Over the past few months, I’ve gotten a lot of questions asking me how to write a solid chapter/how to write longer chapters/how to write shorter chapters. So I’ve decided it’s high time I share my thoughts on chapters and how to write them!
This won’t be a long post, but hopefully it will answer some of the questions my wonderful followers have been asking!
When considering what you need from a chapter and how to write a good chapter, it’s important to remember why we need chapters at all.
Chapters are the heartbeat of a story. A narrative needs moments where the reader can pause and breath – what Hayao Miyazaki refers to as ma, or the space between sounds.
Chapters give the reader a natural space to pause, exhale, and process the story. Just as importantly, they provide the framework upon which a story can be based.
What should a chapter do?
A chapter should develop the plot and offer character development. I’m hesitant to say “never,” especially when it comes to writing, but a chapter that fails to forward the plot in any way is a chapter that feels stagnant. Growth requires motion.
This doesn’t mean that there can never be quiet chapters – there SHOULD be quiet chapters! Touching back on Miyazaki’s feelings on ma, there needs to be a pause between action, or your narrative will be nothing but noise. But quiet chapters can still develop the plot in some way, even if it’s just a character coming to a realization that will change their behavior, or making a discovery that impacts future developments.
Chapters should have a beginning, a middle, and an end, and should each act as their own narrative. Tone and emotion should vary within the chapter – for example, a chapter will probably feel flat if it is just funny, just sad, or just action-packed. The reader will feel as though the chapter is more dynamic if it begins on one emotion and ends on the other.
Should my chapters be short or long?
The pacing of your chapters, like stanzas in a song or poem, determine the rhythm of a narrative. That’s why Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, which feels bleak and meandering as the road itself, has no chapters, whereas Eleanor and Park, which is quick and personal as entries in a private notebook, has incredibly short flashes between the titular protagonists.
As such, in order to determine whether your chapters should be short or long, you must determine the rhythm of your narrative.
Can I vary the length of my chapters?
Absolutely! And you probably should.
Going back to the heartbeat analogy, think about how your heart rate picks up in moments of fear and excitement, or relaxes when you feel comfortable.
You can build up to longer chapters to indicate a cresting narrative, or you could shorten your chapters, flashing between viewpoints, to create a sense of anxiety.
Do I need chapter titles?
In the first draft at least, they can prove vital. Titling your chapters forces you to figure out what the purpose of this chapter is and why the narrative needs it. Chapter titles can also ground the reader, as long as they’re not superfluous or distracting.
Do I need to have all my chapters figured out right away?
Absolutely not! Your pacing will inevitably evolve as you figure out your book. But chapters can be a great tool to help you do so, upon which you can build to scaffolding of your narrative! I use my chapters to help me plot outlines, and it’s a great, simple way to establish a basic layout.
More resources on chapters:
How to Write a Chapter (video)
How to Write a Solid Chapter (video)
Anatomy of a Novel: Chapters and Parts
How to Create Chapters in Your Novel
Happy writing, everybody!
