How many chapters do you write in a volume?
#1
For those of you who have books in volumes, how many chapters have you done per volume or will do per volume? I am a new writer so I googled this and it said 8 to 12, but some say you can go above that.
How many chapters would you think is best for a volume?
How many chapters would you think is best for a volume?
Re: How many chapters do you write in a volume?
#2
The chapter count doesn't really matter honestly, more that each volume is a complete book like one you'd buy physically. So a good beginning, middle, and end.
Re: How many chapters do you write in a volume?
#3
Doesn't really matter. You should think of Volumes like a book you would publish. (IMHO).
Re: How many chapters do you write in a volume?
#4
I'm not really sure what you mean here, and I'm going to assume that volume used here is used to refer to some kind of online story practice like in litrpgs rather than the more traditional meaning.
Nevertheless, in my writing of full length novels, if I'm averaging around 2500 - 3500 words a chapter, the story will usually be done somewhere around chapter 50 - 65. This is a natural consequence of things, but the important consideration is that you are following established traits of a good plot -
Are you making sure to have good pacing, where your reader feels like they have enough going on, and heightening stakes, but they also get slower chapters where they can breathe? Do you have rising action, a climax, and then falling action and resolution? Are your character arcs fully developed?
You might want to look up guides to plotting online, both in article and video form. In my experience, plotting is the most difficult part of writing. So many people online will gush about an amazing world they've created, others will have mountains of OCs with detailed backgrounds - but it takes some real grit to take all those ideas, and put them into a narrative, and a good one.
if you can master plot, you have an incredible power that many do not attain.
Nevertheless, in my writing of full length novels, if I'm averaging around 2500 - 3500 words a chapter, the story will usually be done somewhere around chapter 50 - 65. This is a natural consequence of things, but the important consideration is that you are following established traits of a good plot -
Are you making sure to have good pacing, where your reader feels like they have enough going on, and heightening stakes, but they also get slower chapters where they can breathe? Do you have rising action, a climax, and then falling action and resolution? Are your character arcs fully developed?
You might want to look up guides to plotting online, both in article and video form. In my experience, plotting is the most difficult part of writing. So many people online will gush about an amazing world they've created, others will have mountains of OCs with detailed backgrounds - but it takes some real grit to take all those ideas, and put them into a narrative, and a good one.
if you can master plot, you have an incredible power that many do not attain.
Re: How many chapters do you write in a volume?
#5
I was just talking to my little brother about where to make a hard cut as to what might be called a book, which is how I think of my work and how it would be structured if I ever sold it or decided to make money with it, which, eventually I suppose, I will if I ever get my shit together and officially launch a patreon instead of obsessing over minutia. I ended up deciding that enough was enough around 200k words in where I'd put a pretty intentional stopping point. I could use smaller "arcs" for volumes on Royal road but I don't want to create any arbitrary breaks that might confuse people reading.
Doing so I realized that if I did put it into book format I would need to be a little more careful about structuring beginnings of the next volume and the ending of the first, probably requiring some pretty deliberate editing on my part. My book case is full of works that seem to hover around 30-40 chapters, each being about 400-600 pages long.
Doing so I realized that if I did put it into book format I would need to be a little more careful about structuring beginnings of the next volume and the ending of the first, probably requiring some pretty deliberate editing on my part. My book case is full of works that seem to hover around 30-40 chapters, each being about 400-600 pages long.
Re: How many chapters do you write in a volume?
#6
My target is generally about 24 complete chapters per book (including prologue and epilogue, and not counting partial chapter releases).
However, I do that because of how I "watch" my own story. I view it as an anime in my brain, and I am translating the anime season into a written story. In that context, I find it very helpful in planning out the arcs in each season (both major and minor), and trying to adjust the content density and pacing appropriately.
I wouldn't obsess too much over it if I were you, just figure out a methodology that helps you write out a "complete book" the best. Chapter count is ultimately immaterial when compared against quality writing and an engaging story, whether that finishes a book in 12 chapter or 100.
However, I do that because of how I "watch" my own story. I view it as an anime in my brain, and I am translating the anime season into a written story. In that context, I find it very helpful in planning out the arcs in each season (both major and minor), and trying to adjust the content density and pacing appropriately.
I wouldn't obsess too much over it if I were you, just figure out a methodology that helps you write out a "complete book" the best. Chapter count is ultimately immaterial when compared against quality writing and an engaging story, whether that finishes a book in 12 chapter or 100.
Re: How many chapters do you write in a volume?
#7
For my story volumes are the equivalent to novels in a series, albeit on the shorter side since my first drafts are generally somewhere between tornado and hurricane on the disaster scale. I don't pre-determine the length or number of chapters or anything like that. Whenever there's a natural break point after a major plot arc concludes is generally where I close out the volume because I want it to be satisfying for readers while still hinting at what comes next.