There's a chapter in the middle of my novel where the main plot doesn't progress but the romantic subplot does. It gives the reader a chance to hang out in the world I'm presenting for a chapter before resuming the main plot. It's a sort of intermission with words. I also have an early chapter where I break from the main narrative to present a flashback that took place decades earlier but presents the history that is necessary to fully understand the location our main character is traveling to. Other than those two, every chapter progresses the main narrative. I hope I get away with the flashback because I present hooks in the prologue and early chapters that are unresolved by the time the flashback occurs, and I think the history will have a powerful emotional impact on the reader as a stand-alone story-within-a-story as well as develop the world for the future chapters.
I'm glad to see you expressed this in a way I understand (the title put me off a bit-I don't think it's wise to 'write chapters'. I think it makes much more logical sense to write in scenes, and deal with the chapter breaks once the scenes are organized into the right structure). But apparently, writing from the standpoint of having a chapter in mind is not what you are speaking about. It's more about where to place chapter breaks once the manuscript is solidified. I believe in minimal variance. While a scene will be as long or short as it needs to be, anywhere (if rarely) from 100 words to thousands of words (mine average ~1300 words), I do my best to keep chapters somewhat the same length. I get uncomfortable about what I'm asking of the reader if chapters are shorter than ~1800 or longer than ~3000 words-I want them 'bite-sized' and I want them as close to 2500 words as is reasonably possible. We have been programmed since caveman days to feel compelled to look up and scan the horizon every 7 minutes and even longer every 21 minutes or so, at least according to David Mamet's research, and regular chapter breaks at reasonable intervals gives the reader a moment to catch their breath and take stock. This may also explain why the average reading session is 42 minutes, the same length as a drama episode on television has been since the 50s. And since scene boundaries fall where they will, it's not always possible to get everything to line up. I think ~40% of my chapters are self-contained, and another ~40% are 'pushes', as Sol Stein recommends-little cliffhangers as you describe. But that leaves ~20% that end up spanning chapters more in the middle. That can become problematic, as if you just arbitrarily begin a new chapter mid-scene in the interests of keeping the variance in line, that could stick out and draw attention that you don't want the reader distracted by, even though the concept of minimal variance is done mostly as a courtesy to them. But scenes have peaks and valleys within. Scene boundaries typically derive from a change in location, a gap in time, or a shift in focus (or any combination), but any of those things can happen internally to a scene as well, so I try to look for that as the break point, or significant increases or decreases in stakes or tension. This makes mid-scene breaks mostly invisible. But that is what I struggle with the most when it comes to chapter breaks.
String word after word of the story one is telling---or writing -- till the group of scenes unified by some arch is completed , and viola! ---a chapter.
I never understood such videos. If you know how to write, then write. where is a dozen of your books? i can barely dunk and that is on a good day. so, by your logic, i can make videos on how to do 360-windmill with eyes closed. odd people you know-all dont-do-anything.
Shaelin's vocal fry is getting worse and worse. After about ten years, we probably won't be able to understand what she's saying. And as her videos age, we may not understand her past videos 20 years from now, very sad. I wish she would take it seriously. Her info is so important.
I always love Shaelin's videos! She's a pleasure to listen to and follow
I like writing chapters because it's an opportunity to "shift gears" and immerse myself in what happens next.
And your videos introduced me to vignettes. Forever grateful because I was writing those but I didn’t know that they were a thing. 🙈
First draft is scene after scene after scene for me. Trying to cobble them into chapters has be really challenging for me.
There's a chapter in the middle of my novel where the main plot doesn't progress but the romantic subplot does. It gives the reader a chance to hang out in the world I'm presenting for a chapter before resuming the main plot. It's a sort of intermission with words.
I also have an early chapter where I break from the main narrative to present a flashback that took place decades earlier but presents the history that is necessary to fully understand the location our main character is traveling to.
Other than those two, every chapter progresses the main narrative. I hope I get away with the flashback because I present hooks in the prologue and early chapters that are unresolved by the time the flashback occurs, and I think the history will have a powerful emotional impact on the reader as a stand-alone story-within-a-story as well as develop the world for the future chapters.
I like the words you used to explain subplot: weaving, threads, braided, interact
Thank you
Thanks for the breakdown!
Thank you yes
I'm glad to see you expressed this in a way I understand (the title put me off a bit-I don't think it's wise to 'write chapters'. I think it makes much more logical sense to write in scenes, and deal with the chapter breaks once the scenes are organized into the right structure). But apparently, writing from the standpoint of having a chapter in mind is not what you are speaking about. It's more about where to place chapter breaks once the manuscript is solidified.
I believe in minimal variance. While a scene will be as long or short as it needs to be, anywhere (if rarely) from 100 words to thousands of words (mine average ~1300 words), I do my best to keep chapters somewhat the same length. I get uncomfortable about what I'm asking of the reader if chapters are shorter than ~1800 or longer than ~3000 words-I want them 'bite-sized' and I want them as close to 2500 words as is reasonably possible.
We have been programmed since caveman days to feel compelled to look up and scan the horizon every 7 minutes and even longer every 21 minutes or so, at least according to David Mamet's research, and regular chapter breaks at reasonable intervals gives the reader a moment to catch their breath and take stock. This may also explain why the average reading session is 42 minutes, the same length as a drama episode on television has been since the 50s.
And since scene boundaries fall where they will, it's not always possible to get everything to line up. I think ~40% of my chapters are self-contained, and another ~40% are 'pushes', as Sol Stein recommends-little cliffhangers as you describe. But that leaves ~20% that end up spanning chapters more in the middle.
That can become problematic, as if you just arbitrarily begin a new chapter mid-scene in the interests of keeping the variance in line, that could stick out and draw attention that you don't want the reader distracted by, even though the concept of minimal variance is done mostly as a courtesy to them.
But scenes have peaks and valleys within. Scene boundaries typically derive from a change in location, a gap in time, or a shift in focus (or any combination), but any of those things can happen internally to a scene as well, so I try to look for that as the break point, or significant increases or decreases in stakes or tension. This makes mid-scene breaks mostly invisible. But that is what I struggle with the most when it comes to chapter breaks.
String word after word of the story one is telling---or writing -- till the group of scenes unified by some arch is completed , and viola! ---a chapter.
Alot of this is also organic. To me it seems the more I write. The longer the chapters get.
How do I add a new chapter in the reedsy website
Can you also use chapters in short-stories and novellas?
Stay tuned for our next video "what is a book?" JK!
Heal Naoki. I like him a lot, sorry.
Tristan gets a girl’s voice after the slap.
I never understood such videos. If you know how to write, then write. where is a dozen of your books? i can barely dunk and that is on a good day. so, by your logic, i can make videos on how to do 360-windmill with eyes closed. odd people you know-all dont-do-anything.
Shaelin's vocal fry is getting worse and worse. After about ten years, we probably won't be able to understand what she's saying. And as her videos age, we may not understand her past videos 20 years from now, very sad. I wish she would take it seriously. Her info is so important.
Thats just what her voice sounds like. Why would you assume she isn’t taking her job that she’s very good at seriously?
I have no problem understanding her.