Chapter Length vs. Update Time? · 9:07am Mar 9th, 2012
All right, so I thought I'd ask to see if anyone has any opinions on this.
I realize two things as I write this: first, my chapters are fairly long as far as generic fanfic chapter goes, and second, due to both my coursework and my regular work, time between updates seems to be rather long.
Now, I don't really get annoyed by any of this because I already know the entirety of the story that I'm trying to tell, and so delaying updates means very little to me. Readers, on the other hoof, are a different story.
It would be conceivable for me to cut chapter length and simply update more often. I will admit that it somewhat interrupts proper chapter story flow (as I have it in my head) for me, but I can always properly join chapters together for my own benefit anyway. Doing this would allow me to update more often.
Would people prefer that? Shorter chapters, but more frequent updates?
Or does it not particularly matter?
All opinions welcome :).
I'm of two minds on this sort of thing! I love seeing updates in my tracking list, for example. Makes me happy. :) But if you can't really find a good point to break a chapter, then don't.
I'm going to bet most people want quality first, then quantity, though. No need to set up unnecessary demands on yourself, especially if you've already got work and school to deal with.
Personally, I never found the length of a chapter to be directly chained to the quality. Make the chapters only as long as you think necessary to tell the story.
27902
It's not really a problem of finding a place to end; essentially, I organize each chapter into scenes. What I have in mind would involve putting, for example, two scenes in a chapter instead of four. People would get chapters faster, but I fear it would make my already slow pacing even slower. Even though the events per word count would stay about the same, if that makes sense.
27947
My main concern is pacing. I know already that my pacing is considered slow by most people. If I divide up chapters, it might seem even slower with fewer events per chapter. That's why I ask for preference. More frequent updates vs perceived slo wer pace. Number of events per word count wouldn't change, but events per chapter would. You all would just get bits and pieces sooner.
27988
Well, if you're concerned about it actually slowing you down, then keep to your current pacing. I wouldn't expect half the scenes per-chapter to make things come out twice as fast, of course, but it might help you FEEL more productive. :)
All in all, I don't see any immediate danger to you experimenting, either. Maybe give it a try, see if it helps you out, see if people hate it. As long as the story's the same, I doubt you'd "lose" readers.
- EDIT: How do I reply directly TO someone? >.>
28003
I think you did reply directly to me :).
It wouldn't slow down my overall output.
Basically, let's say that the next chapter was planned to have 4 scenes. It would take me... oh... with exams coming up, maybe a month or so to get that out.
But I could cut it into two chapters, each with two scenes, and readers would get a shorter chapter in two weeks, then another one in another two weeks. Same content, just spread out and given in two doses instead of one large one. It might just give an illusion of slower pacing, because each chapter would have less happening in it, despite the amount of stuff happening over a unit of real life time being the same because of my abysmal working speed :D.
I'm not particularly concerned about losing readers; I write this primarily for myself and for a very close friend of mine, and it's just up here in case other people might enjoy the story. I can always edit the chapters back together for my and my friend's comfort, so how I post it here really depends on what y'all want.
I suppose I could just cut it in two this time and see how that goes. Might be fun :).
if longer update time means longer chapters, longer is better. Im grounded and dont get enough time at a computer to read, so i can wait forever...
28129
Give it a try! Really, the pacing is more in how each scene flows, rather than what happens in each chapter, IMO. I view chapters as 'checkpoints' in the story, usually used to mark my place when I have to stop reading, or am convincing myself to go to bed. :) And yes, you can always re-edit them back together later on.
try to meet a once a month deadline