Too many chapters?

If that's the way that's most useful for you to write then stick with it!

When you're revising it, you might find that there are sections that belong in chapters together which would reduce the number of chapters, or you might even decide to get rid of using chapters altogether. The chapters you've written might end up being hugely expanded, or cut to two lines, or deleted altogether. I don't think I'd worry about it too much at this point, just focus on getting the first draft written and then you can start to focus on the detail.

Good luck!

Do whatever floats your boat.

The number of chapters is totally irrelevant.

Some writers have short chapters, some have very long ones.

My chapters range from 1000 words to 6000.

Don't limit or expand your chapters. But I would be weary of consistency (as in you have 8 chapters with 14 pages each and the next has 50 pages. That is too much of a jump for readers. It's time to break it up).

I've never heard of a standard for number or length of chapters ... I think editors and agents are far more concerned about word count. I'd say that you ought to make your chapters as long or as short as they need to be. I heard someone recently say that he uses 1,000 words as an average chapter length, though he'll often go longer or shorter. Using that guide (which to be honest is probably totally random) I'd say you're fine.

WillSauger said:

Some writers have short chapters, some have very long ones.

My chapters range from 1000 words to 6000.

Don't limit or expand your chapters. But I would be weary of consistency (as in you have 8 chapters with 14 pages each and the next has 50 pages. That is too much of a jump for readers. It's time to break it up).

Click to expand...

This is actually really good advice. I was writing last night and I kept stressing over the length of my first chapter. I kept feeling like my first chapter was too short because it was only taking up 4 and a half pages in Word, but I had accomplished everything I wanted to in said chapter. Eventually I just gave up and went to bed, and now I am glad that I didn't try to force more in just so I could have 8 pages instead.

I wouldn't worry about those stats too much until the first draft is complete, but that's just me.

how about a hundred chapters?

I've seen some best selling thrillers w/about a hundred chapters. Use what you need. Each genre is different.

Write the story... I have seen chapters in published books that are less than 500 words long.

Write the story.... You're the first person you need to please. Don't distract yourself by worrying about how the book will look in print.

Write the story... There are rules and conventions of grammar and writing and then there are authors, and they break them all the time.

Write the story... did I mention that?

I think it depends on the pace of the story too. Short chapters often suit a fast moving story, like a thriller. And they can be very effective at keeping the reader going and going until it's 2 in the morning and they're finished the book. Because if the next chapter is four pages rather than twenty, it's that much easier to say "oh, just one more, then I'll go to sleep..."

I always thought of chapters as units of time in your story. If there is a break in time, say a long boring drive from Place A to Place B, have that drive take place BETWEEN two chapters.

I also think chapters can serve as a dramatic break in action. Say you have a really, really long chapter. Find a point, where if it was a movie, they would break for a commercial. Put in a chapter break.

Using the two above methods, I have some chapters that are short, and some that are long. I don't think Chapters should be a uniform, cut and dried length. No cookie cutter sections, where you compress or expand your narrative to fit that length.

I say do whatever works. Some of my chapters are long, some short. As long as they do something to forward the plot & characters you don't have to worry. Some of my recent reads have had 70 some chapters. don't worry.

No problem with short chapters. If they suit your story, go with it. Personally, I like short chapters.

I don't mind short or long chapters. Like someone said, the number of pages in a chapter is irrelevant. If the book is good enough, a hundred chapters will hardly stop me from finishing it. Although, the short chapter thing does become annoying when you pull a James Patterson and make a chapter every two pages. There's something about seeing CHAPTER 230 in the middle of the page that makes me not want to take the book seriously.