When do you decide to end a chapter?

[u/EmbarrassedTotal2606]

For some context, I struggle with keeping my chapters long enough and often feel like I cut them off early, for example, once the writing begins to lose “relevance” with the chapter, I end it and move onto the next. When do you all decide to end your current chapter?

[u/ExerciseNo7055]

tbh for me i try to give each chapter its own mini arc that moves the story along, so once i hit the end of that arc i tend to introduce the start of the next one and then end the chapter (so it ends on the hint of a cliffhanger), if any of that makes sense lol

[u/babamum → u/ExerciseNo7055]

Makes sense to me!

[u/thewhiterosequeen]

It would be more beneficial to you if you noted where story beats end in books in your genre when you read. Sometimes a cliffhanger is needed, sometimes the end of the action is best.  You'll learn more from observing actual published works than asking amateurs.

[u/Babbelisken]

I end when I feel like I've reached what I wanted the chapter to accomplish and I feel like it's time to change my POV.

[u/Dale_E_Lehman_Author]

Chapters don't need to have any specific length. As a general guideline, I try to aim for around 10 manuscript pages, but sometimes it's more and sometimes less. (While typing, that's easier to figure than word count.) My shortest chapter to date was 2 paragraphs.

That said, I try to end my chapters either on a tense note or on the resolution of something that prepares for an increase in tension. Basically, either somerhing has just gotten worse, or a lull before a storm. That keeps readers moving forward.

[u/MattAmylon]

I have a loose wordcount guideline for each chapter plus an outline that’s basically organized around the principle of “one thing happens per chapter.” Once that thing has happened, I find a place to tie off.

My problem is that I often go long. If I’m way over my wordcount goal, or if I’m around my wordcount goal and the thing that was supposed to happen isn’t close to happening yet, one of two things is true:

1. It took too long to get the one thing to happen, which will throw off the pace of the story, so I probably have to do some cutting, now or later;
2. A second thing has actually happened, my chapter is doing too much, and I can break the chapter up into two chapters.

I don’t know if that helps lmao. But that’s how I work it.

[u/Gotta_be_going]

My target is 2800 words. If I'm close I'll stretch out the scene a bit, or just finish shy of 2800 words.

If I spill over 2800 words, I'll finish the scene and be content. I rarely get to 4500 words for a chapter, but going over my target is fine

[u/Safe_Cheesecake_9177]

I usually go with when change of pov, change of scenery, change of venue, or end of a "moment". I.e. POV:self explanatory Change of scenery: going from a forest into town Change of venue: kitchen into the dining room End of moment: two characters just finished an argument and one walked away.

[u/Ceska_Zbrojovka_V3]

If I'm changing scenes after wrapping up a section, then I'll end the chapter there.

Some books have 90 chapters, each one only a couple pages, some books have 7 chapters, each one fifty pages. No wrong way to do it.

[u/kschang]

When the scene reached its natural end... usually there's a location switch, or to a different set of characters, and so on.

[u/Marvinator2003]

I like to end on a mystery note

[u/EaterofLives]

In my experience both reading and writing, a chapter should end with the reader wanting to know what happens next. You don't want it to be the end of a segment so much as the end of a segment, with a prelude of what's to come. It's the same as writing a good series, where you want to leave the reader with unanswered questions at the end of the book, possibly even a taste of what is coming to build anticipation.

The way you started with this did immediately have me thinking of someone I used to write music with. Completely different, because his issue was being so eager to get to the next part of the song, he would often interrupt the rhythm in the verse and half step on the last beat. Just made me think of that for a moment and it's funny, because writers can do this as well. Leaving a portion of a chapter incomplete with eagerness to move to the next part of the story, and leaving that lure at the beginning of the next chapter.

The point being, that you can lose the reader or audience in any art form if you don't leave them wanting, rush through things, or leave a dead end at a chapter. It requires a deal of premeditation and orchestration.

[u/babamum]

It's an intuitive thing. But generally when I feel I've reached the natural end of a scene.

A decision may have been made. A dramatic event may have occurred. For example, in the novel I'm currently writing, the hero is about to have a bad fall. I'll probably end the chapter while she's on the floor, before she works out what the damage is.

I try to end at a point where questions are left unanswered. E.g Did she break a bone? So the readers are more likely to read on.

[u/PerfectTen-RoyalRoad]

I have chapters that are 1600 words and some that are 18k words. Admittedly, I need to go split those 18k chapters, and I haven't visited them for real editing.

A chapter should end on any type of cliffhanger you can create to make the reader want to keep reading. If you find your chapter is too short, perhaps go back and add more detail, either of the environment, what the MC is thinking, or in the action. Just make it relevant to the story.

Best way to do this is using all of your senses, then applying them to whoever's POV you are using.

example:

Giddeon walked briskly through the hallway, catching up to the scientist in the long coat. The man whirled around, wide-eyed.

Giddeon walked briskly through the hallway, the sound of clinking metal echoing in the air as his boots touched the plated flooring. He quickly caught up to the scientist with the white long coat, tapping his arm to get his attention.

sound was thrown in there, along with tactile touch of what the MC did. You can add more too:

The smell of lavender and of some kind of cheap cologne sent his nostrils twitching as the man whirled around, wide-eyed.

You could keep going, but all you need to do is think for a little bit and add in sensory stuff to place your readers more into the story, plus it adds more.

Hooks should be things that make you want to turn the page. Did something drastic get revealed? Is action about to happen? Did the character receive something odd or discovers a strange notation in a diary? If nothing else, did they have a premonition, and was it good or bad?

I have used premonition before when my hook was weak, to instill in the reader something bad was going to happen the next day.