Shorter Chapters, Happier Readers, Happier Author
How breaking up my longer chapters increased my motivation to edit
I recently took a writing workshop in which the presenter mentioned that readers prefer shorter chapters. She suggested chapter lengths of approximately 1,800 to 2,400 words. People enjoy reading more if it’s in bite-sized pieces that they can enjoy on the subway, during a lunch break, or right before sleep.
This was something I hadn’t heard before, but it made total sense. We live such busy lives, we’re far more likely to pick up a book if we know the next chapter will only take a short amount of time out of our schedule.
In light of this new information, I knew I was in trouble. I had lots of chapters in my current book with word counts far exceeding this recommendation. My first two chapters, where I introduce my heroine and hero respectively, were particularly long. Also, the two chapters I had written from the antagonist’s point of view were also ridiculously long. (Poor guy, just 2 lousy chapters when he’s so important?)
So after the workshop, I cracked open my manuscript and dug into my long chapters. I was surprised to find there were natural breaking points around the recommended chapter lengths. It didn’t take me long to break these monster chapters down to something easier to digest.
These smaller chapters also allowed me to shift and emphasize the moods of each. For example, my antagonist’s first chapter involves a meeting with his sister, who loves to joke in serious situations, and then his grandmother, who approaches every situation with deadly earnestness. By breaking this chapter in two, each scene has its own tone, and we get to see two sides of the antagonist presented in a way that focuses much more clearly on him in that moment. Plus I get to squeeze another chapter with the heroine and hero between these two antagonist chapters.
But I found out something far more valuable.
I discovered it was easier to motivate myself to work on editing a chapter if it wasn’t a hulking behemoth. I dreaded the sessions where I had to spend not just hours, but days working through a lengthy chapter to layer it and mold it into something better. I’m a results-oriented person, so if I don’t complete something in one sitting, I’m disappointed.
But with smaller chapters, I can usually get them worked over in a single writing session. It feels very much like a victory when I reach the last sentence, and I do my little victory dance. Seriously, I dance. It’s important to celebrate victories. The readers win, I win, the characters win.
If you’re a writer or a reader, what are your thoughts on chapter length?
