Chapter naming/numbering [Archive] - Literature Network Forums

subterranean

11-12-2006, 08:15 PM

I'm just curious on what is the basis of chapter naming/numbering. I'm reading Burgess’ Earthly Powers and I see that the chapters only consist of 4 or 5 pages (I'm now in chapter 10). On the other hand, there are those books where the chapter consists a lot of pages that might make you wonder when the chapter going to end.

So, is there any ground rules on chapter naming/numbering or is it something that merely depend on the author’s style?

Virgil

11-12-2006, 08:42 PM

I'm just curious on what is the basis of chapter naming/numbering. I'm reading Burgess’ Earthly Powers and I see that the chapters only consist of 4 or 5 pages (I'm now in chapter 10). On the other hand, there are those books where the chapter consists a lot of pages that might make you wonder when the chapter going to end.

So, is there any ground rules on chapter naming/numbering or is it something that merely depend on the author’s style?

Sub, I think it's up to the writer's discretion. I recently read a 180-ish page book with no chapters at all. The author uses chapter length for various reasons, sometimes to setup a rhythm, sometimes to break up transitions, sometimes to create a structure.

PeterL

11-13-2006, 07:40 AM

There are nor rules for chapters, length, names, or anything related.

muhsin

11-13-2006, 08:44 AM

Sub..I think the choice of chapter naming, numbering, lenght, etc is all down to an author to decide. But, am not sure of that. I know those who know will gladly lets know the genuiness of that...right?

subterranean

11-13-2006, 07:53 PM

Thanks, folks. I'm not a writer so I don't know much about the groundrules in writing, i.e. chapter numbering. I have a feeling that it depends on the author. However, I'm not completely sure about it. It should be based on something, I thought, like for example, a theme.

cuppajoe_9

11-14-2006, 01:23 AM

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime uses only prime numbers for chapters, and Henry Fielding's Tom Jones consists of more than 300 chapters, none more than a dozen pages long. In The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy by Laurence Stern, chapters 18 and 19 follow chapter 25.

I think the main function of the chapter is to give a place where the author can say "whew, I've got annother chapter written. Now I can go for a beer".