Does it make a difference to a reader whether the chapters in a book are long or short? It does to me. I like shorter chapters, as they feed into my penchant for reading a chapter or two before sleeping at night. Ideally, a chapter will take an idea or an action and work through it to a logical stopping point.
The length of the chapter needs to fit the pace of the story. If the chapters are too short, the book may end up feeling choppy - too many stops and starts. If the chapters are too long, the reader may get bogged down with too much information.
Short chapters can be used to insert needed information or to add a sense of urgency. I have read chapters that were a page and a half long but added something necessary to that stage of the story. Longer chapters can be used to detail specific events or time periods.
Each chapter should have its own arc. Looking at word count, shorter chapters could run around 1,500 to 2,000 words, whereas longer chapters may run closer to 3,500 to 4,000 words. Do what feels natural for the flow of your story. Word count is only a mechanism used to keep track of your story. Let the words flow as they will.
Combining short and long chapters is a good way to keep your readers' attention and keep them interested in and excited about your story.
If you are having a hard time deciding what chapter length best serves your story, go with your gut. What feels right to you? What feels right for your story? Take a look at authors that you admire in your genre. How do they structure the length of their chapters?
The editing stage for all writers is where they see what works with their book and what doesn't. This also applies to chapter length. This is where you see what needs to be added, where it needs to be added, and what needs to be taken out.
Happy writing!
December 2023 Bonnie Cehovet
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