Author Topic: How Long Are Your Chapters?  (Read 2171 times)

Offline SuperflyMD

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How Long Are Your Chapters?
« on: January 20, 2011, 01:37:01 AM »
My chapters seem a little short. They seem to end up around 1800 to 2000 words each. In my mind they wrap up OK and I don't really feel they're incomplete, but I'm curious about reader response. 

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Offline Enjorous

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Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
« Reply #1 on: January 20, 2011, 02:41:40 AM »
I dunno, I think they vary. I mean someone like Dan Brown has epically short chapters, some of them I doubt are more than 500 words. Then you have someone like Stephen King who occasionally have 4 chapters in a 200 pages.
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Offline Gruud

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Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
« Reply #2 on: January 20, 2011, 03:06:47 AM »
For some inexplicable reason, mine all seem to be tracking at right around 15 pages / 5000-ish words ...

It's starting to kinda creep me out.

And then I had one that came in at nearly twice that, and it makes me feel like its wrong ...

Offline Snowleopard

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Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
« Reply #3 on: January 20, 2011, 03:19:33 AM »
Just play it by ear, guys.  Let the chapters break where they want to - you can always go back later and alter the break if you think it needs changing.

Offline Starbeam

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Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2011, 03:25:35 AM »
They're as long as they need to be.
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Offline Nickeris86

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Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2011, 07:00:25 AM »
my first chapter alone is over 8,000 words. O.o and i am still not sure if its too long or not long enough, but its finished and i'll fix it in revision.
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Offline the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh

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Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
« Reply #6 on: January 21, 2011, 09:18:22 PM »
I pretty much always do one chapter/one scene; they usually come out between 2000 and 4500 words, though i've had exceptions at either end.
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