A general letter on the length of chapters in fanfic

[timepiececlock]

Dear Avatar ficdom (and others),

Be not afraid of long chapters.

Apologize not for long chapters.

Shorten not your long-chapter-writing tendencies for the (illusory) benefit of your audience. Short chapters are not a benefit, they are a detriment. Long chapters means not only more of a good thing, but also more complete and coherent story progression, more time spent transitioning from scene to scene, and generally more care and attention to the overall plot. And if you don't believe any of that: they're also more like real books.

Write long chapters. Long and juicy and rewarding chapters.

Give us readers something to sink our teeth into.

Sincerely,

Rashaka


P.S. I myself am mentally, emotionally, and typographically incapable of writing long chapters. I have the quill's equivalent of ADD. This is my excuse. But those of you who talk about writing long chapters and then shortening them because you think people don't want to read a 20+ page chapter? YOU DO NOT HAVE THIS EXCUSE. You are in fact going against your long-chapter-writing nature, which is so very wrong. Anyone who tells you they want short chapters is lying. LYING. Peace out.



****************


EDIT to add:

So, I wrote a review last week, complaining about Zuko being a pod-person in the fic. I received this most amusing reply:

i reject reality and substitute my own. the zuko in the show is a new man in my fic!

At least she's honest. Still frustrating, but honest! I think perhaps I should use the above statement more often in my daily conversations:

"Make dinner? I don't need dinner. I reject reality and substitute my own!"

Comments

[donna-c-punk.livejournal.com]

I reject reality and substitute my own!

Damn Adam Savage for making that insanely popular.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Aw, and here I was giving the fanpoodle too much credit.

[donna-c-punk.livejournal.com]

There goes what little respect you had for her.

I used to watch Mythbusters constantly, so I saw that particular ep where Adam said that more than once.

Then, lately, it's all over the internet. Not three years ago, but now. Weird.

Double episodes tomorrow night!

I need to leave myself a note. I still need to watch Tuesday's House. Then it's almost Saturday already. Jesus, I feel like I just watched "Tooth And Claw" yesterday. If only I could forget it ...

[thisficklemob.livejournal.com]

Is that where it originated? I've seen it as a t-shirt, that might be the cause of its spread.

[donna-c-punk.livejournal.com]

As far as I know, he's the originator. The episode he said it in, it was maybe around 2 1/2, 3 years ago? I only noticed it become hugely popular among those on the Internet in the last 5 or 6 months.

[donna-c-punk.livejournal.com]

Unrelated, but I meant to ask:

Did you catch the last music post I did? It was Loreena McKennitt. I know you're always looking for new stuff, so I usually have you in the back of my mind when I'm trying to sort out which artists to upload.

Also, I'm getting ready to post the latest Depeche Mode record. I have no idea if you're into DM - I fuckin' love them - and this has to be one of their best records I've heard.

Oh, hey

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Double episodes tomorrow night!

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

I reject reality and thus am queen of Sweden.

[memlu.livejournal.com]

Sweet! I know the queen of Sweden!

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

Want to be my royal jester? (Easy money: you just sit there and mock Canada.)

[memlu.livejournal.com]

SWEET! I don't even have to change my daily routine!

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

You'll have to noogie people on command, though.

[memlu.livejournal.com]

Still not seeing any changes!

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

I'm not particularly surprised by this.

also!

[memlu.livejournal.com]

Dear Callico:

Why is that last one-liner you requested turning into a bigfic?

Thank you,
Mem.

Re: also!

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

Royal prerogative? (And because I love you long long long time?)

Re: also!

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

Is it the poem bit one? Because if yes, then behold the powers of Anne Stevenson! (WARNING: Next time you open up a request thread, I am so going Rumi/Rilke on your innocent brain bits.)

PS:...er, you still have some innocent brain bits, right?

[memlu.livejournal.com]

It is! It is! And I might be looking for some of her poetry volumes at Borders tomorrow, too. (YOU THRIVE ON THIS SORT OF THING, DON'T YOU.)

PS: I can't -- I'm not sure. We'll have to wait and see.

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

She's either really easy to find...or like the freakin' Holy Grail. And if the ever helpful wage-monkey asks if you're looking Anne Sexton instead, you have full karmic permission to bite off their thumbs and pee on the V.C. Andrews collections. (Nothing against Sexton.)

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

With V.C.? Seriously? Pee and set it on fire.

[memlu.livejournal.com]

Flowers in the Attic kind of makes me want to go out back and stab things.

Girl at School: But when they finally made love, it was such an emotional experience, a beautiful completion of their love!
Memlu:
Memlu:
Memlu: HE RAPED HER.
Girl at School: But she said it was all right after! Because she loved him!
Memlu: His sister.

