how long are chapters in a fiction book supposed to be?

Question

I am writing a book about me in the Battle of the crater, at Petersburg, Virginia, and, I'm a private, about ready to obtain a promotion to corporal, and it's fiction. I want to have 17 chapters in it. I'm first writing by hand, and I need to how to keep continuing of writing the story. Shoud I reserve the book from my public library "The Last Citadel-Petersburg, Virginia June 1864-April 1865, get the information from the following website:
http://www.craterroad.com/siegeindex.html or both?
This book is not for school, it's for me to become a famous Civil War author like Noah Andre Trudeau. I want to become a historian for the Petersburg battlefield, and I want to go to Mary Washington, Univerity of, to take Historic Preservation, and basically, I like Petersburg. It's by favorite battle of the war. Does it take practice to write your own stories? I've always heard that if I do go to college, I'd have to do a lot of writing. Is that true?

Answer 1

Absolutely as long as you need them to be. Chapters can be as short as three paragraphs, and as long as 100+ pages. It depends largely on your subject matter and what point the chapter is getting across. Keep your structure consistent and it doesn't matter how long or short a given chapter is. MY best suggestion to you is to head to the bookstore or library, and check out the classic literature section. pick up a number of different books by different authors and simply leaf through them looking at how they formed their chapters. I think you will find great diversity there, and will probably get some good ideas for your own writing. Of course, i also suggest reading these great timeless classics because they will also give a really broad spectrum of writing styles that have worked and stood the test of time, if you haven't already, but even just looking at structure is infinitely useful.
I would suggest reserving the book from the library, as well as anything else that may be relevant. Definitely use the website and any other web tools you may find helpful. Don't forget to take note of each of your references so you don't get slapped with plagarization. In college it depends on what you plan on studying whether or not you will be writing a lot. For instance someone in a predominantly mathematic field of study will not be writing as much as someone studying literature and writing.
Lastly, since you want to keep it to 17 chapters, i would do a lot of outlines. Start with an opaque outline, sort of like a 9th grade essay (i.e. intro, body, closure) and keep refining your outlines to a more acute, focused outline. detailing more of what chapters you are going to use for what. Once you have done that outline each chapter in the same way. Your book sounds interesting, i admire your enthusiasm. Remember you can acomplish anything you put your mind to. Can't wait to read the book!

Answer 2

As to sources, use as many as you can find. The more info the better usually.

Chapter lengths vary. Depending on the length of the book and the writer's style they can range between five and twenty (or more) pages in a standard sized hardcover book (I'm sorry but I don't know what that would translate into for handwritten pages, though yours should be longer than you want them to be when typed because typed words take up less space on a page than hand-written).

If you go to college, you might have to do writing. It depends on your major and the courses you take. I am currently a junior English major. I love writing and such so I often end up in courses that require writing, but the amount varies by professor. I've had courses that required a 400 word essay each week and a course that only required one small and one more in-depth research paper. It really depends on the college and the course.

Everything takes practice. More that practice, writing also takes repetition. The more you write, the better you will get. Good luck with the novel!

Answer 3

As long as you want them to be, really. Terry Pratchett, a favorite of mine, doesn't even use chapters.

Yes, lots and lots and lots of writing in college.

There's a quote from Ray Bradbury somewhere about how everyone has a million wrong words inside them--the only way to get them out is to just keep writing and writing. It takes practice, and don't forget to read constantly as well--then you learn to see other's mistakes and good points and learn how to use those things yourself.

Answer 4

Admittedly, I'm an amateur, but the chapters in my short novel averaged about 15 pages. Times that by 20 chapters and you have a novel.

Answer 5

Chapters shouldn't have a specific length. They should end when the general topic of the chapter ends or when a location changes.

Answer 6

Usually about 3000 to 6000 words.

Answer 7

7-10 pages.

And yes, it does take practice. But if you go to college, it won't make much of a difference on HOW MUCH you do or don't write.