Day fifty-eight of my 365 Day Writing Project.
Words: 1,100
No, this is not some metaphorical discussion about starting a new chapter in life. This is a discussion about writing a chapter of a book, coming to a stopping point and then starting a new chapter. So when is a good time to do that? I’m sure some of my fellow writers out there can chime in (and please do), but I believe the end of a chapter should happen at a place in the story with a logical pause or ending and some foreshadowing as to what may be next. I picture myself reading a good book, coming to the end of a chapter. I breathe, soak up the journey of the last however-many pages, and unable to resist the urge to turn the page to see what happens next, I turn it. Anticipation wins. A new start. A continuation. Or maybe even a new journey.
Yesterday, I would have said that I was about halfway through the chapter I was writing. Today, I ended that chapter far sooner than I had planned. It is much shorter than most of the chapters I have written in this book. But the story came to a perfect place to pause, breathe and soak it up. Like turning the page of a good book, I selected “New Document” from the menu and a perfect white screen appeared before me. Anticipation won again. I hit the keys full stride, writing the next part of the journey. New chapters energize me. But there is just something magical about turning that page…
Oh hell, maybe this IS a metaphorical discussion about life.
orienting details 
Ive read a chapter has a natural beginning, middle and end, just like a story does. Once you hit the end of that ‘mini-story’, you start a new one. Like a story, they can be big or small, cover a long period or a matter of seconds.
Ive read a book recently where the chapter was one single sentence. I think it was humorous but jarring, and (IMO) intentionally so.
In the end, I go by the axiom – throw one in where you think it fits – worry about strict placement in the edits.
Cheers
KT
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