Ignoring content, what do you think is the minimum number of chapters in a novel to be considered worth reading?

[Eldoria]

Ignoring content, as the reader, what do you think is the minimum number of chapters in a novel to be considered worth reading?

 

[RepresentingDesire]

My first novel on this site had only released 5 chapter when I started reading it, it only released 10 totally. If something is interesting I tend to start it regardless of lenght, I would only wait if the novel would soon finish.

 

[Schemer]

40+ is my rule.
I don't see many stories even start making sense in <30 chaps

 

[Worthy39]

Well, there's another factor. How regularly is it updated? That's my big thing. If it's updated regularly, I'll read something with three chapters, but I do prefer at least ten.

 

[JayDirex]

you actually mean "word count" not necessarily chapters, but, with that said. Most of the better Authors will write between 1.5k to 3.5k per chapter consistently (avg 2K) so. based on that you are looking at:

25 chapters
50,0000 words.
Hopefully the Author hasn't dropped it.

Which would make a complete novel, but people up here love to write 275K word Encyclopedias (because Authors are like that up here )

 

[LuoirM]

If you're reading on WN, I'd use a specific number of 120

 

[Siegburn]

Just like in a manga there is no number of chapters, I believe that if the story is good, the number of chapters does not matter.

 

[LeilaniOtter]

I've seen some novels here with one or two million words and I'm thinking....Why?
Shouldn't they consider a sequel or something? *^^*

 

[Snake99]

1000 chapters is a lot, in my opinion any story you want to tell can be done with something closer to 100 (nothing against long novels of more than 1000 chapters if they are divided into arcs making each arc basically its own story that may or may not be connected to the others).

 

[Arkus86]

If it's interesting enough, I will read anything regardless of how many chapters are uploaded. But I do prefer at least 20 chapters assuming the bare minimum of ~1500 words per chapter. On the other hand, if a story already has high 100s of chapters before you start reading it, it can be discouraging.
And of course, the "Completed" tag takes precedence over actual length - so a completed story (one-shot / short story) with 1-5 chapters is better than an ongoing one with 50, especially if the updates are infrequent and/or there are other red flags, like the author having multiple unfinished stories.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

If it's something I don't want to read no amount of chapters is enough. If it's something I want to read even 3 chapters can be enough. In other words, I can't ignore content.

 

[RepresentingPride]

If there less than 100 chapters I won't read it, cause I simply read non-stop if something is interesting to me, so having little number of chapter will only left me blue ball

 

[LiteraryWho]

In normal circumstances I would consider it deranged to evaluate whether or not to read a story based on the chapter count, rather than on the appeal of its premise. Even with some allowances for the unique "content grind" model of WN, it is still rather a bit strange. Essentially zero of these novels will reach a satisfying conclusion, so what does it matter if you enjoy one chapter or a thousand? You'll reach the same miserable, frustrating end. Instead of a minimum, I generally won't touch anything if it's well over a hundred chapters, especially if it's marked uncompleted.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

I'll try any story at any length, but I can't really be sure that a story will actually keep posting until around the 20-30(2k word) chapter mark. It's less about, will I read it, and more about, will the story actually be finished at some point within the next 1-4 years?

 

[CodeCrisis]

Well, I haven't read much on this site and the one's I have read were already at 80+. But, I do read a lot of manga/manhwa, where I typically only read manga that are at or above 20 chapters, unless it's a specifically short manga (ended prior to 20 chapters).

 

[Xcalibur_Xc]

For new authors minimum 50+ chs because there are too many novels that are abandoned within 10 chs or so. For old authors, it depends on how many novels they have completed because most just abandon their ongoing works around 150-170 chs to pick up a new one. A very few completes their books.

 

[Anonjohn20]

For me, the number of chapters doesn't matter. What it needs is to have a proper beginning and ending. If the story seems to drag on forever with no end goal in sight, then some people will lose interest. Even the unfinished works on free sites like these should be moving towards a conclusion rather than just meandering until the author decides to leave it in infinite hiatus.

 

[blackcrowcrowd]

the guys who vote for thousands of chapters as the minimum is krezy bro

 

[Eldoria]

the guys who vote for thousands of chapters as the minimum is krezy bro

If you've ever read a Chinese web novel, you'll find thousands of chapters. Yes, even though most Chinese web novels' plots are repetitive, with different name of antagonists, but the core problem is the same, like the young master in a cultivation novel. And, oddly enough, fans enjoy it.

 

[blackcrowcrowd]

If you've ever read a Chinese web novel, you'll find thousands of chapters. Yes, even though most Chinese web novels' plots are repetitive, with different name of antagonists, but the core problem is the same, like the young master in a cultivation novel. And, oddly enough, fans enjoy it.

True, I'm one of those fans. Cultivation worlds are super fascinating when you're just getting into it, but they feel repetitive eventually. However, can't say the same for all chinese web novels, I myself have finished two web novels with 1k+ chapters, and both of them are not cultivation novels.