How do you divide your stories into chapters?

[fanyart]

How do you decide where to cut to next chapter in your comic?

I have been writing novels since I was a kid and never had problems with deciding when to ctrl+enter to another chapter. It was somehow in the flow of writing.

But for comics (I mean classic page, episodic vertical comics are a different case) I find it hard to break the story. How do you go about it?

• Do you divide the chapters during the writing or the storyboarding part of creation?
• Do you end a chapter with a specific number of pages? Or do you have a 3 page chapter as well as a 50 page one?
• Do you break in the middle of scenes to make a cliffhanger? Do you do a quick recap at the beginning of the next chapter to keep the readers updated?
• Do you make a cover of each chapter or just incorporate the chapters number and title into the first chapter page?

Looking forward to hearing about your process!

[Aeonhue]

I break chapters by major event or scene change. Basically the same as writing a novel. I don't divide it into chapters during writing because my script changes so much that it would be pointless to.

[joannekwan]

Hm, it varies for each of my series.
For Demon House there are certain episode arcs but I wouldn't divide it up into chapters. I just don't see it that way.
For Heavy Horns I'm doing it in chapters because there are defined arcs in character and relationship developments. I separate them while writing. Each chapter will have a cover, because who can say no to extra art. But I'm not going to do recaps because I don't think it's convoluted or long enough to warrant them. These chapters are about the same length.
Personally I don't like cliffhangers, because I think those are more likely to require a recap, either by the author or just going back to read the previous chapter by the reader.

[AnnaLandin]

1.) I divide up the chapters during the writing/storyboarding - which for me is pretty much the same thing. I have an outline of the major events/plotpoints/scenes, but I don't split it into defined chapters until I sit down to actually write/storyboard that part. For example; my first chapter was actually TWO chapters to begin with, and I had started drawing the finished pages before I realised that they would work better as a single chapter. Happily, combining them didn't actually mean changing very much. But yes, usually, I do my division when I start storyboards/dialogue writing.

2.) I do NOT have a set number of pages, but I do try to not have chapters that are too short. On the one hand, I don't want chapters that are too short - it feels weird - but on the other hand, I don't want to pad a chapter out with extra pages just for length; my comic is slow-paced enough already. Thus far, Grassblades-chapters vary between 17-33 pages. I try to break on natural points of the story - when characters physically leave one place and move to another, or when they fall asleep, or when they've finished a particular conversation, or something like that; they feel like good ways of wrapping up.

3.) I haven't done any cliffhangers - YET. I might later on, for drama. But I don't want to overuse them, because then they're actually LESS dramatic; it's a matter of impact. I don't do recaps - they feel like a stylistic artifact left over from monthly superhero comics, which need recaps to get new readers up to speed for jumping-on points, or to remind old readers what they read last month; I don't feel the same need for it, as there will be at most one week between chapters on my part.

4.) I do individual covers for each chapter as separate images; I like the way it looks, even if composition of covers is a lot trickier than it seems. I HAVE done it the other way for other comics - with the title as part of a page - but I don't think I'll be doing it with Grassblades.

[jessicasurline]

Finding logical breaking points during the writing process is where I divide up the story into chapters. Every longer story has smaller story arcs within it. I like to think of a chapter as serving the audience specific and meaningful information to help them understand and enjoy the story. For example, the main character meets a pivotal character for the first time, or a flash back to reveal important information to foreshadow future events. If the chapter doesn't serve to move the story along then it needs work or to be edited out.

I don't try to fit chapters into specific page limits but you can usually tell when its getting too long. When I want to create intrigue, that is usually when a cliff hanger comes in handy. But only in moderation. It is not appropriate to use cliff hangers at the end of every chapter. Most stories aren't like TV dramas (well I guess for some stories that might work?). Planning cinematography for the end of a chapter is also a way to indicate things are coming to a break.

As for covers, I plan on printing my comic in the future so I only really want to do cover art for volumes. If I get time, perhaps I would do chapter art but until then probably not. My chapter divides are text with chapter names. Just a word and a definition. Seems plain but it offers a nice contrast and clearly lets readers know where the story pauses.

[SpavVy]

When I'm writing the script I go by a seven page at max limit. some of my chapters are shorter but I will end it when I feel it's time for a change in scenery. Chapter 3 for Soul Ascendance (in the storyboards) so far is my longest chapter.

[mariushjelset]

Chapters are decided at the writing stage for me. Given that the story has three easily definable acts, it was an easy decision to divide it into three. It was supposed to be about 100 pages per chapter, (fairly long, I know) but the second chapter is turning out longer than I had anticipated. I still don't change the chapter setup though. It'll have to work.

Since the story ends on the same day, three years running, every chapter ends a few seconds or minutes past midnight on that day. And if a cliffhanger is natural, then a cliffhanger will happen.

I don't do recaps between chapters, but each one has a small interlude.

And I have had made a cover for each of the three chapters. If there were more, I probably wouldn't.

