One small bit of advise on layout please

[Pete Rebb]

Hello All,

I couldn't find the exact best place to ask this but here goes:

I have, a sort of, double prologue/chapter one. They're both set in different times. One is 1700ish words, the other 800. The first in 2007, the second in 1998.

**All other chapters through the book are 3500ish words in length.**

Rather than these odd-sized chapters, I'd like to combine them into the first chapter.

I guess they should be in separate chapters, but I want to know if I can get away with 'place/date, paragraphs of first part. -Then, pound sign - place/date, paragraphs of second.

Is this acceptable or (even though they are different sizes) should I just keep them as Chapter one and two??

Hope that makes sense!!

[Culhwch]

I don't see any problems. It's your book. Just make sure the distinction is clear, and you shouldn't have any issues.

[Teresa Edgerton]

I say divide them. You've said that you think they should be separate, and the only reason you give for combining them is related to length. But when choosing where a chapter begins and ends, conforming to the length of other chapters is the last thing you should be thinking about.

[Leisha]

I agree with Teresa. I have chapters that are 20+ pages long, whereas others are a lot shorter. I even have one near the end that's about 4 pages in total. I didn't add it to the end of another chapter, or pad it out with fluff, because I know it's a separate chapter an it needs its own space. If I added it in with another, it wouldn't work. Plus, when John Jarrold assessed my book, he didn't comment on that chapter's shortness.

However, I'm in the process of a major overhaul of my novel, so maybe the length will change.

[Pete Rebb]

Yes, you are all right. My problem is that I tend to like to bring order to my writing in regard to chapter length. I need to get out of that habit!

The confusion, I realised, was with my story/plot. I have, in essence, written two prologues and can't decide which I prefer to have first in the story! Ha!

Thanks for your advise as always!

[Leisha]

Sounds like you have a touch of OCD, too. I think most writers have their quirks that may or may not be beneficial to their writing. Me, I tend to edit too much as I go along. I'm slowly getting out of that habit.

I think.



Good luck, by the way!

[Pete Rebb]

Leisha, you're absolutely right. OCD is probably just one in a list of many that I suffer from! I come from a physics background and I just like harmony, I guess. I wrote chapters 4,5,6,7,8 before 1,2 and 3, just to add to the confusion. I’m glad that people don’t try to read my stuff as I write it, they’d have no idea on the plot/story.

For the record, I over-edit as I write too!

Oh, well. As long as we enjoy the craft, huh?

[Leisha]

I certainly love writing, yes.

And I wrote my novel sequentially - but then ended up rewriting the first 3 chapters somewhere in the region of 13+ times, with a different beginning each time. And some of my beginnings sucked bigtime.

We suffer for our art.

[Ursa major]

I hope you're making sure that variations in the numbers of characters, vowels, spaces, consonants, punctuation marks, etc. across these chapters are being kept within acceptable limits.

But seriously, choose the option that makes the book a better read. If the two parts of your prologue don't seem to fit together, keep them separate.

[Pete Rebb]

I also lock my manuscipt in a box. While it's in that box, it's neither dead or alive. Then, I'm going to pass it on to my trusted readers, half get order A, the other half get order B, then quiz them, cross reference my results and choose the highest outcome.

Joking aside, you're all right. I just got myself in a confused state. This is only book number 2, so i need to chill.

Thank you all for your kind advise.

[Teresa Edgerton]

Originally Posted by Ursa major

I hope you're making sure that variations in the numbers of characters, vowels, spaces, consonants, punctuation marks, etc. across these chapters are being kept within acceptable limits.

Oh, nooooo. I would never have thought of doing that, but now that you've put the idea into my head ...

Expect an extra lump of coal in your Christmas stocking next year!