November 23, 2025
How I Decide Where a Chapter Ends
I do not end chapters on noise. I end them when the emotional pressure has shifted and cannot be ignored. Sometimes that shift is dramatic; often it is quiet. A good chapter ending invites the next page because a character can no longer pretend nothing has changed.
The reader feels a new obligation has appeared.
When in doubt, I read the chapter aloud and listen for where the sentence-level energy settles.
If the rhythm lands too early, I have ended too soon.
Clive