Reader Poll — Chapter Format

[ZioHill]

Good to hear and I hope you're not alone. I'm trying to post my first series here (cover approval issues etc.). I don't even think about chapter length. The length is whatever the story demands. Some of the chapters are quite long. But every chapter has a point and gets to the point. Readers seem to like that. The few who read my stuff, anyway. The book is also complete. So I don't care about schedules either. I'm just going to post chapters if people are reading. If the admins ever get around to approving the foolish thing. :)

Same here Rachel, exactly! I write long books. But they finish. And every chapter finishes. Some are a few hundred words long. Some are very long. Most are in the middle. What the story demands.

Thank you, JordanIda, for your words and for the bold arguments that helped enrich the discussion. Good luck with promoting your story.

About the cover, the issue might be related to the image size. You could create a separate topic explaining your situation so that people with more technical experience can help you solve the cover problem.

 

[Alski]

I prefer longer chapters 2.5k+, but the progression of the chapter is important to me too. I don't want to read 2.5k words and then be able to sum it up in a short sentence.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

I prefer longer chapters 2.5k+, but the progression of the chapter is important to me too. I don't want to read 2.5k words and then be able to sum it up in a short sentence.

Well, unless that sentence is: "And then they had an epic fight..." :D
But if it's just "For three pages, he stretched out the words 'Kamehameha,' scrunched up his face, and moved through martial arts poses" then yeah, wasted space... :D

 

[Alski]

Well, unless that sentence is: "And then they had an epic fight..." :D
But if it's just "For three pages, he stretched out the words 'Kamehameha,' scrunched up his face, and moved through martial arts poses" then yeah, wasted space... :D

12 episodes of spirit bomb.

 

[ZioHill]

I prefer longer chapters 2.5k+, but the progression of the chapter is important to me too. I don't want to read 2.5k words and then be able to sum it up in a short sentence.

Thanks, Alski, for the input, that was really helpful.

Well, unless that sentence is: "And then they had an epic fight..." :D
But if it's just "For three pages, he stretched out the words 'Kamehameha,' scrunched up his face, and moved through martial arts poses" then yeah, wasted space... :D

Yes, CharlesEBrown, you are absolutely right. The content has to be worth the time the reader invests in it.

While those references are nostalgic and a well-placed “Kamehameha” can still be fun, a story that relies only on that kind of thing feels dated nowadays.

That is not what you should expect from my novel. On the contrary, every fight will be more intense, more developed, and more immersive.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[JordanIda]

Thank you ZioHill, I did just that, started a thread and got lots of help! Best advice was from an author who says the "cover bot" has issues. Several authors recommended I write to the administrators, and Boom! Great advice, my book was up a half hour later! :D

Interesting takeaway: my cover image is much larger than the small size recommended in the Writing area. My cover is 900x600 for compatibility with other sites that show the covers much larger. I think the issue was "too much skin." Which is funny because the image is just a face of a young woman/teen wearing a dress that covers most of her neck. However, the background is very light. So maybe the auto-bot interpreted the background as skin.

Anyway, an admin took one glance and approved it. Takeaway: email the administrators! It really works!

 

[ZioHill]

Thank you ZioHill, I did just that, started a thread and got lots of help! Best advice was from an author who says the "cover bot" has issues. Several authors recommended I write to the administrators, and Boom! Great advice, my book was up a half hour later! :D

Interesting takeaway: my cover image is much larger than the small size recommended in the Writing area. My cover is 900x600 for compatibility with other sites that show the covers much larger. I think the issue was "too much skin." Which is funny because the image is just a face of a young woman/teen wearing a dress that covers most of her neck. However, the background is very light. So maybe the auto-bot interpreted the background as skin.

Anyway, an admin took one glance and approved it. Takeaway: email the administrators! It really works!

I am glad my advice helped you. Now you just need to add your story here on the forum, in your signature.

 

[JordanIda]

Thanks again for the advice, I've put the book in my siggy. It's too big and ostentatious. I'll figure that out when I have time, make it smaller somehow.

 

[ZioHill]

Thanks again for the advice, I've put the book in my siggy. It's too big and ostentatious. I'll figure that out when I have time, make it smaller somehow.

Nice, that is an interesting title choice for your story, Our Infinite Sadness. I have added it to my reading list, and when there are more chapters, I will check it out.

 

[JordanIda]

Likewise ZioHill and thanks again.

 

[Jalvin]

I like short to medium-length chapters, but I understand writing isn't simple that way and sometimes you just have to have longer chapters as demanded by the plot.

That said, short or medium chapters can maintain my interest to a degree. If the story has short chapters but has like 100 chapters in it, then I WILL struggle with it no doubt

 

[ZioHill]

I like short to medium-length chapters, but I understand writing isn't simple that way and sometimes you just have to have longer chapters as demanded by the plot.

That said, short or medium chapters can maintain my interest to a degree. If the story has short chapters but has like 100 chapters in it, then I WILL struggle with it no doubt

Thanks, Jalvin, for your comment. It really adds to the poll.

 

[Juia_Darkcrest]

I never considered 2.5K words to be long... I thought that was a fairly average chapter length, maybe even short.

These novels that have less than 1000 words for a chapter drive me insane. I just start getting into the story and suddenly, next chapter. Like, did you write anything?

 

[ZioHill]

I never considered 2.5K words to be long... I thought that was a fairly average chapter length, maybe even short.

These novels that have less than 1000 words for a chapter drive me insane. I just start getting into the story and suddenly, next chapter. Like, did you write anything?

Thank you for the clarifying words, Juia_Darkcrest. Your comments really helped bring more clarity.