[Amymone]

Although, I try to plan out chapters in the writing portion, I have a set number of pages for the storyboarding/drawing portion, which causes me to break up the chapters in places I didn't initially expect to. often I noticed that it tends to end up going something like:

Original Chapter
[new chapter #] Introduction, Conflict
[new chapter ##] Rising Action, Climax
[new chapter ###] Falling Action, Conclusion.

The Conflict and Climax (and some times the Conclusion also) are moments where the character comes to realize, learn, or understand something. I don't usual leave my cliffhangers off during the moment of shock, but the moment of motivation, where the character takes that information they just learned and resolves to get up and MOVE.

Yes, I do occasionally leave small text recaps in the beginning just in case if the audience doesn't know or remember why my character is moving. I also have colored extras that go over important information a second time, at the end of each chapter just in case.

My chapters look like this in the end.

I don't really have covers for my chapters, but I do color in the first page of every chapter so that way the audience knows it's a new chapter.

[eagle1]

Since I am writing for publication, and indeed all of the titles on my site are being written that way, 22 pages is the chapter size. Or rather issue size. Since the issue has the effect of a chapter, it amounts to the same thing.
Now, that's one of the hard things about writing for comics that are meant to be published in actual comic format, is to keep the pacing and story moving in 22 page stretches.

Eagle
(Now, I can handle it much easier)

[Raven_C]

Like most people have said, I divide the story during the writing portion. And since my story is kind of episodic in nature (like a TV show where something different is happening each episode), then it's easy to start a new chapter as soon as one arc finishes.

[scottwuming]

Deductive is my style.
To answer:

1. Do you divide the chapters during the writing or the storyboarding part of creation?
   • During writing. I have quite a technical approach in my comics and I find that it helps me more to have a guide (script). I'd like to be sure that every idea I'd like to portray are included and distributed properly. However, revisions often come during storyboarding, and I entertain that as they usually make my stories more interesting.
2. Do you end a chapter with a specific number of pages? Or do you have a 3 page chapter as well as a 50 page one?
   • I eyeball my script length. I found that about 7 pages of a Calibri 10px script can get me around 30-40 pages. I do not like to be limited by pages since it may limit my ideas too. However, if my publisher calls for a specific nnumber of pages, I use my creativity to properly distribute the scenes. This could either mean shortening/omitting some panel scenes or adding more panels per page. I like to have a uniform ... average page count per chapter.
3. Do you break in the middle of scenes to make a cliffhanger?
   • Cliffhangers are good! It builds up curiosity, making your readers want more! I suggest cliffhangers every end of chapter. I've been called cruel for this but really, what you want is to make your readers excited for the next. That said, a cliffhanger doesn't necessarily have to be a fruit of cutting a scene. It may be made from cutting the flow of the plot instead, like "Ok, so their problem in this chapter has been solved. How will their relationship continue from now on?" that sort. It depends on the flow of your story, really.
4. Do you do a quick recap at the beginning of the next chapter to keep the readers updated?
   • I usually don't. If they need a recap, they can just reread my previous pages. It takes up time, energy and space too if you are only to repeat the same scene. This would be good, though, if you are publishing in a serial magazine so new readers can relate to your current chapter.
5. Do you make a cover of each chapter or just incorporate the chapters number and title into the first chapter page?
   • A cover for each chapter would be good! It serves as a divider, gives a preview of the chapter, and at the same time an eye rest for the readers. It can get stuffy if all they see are endless panels. Also, you can showcase your illustration skills.

I hope these helped!

[Jelw]

Recently I've been writing with long scrolling format in mind, however I use the same methods with writing strips as I did when I wrote chapters, just chapters tended to be on a bit larger scale.
My writing process involves me starting by figuring out my initial Point A and Point B (beginning point and ending point ) and then figuring out all the big points that go inbetween. I always storyboard after figuring out which points I'm working between so I have a clear stopping point to work to.
Usually I manage to plot the points right so the length doesn't drastically vary, but if I find a part running way too long I'll rethink the plot development of a section and see if I could insert a new point or move the ending point up a bit.
When I was storyboarding page based comics I liked to keep a chapter in the 22-30 range. Anything over that with my particular writing style means I'm probably letting the story drag unnecessarily. Anything less than 15 meant I could probably flesh out the chapter a bit.
Unless you have extremely long waiting periods between chapters I don't see why recaps are necessary. You should be writing so that the key parts of each chapters are recalled easily/ are the spotlights of the chapter. (Character A fought Character B while Character C broke into the building etc.)

[fanyart]

Thanks a lot everybody! That was an interesting read and food for thought.

I will get down to my story and try to rethink it into chapters while keeping your points in mind. It will be hard, I guess, as I have the whole comic sketched (though I want to change some parts) but it might be an interesting challenge and an opportunity to change the parts I'm not satisfied with.

(As I would want to print the comic someday, I'm trying to keep track of odd and even pages which is hell of a riddle, now squared if I want every chapter start on odd pages - but I love riddles )

[DragonPena]

First I límite myself in number of pages, I draw 2 comics, so in one I límite myself to let's say 11-14 pages, the other 5-6 pages pero chapters.

Now that I have the number in mind I think of the eventos that NEED to absolutely happen in those pages, from that point I justo start drawing, don't really plan more lol