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

Me: Y'know, I've got a sister. And an attic. Yet, nope, nada, never got tempted.
Other: Well, you're not gay.
Me: Oh, right: that's the reason.

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

...and then I killed them all.

[memlu.livejournal.com]

I'm going to hope my proximity to D.C. and the frequency with which Serious Artistic Types show up at this particular Borders will guarantee the presence of her poetry. (GOD V.C. ANDREWS. Rage. Rage and hate.)

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Why Sweden?

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

Because nobody really wants France.

Nobody.

[memlu.livejournal.com]

I always wonder if any of these people realize what I would do for fic with long chapters. I would do a lot of things. Some illegal things, even. In quantity.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Word. So much word. I mean, I grew up reading books for fun. All the time. Long-ass books. Length is not scary, it's WONDERFUL.

I think it must be a new-to-fandom thing since Avatar fandom is young and lot of the people in it are having their first fandom experience. But man... I think of other fandoms I've been in, like XF and Buffy and even Harry Potter, and it's like... there would be 30-40 page chapters sometimes. Huge, epic beauties! ::sigh:: Even some of the older anime fandoms.

Man, if I didn't love writing drabbles so much I'd curse them for handicapping fanficdon.

Meanwhile, check out this. It's a tasty Avatar fic with medium-length chapters (what's medium for most fandoms is long for Avatar ficdom.)

[memlu.livejournal.com]

Back in the day, when I was ALL ABOUT the Draco/Ginny, there was a fic that had at least one chapter that was fifty-thousand words long. I almost DIED I was so happy to have something so long to read; it definitely made up for the wait. (God knows how the fic's held up in the years since, but I'll always treasure the memory of going AHHHHHHHHHHH and scrolling and scrolling and scrolling and yes, Mem, yes, there's still bits left to read. ♥)

I think even before drabbles became the In Thing (and I remember a time!), fic was still rather short. Vignettes were the rage, I recall. (And oh man, like I have room to talk. MEM, THE SERIAL SHORT-SHORTFICCER.)

And oh! Thank you very much! TIME TO GLEE OMG.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I used to be all about the Draco/Hermione, myself. Then for a while I was really into Harry/Luna (they're still my OTP, though I'm not much into HP fandom these days), but H/L fics rarely came in that great of length.

Aaahh...vignettes! I was always a big vignette-writer. Still am, sometimes. Though now I do vignettes with dialogue instead of totally dialogue-less and internalized. Probably 40% of the the stuff on my ff.net account could be classified as vignettes.

Oops, well it turns out only the last chapter is longish (as it happens, the chapter I read today!), but still the fic's good and you'll probably enjoy it.

It's the second fic I've found on ff.net to feature Literally!Starving!Zuko (the other one's pretty good too.) I've decided I am a big fan of Literally!Starving!Zuko. Season 2 Zuko, on the run, poor and making sure Iroh has more to eat than him, and too proud to admit that he's starving... which means MAXIMUM INDIGNITY when comes the inevitable meetup with the Trio. Humility comes to even Zuko eventually... and there's something I like about the idea of Zuko being forced to realize what *real* banishment is like for most people who aren't lucky enough to have a whole ship when they get exiled.

Redemption through hunger pains!

[memlu.livejournal.com]

Admittedly, I was never big into Harry Potter. I was, however, big into the trashy romance epics. Also, Tom/Ginny, but finding decent fic for that was kind of like punching myself in the mouth.

Ahahaha that entire second paragraph could apply to me as well. Vignettes! NOW WITH DIALOGUE. It's a step up, right? ...right?

Redemption through hunger pains!

I want you to know I am actually, honestly, physically crying because of that sentence. I want this to be canon omg.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

Redemption through hunger pains!

I want you to know I am actually, honestly, physically crying because of that sentence. I want this to be canon omg.


Me too. There's a famous literary architype or analogy somewhere in that idea, but my mind is blanking.

[memlu.livejournal.com]

I'm totally imagining Zuko shouting, "As God is my witness, I'll never be hungry again."

Just sayin'.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

::sporfle::

::cackle::

That's fantastic. I was thinking of something older/broader than GWTW, but oh that sentence would make a fantastic icon. Next time we see grubby Zuko on a screencap, it's got to be done.

[memlu.livejournal.com]

GOD YOUR ICON. Way to take one of the most poignant moments in the entire series and MAKE ME LAUGH ABOUT IT. I need to go write goth poetry about the guilt I feel.

Ahahaha, but what could be more appropriate than Scarlett O'Hara's suffering? C'mon, let's be honest here. MY LOVE FOR THAT ICON WOULD BE ENDLESS.

[easytodistract.livejournal.com]

yeowch... but yes, Zuko should let Iroh have more to eat...

