I wanted to share a few thoughts when it comes to constructing the perfect chapter in a novel. While there is no right or wrong way to craft both a chapter (or a novel itself!). I do believe it is important to understand the role of the chapter. When considering the purpose of breaking your novel into chapters, the entire work will read smoother and you will hit all your objectives.
When I say objectives, think about what are you trying to achieve in a chapter? Are you trying to offer an alternate point of view? Or perhaps simply change the scene? Either way, whenever these occur, a new chapter should commence.
To meet your chapter objectives, try thinking of a chapter as a story within a story. In order to make this happen, consider planning an individual chapter the way you would plan an entire novel. Plot out a beginning, middle and end. By doing this, you will ensure your characters are staying true to the rest of the story, and you can end your chapter on somewhat of a cliffhanger to keep the reader engaged.
My last tip is to ensure chapters are thematically connected to the larger story, and each chapter (even if it offers a different perspective) should contribute to the overall story, character development and should advance the plot.
Related Posts
