Layout of my first novel?

Question

I am trying to write my first novel and would like everyone's input on Chapters. Would you rather read a book with short chapters or long chapters? I'm just starting out and I'm not quite sure my paragraphs are long enough. I want the book to be over 20 pages (haha) and it seems like I need to draw out my thoughts more extensively. What do you think?

Thanks to all who responded. My book is finally coming together and I'm so involved in my writing that I often forget who I am in real life! I can't wait til I'm finished so I can share my mind with others!

Answer 1

I know exactly what you are talking about...when i was experimenting with writing several years ago, I found that I just wanted to skip to the action and forget all the character development and description...I found that my book was very short. I thought I needed to draw things out. The oppsite is true. Just focus on what is going on, and put yourself in the situation. Details will come to you form the surrounding, and you'll find yourself adding interesting conversations and sub-plots and get wrapped up in it. before you know it, you've written twelve pages in one chapter and you still feel like you have tons left to write about.

Answer 2

First, 20 pages is not a book, it's a short story, ;)

As an editor, I don't care if your paragraphs are long or short. I don't care if your chapters are long or short. Heck, I don't care if you even USE chapters. All I care about is if you can clearly and intelligently convey your story.

The type of story you are writing will often dictate the style. For action/adventure type stories, paragraphs and sentences tend to be short and concise to convey the feeling of action and urgency. More literary works tend to use longer sentence constructions and paragraphs.

I would suggest you just spent some time reading books in the genre you are planning to write. This will give you an idea of how setence structure and paragraph elements impact the presentation of your story.

Answer 3

The length of each chapter is not important...it doesn't even have to be always the same. You just need to make a clean breaking point between each. I'm a budding author too and while I find a novel a big first step, I would say go for it. The best thing, once you have a draft completed or at least a good part of your story, is to find yourself a beta reader (someone who will read our book) ...someone that will shoot you down in flames if that is what you deserve...and no, that's not fun for the ego.

Answer 4

There is no specific formula for how long chapters and paragraphs should be. If you've been writing long enough, you KNOW when to end the chapter. You know how long your paragraphs should be. You have a feel for the writing. If you are agonizing over chapter lengths and paragraph lengths, then you are not focused on WRITING. You are entirely too focused on the mechanics of it all.

Keep writing until you become like the painter who knows when the past dab of paint means her painting is finished. You'll know.

Answer 5

A chapter needs to say what it needs to say. Chapters can be a few pages or a lot of pages.
As to your ideas needing to be fleshed out. One simple thing is to read it as an outsider. Did you make the setting clear. Did you explain how the situation changed? Do you KNOW what the person really looks like?

Answer 6

im an obsessed bookworm. I had read a lot of novels as well as non fictions already.

When it comes to novels, it doesn't matter [to me] if the chapter is long or short as long as its not dragging enough to make me throw the book straight into the fire.


But i guess most people would prefer short and direct chapters. no runninga round the bush. Just enough suspense but no nonesense narrating...

:)

Answer 7

Im uncertain I comprehend what you advise. it surely relies upon on the shape of novel you're writing. it is your novel meaning which you would be able to write it even however you like...there is not any particular format to stay with whilst writing a different.