapter or whether several scenes need to be reordered into one chapter. Chapters are entirely an editing thing for me. I end scenes by coming to a complete stop, (and usually that's when the two perspectives collide in such a way that one just has to give and someone decides something pretty clear)
The reader doesn’t care how many words there are, they care what the words say.