What defines the ending of a chapter?

Question

When you are writing a book, what defines the ending of a chapter? Is it when you want to skip ahead in time, when something major was said or done, or is it something else? Sometimes I see writers with extremely long chapters, and sometimes I see others who will sometimes have one-page chapters. So what exactly defines where the end of a chapter should be?

Answer 1

Chapters are not random. A novel is like a symphony with all parts, beats, scenes, sequences, and acts, included deliberately to create a story.

Chapters are most often a series of scenes that create a sequence that creates a moderate to major reversal in the story.

These reversals are caused by a gap that is opened between expectation and result of your characters as they are on their quest for their object of desire.

For the casual reader, it should look like chance or "a time to go to the bathroom".

All stories are a quest. I created some tutorials designing a story at http://www.storyentertainment.com that might help you with creating a story and understanding how chapters are a part of the process. It's hard to separate one tutorial from the rest because I think understanding all of it will reveal how the little parts play a bigger role in the story.

Answer 2

A good tag line, humorous or not. Try to end the chapter with a great line.
Tell a story in each chapter. Stop at a good line when you finished that story. Every novel (except Joyce's Portrait Of The Artist - just kidding) is a series of small stories, that tell a bigger one. When you have finished the chapter/story, read it and adjust the last line to suit you.

Answer 3

I love it when the last line or paragraph makes it hard for you to go do something else. Like a cliffhanger or a great realization, I want to want more at the end of the chapter.

Answer 4

I end may chapters with a hook. The reader will always want more, and turns the page.

Answer 5

while answering a question, we (Christians) use the Holy Bible, the be attentive to God. consequently you get e book, financial disaster and verse. it is stunning, the Holy Bible has the solutions. even nevertheless, not anybody reads it. The Holy Bible does not say the earth is flat. uncertain who mis-recommended you yet they're incorrect. that's solid to oppose incest. i'm uncertain why you're antagonistic to this even nevertheless that's a solid element to not have sexual family members with family individuals. Jesus knew who could betray Him. Judas had unfastened will as you and that i yet chosen to persist together with his greed. He grew to become right into a factor of the plan, the bigger image. Jesus got here to die for our sins. Had Judas desperate to not be grasping, then yet another could have carried out the deed. lower back, we've unfastened will, all of us face temptations yet that doesn't recommend we've not got the potential to stand as much as them. God consistently supplies us a fashion out while there is temptation modern-day. that's our option to take the way out...or provide in. The devil does not make me do it...If I provide into temptation, it is my fault. The discord in the present day isn't all opt to persist with God yet opt to do their very own element. We have been created to be in courting. courting with God first and then with others. till we get our courting with the Lord suited...the others might have discord. desire that facilitates!

Answer 6

A chapter is where I've decided to let the reader get up and take a pee.

Answer 7

if the subject or title of the chapter is not anymore related to the next paragraph that you will write.

Answer 8

its up to you