Showing posts with label size matters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label size matters. Show all posts

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Does Size Really Matter?


Regarding the length of paragraphs--size, or perhaps better stated, length, is entirely up to the individual author. Many of us like to write the way we enjoy reading. Personally, I like short chapters, particularly when I know I don't have a huge block of time to read. I can get several chapters read and not have to stop in the middle of a scene.

How does a writer know when to end a chapter? There is no acceptable template to follow. I've seen books that have fifty or more pages to a chapter; I've also read books with a one-page chapter. It all depends on content and direction. Ending a chapter on a suspenseful note, causing the reader to wonder what happens next, is a great way to end. But to use that same tactic for each chapter is to overdue it and diminish the use of a great writing technique. Some chapters may be necessarily longer in length to resolve a conflict or create a back story, while others may be shorter to illustrate a point, or simply be informative for the reader.

On one discussion board, I heard a very cogent argument for short chapters. The participant explained his preference for short chapters by saying he compares long chapters to listening to a talkative person. The individual wants to tell you something, but rambles on until it all becomes boring and tiresome. Keep the reader in mind when you consider chapter length--it's up to you, the writer.


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