Writing is hard. All forms of writing is hard. It doesn’t matter if it’s poetry, a screenplay or prose. It is just hard… but for longer pieces like screenplays and novels, one of the hard things to determine is structure. When does one scene or chapter finish and another one begin? This article will discuss my thoughts on how to determine the ideal chapter length in a novel or novella.
We all are familiar with chapters. They’re handy rest points that let the reader return to the normal world… while also leaving them wanting to return more. So knowing when to break the chapter is important. Too soon and the flow will feel broken, too late and the reader may get bored by the time they get to the end that they may not be eager to return.
A well-structured narrative should have a seamless progression, with each chapter propelling the plot forward and developing the characters.
While there is no fixed word count, an average, a chapter is around 1000-5000 words. Bare in mind that genre and audience can have an affect on this. Fantasy chapters average out to 3000-5000 words, with a handful of chapters under or over the count. Children’s fantasy is most likely to range on the lower end while Adult fantasy on the hire end.
Although it’s good to keep the word-count of your genre in mind, look at it second. By this, I mean work out your chapter average at the end of your draft, not before. Do not push your chapters to be within range on your first draft because it’ll feel forced. Instead, other narrative factors should be considered first.
Determining Chapter Length through Story Arc Points
Writers are familiar with the Story Arc. However, I feel some mistake it as an theory that is only used for the book as a whole. But the truth is that it can be used to help you structure your chapters. If you use the arc to form the bare bones of your chapter, you will have all the necessary elements.
That means that if the bare bones comes to 500 words, then it comes to 500 words, you can later return to see if there is anything you can develop while keeping the bones but do not force more words if the piece feels developed already. In Seas Game I’m currently averaging around 4000 words per chapter, but there is one chapter that is 900 words in length. Any more and it would lose the power that the scene and chapter holds. At the same time, it has the set-up, inciting incident, rising action, climax and falling action with my character succeeding in his obstacle.
But also don’t panic if the bare bones turns to 3000+ more words either. Trust that the structure is working.
Using Driving Force to Work Out Chapter Length
Each chapter and scene will have a driving force. Something a character will want that propels the narrative forward. Maybe it’s a love interest, or maybe it’s finding a teddy they had since childhood. The driving force will be another element that will determine the length of a chapter. My short, 900 word chapter features the focalised character wanting to get his daughter to say one word. She is confined to the Captain’s cabin which removes any other obstacles in his way and as such he is able to prize that one word out of her after a lot of trial and error.
Other obstacles, like attempting to flee from pirates on land, may take longer because there will be other elements at play. Places to hide, burning buildings, allies acting dumb. How long it takes the character to reach the driving force and succeed or fail will determine the length of the chapter.
Using Pace, World Building, Relationships and Tension
Chapters play a significant role in the pace and tension of your narrative. Some chapters are slow paced and some are fast paced. This would depend on what is going on, potentially between other characters like love interests and villains. Or it could be through something like confinement.
This would link to the driving force again to some degree. If the character is in a new world, the pace may be slow as they begin to learn what this new world means and they pay attention to details that would be missed by people familiar with the world. For example, Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher Stone is the longest chapter of the book. The scenes may be short as Harry goes from the Inn to Gringotts to Olivanders, and so forth, but the chapter is long as the reader gets introduced to the magical world through the safety of Hagrid. Tension is relatively low other than meeting Draco and gaining a wand, enabling for the longer chapter.
The shortest chapter, The Potions Master, focuses on settling Harry into the wizarding world, with him meeting his classmates and teachers. Tensions arise with Snape, but again, Harry is mostly safe. This one is shorter as the scenes are very short and used more to pass time, introduce characters and build relationships. The magical world has already been established and so world-building is kept to a minimum.
Getting the Balance Right
Striking the right balance between shorter and longer chapters can enhance the ebb and flow of your story, keeping readers thoroughly engaged throughout. But it’s a difficult balance. What’s the correct amount of world building and relationship building to do.
My advice would be if it needs to be shown right then, show it. Otherwise trickle it in. Diagon Alley was the only time Harry visited it in the narrative. It was paramount that we saw Gringotts and Olivanders, while Madam Malkin’s was an added extra that served to show Draco. But at Hogwarts, he would be seeing Snape and his classmates daily, the relationships can take longer to build and unfamiliar things can be explained when they’re needed.
Trust Your Writing Style
At the heart of it all, you, as the author, have the creative autonomy to determine the chapter lengths that best serve your story and writing style. Some authors thrive on shorter, punchy chapters that provide a rapid rhythm and quick plot progression. Raymond Carver is a minimalist writer and his work is great. Other writers prefer to luxuriate in longer, more immersive chapters that allow for detailed exploration and emotional depth. Authors like George R. R. Martin, Charles Dickens and J.R.R Tolkien.
Every author has a unique style and voice. Yours will be write for your story. Reflect on your storytelling goals and the experience you want to offer your readers. Engage in experimentation, seek feedback from beta readers, and fine-tune your chapters until they align with your vision.
Summary of Determining Chapter Length
Determining the ideal length for a chapter is both an art and a science. By taking into account the story flow, balancing pacing and tension, looking at what drives your chapter, and trusting your writing style, you can navigate the intricate process of chapter length determination.
Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach; what matters most is finding the balance that creates an engaging, immersive reading experience for your story. The one you want to tell. That is the most important thing. Be wary of falling into the trap of trying to tell the story others want to hear.
Embrace the journey, wield your pen with purpose, and craft chapters that leave your readers eagerly anticipating what lies ahead. One chapter at a time