I’ve never had a preference regarding whether chapters in a book had a title or just a number. However, when I started writing my novel in 2022, I gave the chapters titles. I’m not exactly sure why I did this, but I suspect it helps me keep the story on track.
Chapter titles may also draw a reader in by hinting at what may happen, such as a new character, a plot twist, or a subplot. There is the risk that if the titles are too descriptive, they might give the game away, as it were. Perhaps one reason I didn’t go for only numbers is that it felt cold and impersonal.
When it comes to chapter length, I’ve always preferred shorter chapters as I hate stopping in the middle of one. I often don’t have time to finish a 40-page chapter. Having said that, I hate the absurdly short chapters I’ve seen in some books that are about three pages long. What is the point of that? My chapters will be short but not too short. I wonder if there is an optimal or ideal chapter length?
I think an issue that can occur with longer chapters is that the reader ends up overloaded, which may result in them abandoning the book. I want readers to be able to invest in the plot and characters of my novel, and that won’t happen if I keep metaphorically chucking the kitchen sink into every chapter.
How do you feel about chapter layout and length? Let me know in the comments.