(feels heart break at the thought of Starving!Iroh)

As much as I want Zuko and Iroh to finally meet up with Aang, Katara and Sokka... I kind of doubt it will ever happen in canon since it's a bit to obvious. I'll still be praying for it though.

On HP fics, the only HP fic I read was a Harry/Snape fic but only because my best friend literally bribed me to read it. (This is the same friend who tricked me into reading Asimov's Foundation Series)

Apparently, Harry/Snape is a very popular pairing in HP fandom. Have to admit I had serious doubts about it, but it was nicely done and the romance was in the background plus Harry was older (sort of) Had to do with a magical mirror.

Unfortunately... that fic wasn't finished... still, I think. I so do not like it when I read a long story which has been left unfinished. However, the author did put a lot into it. It was very well-written.

[akavertigo.livejournal.com]

http://www.mediageek.ca/arsenicjade/home.html

GO HERE!

[easytodistract.livejournal.com]

(loves the Mythbusters) XD Jamie's my favorite of the two though; however, Adam is more funnier.

And... er... about your make chapters longer letter... Not working on me --- If I do another novel fic again, I don't think I'm going to post it at fanfiction. I've most or less decided that ffnet is discouraging me from writing longer chapters.

I love the reviews but it -pains- me that I got more reviews per word count on my Incarnations series and the current romantic commedy AxK than I got for Rebuilding, which almost killed me to write.

Oh yeah. I finally -finally- thought to LJ-friend you. I actually have been visiting your LJ via the... Oh... I wonder if Rashaka has posted something... searches for Rashaka on LJ... route.

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

I'm going to post it at fanfiction

Where is that? Specifically, cause I don't know which site you mean.

I love the reviews but it -pains- me that I got more reviews per word count on my Incarnations series and the current romantic commedy AxK than I got for Rebuilding, which almost killed me to write.

I'm sorry, but ages of my not getting reviews on the fics I poured my heart into and instead getting reviews on crap humor fics have rendered me incapable of the kind of sympathy one would normally give to the above statement. All I can say is the trite "Hn. This too will pass in time."

Oh yeah. I finally -finally- thought to LJ-friend you.

Ah, well, thank you. I'm not currently adding people to my flist right now; I've already got too many to read regularly.

[easytodistract.livejournal.com]

(coughs coughs) Rashaka.will.LJ.Friend.me.back. (I just bapped Retad recently when I discovered she hadn't LJ-Friend me back even though I commented on every post in her LJ for weeks).

And don't worry. Just check out my LJ, I don't use it as a diary. Only two posts. It was three, but I deleted another rant about FFnet. I did consider using it as a diary, but I'll definitely scare people away with rants about inconsiderate infuriating irritating hotel guests. (which I'll probably delete too if I ever post such; I scare myself when I rant)

I said "I -don't- think I'm going to post it at fanfiction" (add dotnet at the end). Maybe just at fichaven.org or on writely.com... I've been plotbunny-ing with Retad on a history-inspired Avatarfic. If we really do it, I'll probably just let Retad post it under her ffnet account and then the -longer- version at my fichavenorg account.

(groans) You too, huh? It's -painful-. As you say - it will pass, but I'd rather Retad deal with it.

(am not as tough as you two)

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

(coughs coughs) Rashaka.will.LJ.Friend.me.back. (I just bapped Retad recently when I discovered she hadn't LJ-Friend me back even though I commented on every post in her LJ for weeks).

Um, no, Rashaka won't. But you're welcome to comment.


Ah, my brain skipped the word.


You, me, and every ficcer that ever ficced. Welcome to the club.

[easytodistract.livejournal.com]

(stares beadily at Rashaka) F.i.n.e.

(sighs about the toils and pains of fic-writing) Just that AxK fic and then the history-based Avatarfic (because there needs to be more Avatar adult fanfics) and then... (tells self) -please- stop writing fanfiction for a Nick show!

My conscience is the right one; it's my writing muse that's weird.

[muffytaj.livejournal.com]

I wish I could write long chapters *sad sigh* Even in my original novels my chapters are still absurdly short.

But then I see people envying those who can write fast, and I feel pleased that I am an object of envy. I can write fast, if not long!

Maybe there is some correlation between the speed you write, and the length of your chapters. *ponders this*

[memlu.livejournal.com]

I can write fast...

YOUUUUUU. *shakes fist!*

[muffytaj.livejournal.com]

*cowers* I saw your post, and didn't know whether to comment or not! At least I only manage to ever do two page or so fictions? In the space of half an hour. Or 45 minutes.

But you, you can do wonderful long things, that I cannot! That is a blessing, surely! Plus yours is much better quality that my crackish, insane stuff.

(You're going to kill me, aren't you?)