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McAnally's (The Community Pub) => Author Craft => Topic started by: SuperflyMD on January 20, 2011, 01:37:01 AM

Title: How Long Are Your Chapters?
Post by: SuperflyMD 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. 

Title: Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
Post by: Enjorous 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.

Title: Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
Post by: Gruud 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 ...

Title: Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
Post by: Snowleopard 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.

Title: Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
Post by: Starbeam on January 20, 2011, 03:25:35 AM

They're as long as they need to be.

Title: Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
Post by: Nickeris86 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.

Title: Re: How Long Are Your Chapters?
Post by: the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh 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.