Chapters

[anthimeria]

For those of us writing lengthy prose, I want to pose the question--What do you think about chapters?

I tend to read books straight through, so I don't notice chapters.  This, unfortunately, means I have a hard time writing them.  I know they serve a purpose, but what?  You tell me.

Should they all be approximately the same length in a given work?  Why do they exist at all?  Should there be internal structure in a chapter?  A cliffhanger ending?  How do chapters function for readers?

Comments

[elizabethdriscoll]

I like it when authors take advantage of chapter breaks to add to the story by using meaningful titles or something other than numbers to set the mood or hint at what's coming. For example in The Book Thief, Markus Zusak uses sections and pulls phrases and words out to pique the reader's interest.

What I can't stand are faux-hooks at the end of a chapter that turn out to be quickly resolved at the start of the next chapter For example, She heard a terrifying howl. (end chapter)
(next chapter) She'd stepped on her cat's tail... blah blah

If the story is interesting I'll keep reading it without the Hardy Boys style cliffhangers at the end of each chapter.

[magycmyste]

Now I'm incredibly curious where you read a "cliffhanger" like that...

[margaretdriscoll]

I'm sad to say the one of my favorite mystery writers does obnoxious fake cliffhangers like that to end her chapters. Sometimes they're real, but most of the time I guess they're supposed to be "funny."

She didn't do it in her earlier works, so my guess would be she decided or was told that she needed to liven up her chapter breaks. It really is annoying. I've seen them in thrillers and in other humorous mysteries, too.

(To avoid username confusion, the original poster is my IRL sister- not me).

[anthimeria]

Ooh, I forgot to ask about chapter titles! I don't use them because I just tend not to notice them (and The Novel doesn't have a title itself yet . . .), but the same could be said of chapters, I suppose, and I use those. I find I actually don't like chapter titles for the very reason you said you like them--they give away what's going to happen in the chapter, and I'd rather be surprised. Does that sort of thing bother you at all?

Also: down with faux-cliffhangers! Legitimate cliffhangers are fine. Stepping on your cat's tail to get a "cliffhanger" is silly.