Chapter breaks are an important moment in a novel. They provide the reader with more time to breath before plunging ahead into the next chapter. They serve much the same function as scene breaks but do so in a bigger way.

And so there’s always the question, How long should a chapter be? The answer can depend on the kind of book you’re writing. Generally, however, 8 to 10 pages is about the norm.

Some authors will go shorter…much shorter, using as few as 4 pages per chapter. There should be a reason to go this short, though. The pacing should be lightning fast, the plot straightforward, and possibly even multiple shifts in POV characters. Otherwise you risk shaking readers too far out of the fictional world with too many pauses.

I’ve long told my clients that passion is one of the key components to becoming a successful writer. You can’t win this game if you stop writing. Rejections, slow sales, trouble finding the time to write, and the rest of the problems must be countered by your passion.

]Here’s a great quote from Bob Mayer that says the same thing:

One lesson I learned is for every 50 things you try, only one will happen. But you have to try the 50.

 

Here’s a link to a great roundup of inspiration and tips from bestselling authors like Anne Rice and David Morrell. There is also wisdom from agents and acquisitions editors.

My favorite: “Write the book that only you can write.”