Re: RARA-AVIS: Chapters

From: James Reasoner (jamesreasoner@flash.net)
Date: 02 Jul 2008

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    I like chapters in a book, too, although I don't care if they're numbered or have titles. I even like having numbered sections within each chapter, although that's a pretty old-fashioned technique. I used to dislike short chapters, but I've found that the older I get the more I like them (sort of like large print). They say people shrink as they get older; maybe my attention span is, too.

    James Reasoner

      ----- Original Message -----
      From: capnbob@nventure.com
      To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
      Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2008 2:23 PM
      Subject: RARA-AVIS: Chapters

      I'm a big advocate of chapters. Ever try to read Moll Flanders? One long slog, IMO. Chapters leave handy places to stop reading, break up the narrative into cohesive sections, and help create reference points as one Avian pointed out. I've read books with 12 chapters and equally-long books with 50 chapters. I've read chapters of 50 words or less, and some that were as sprawling as Texas. Each worked for me in the context of the novel. If someone wants to get cute and literary and eschew chapters (as well as punctuation, capitals, paragraphs, etc.), be my guest. I won't read it.

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