and*Note the same thing you've noted in previous chapters :P
Part Three: Why leeeength is impooooortant
Now, I'm going to spend a chapter here focusing on formatting and basic chapter planning.
Keep in mind that this is a guide based on WATTPAD, and mostly on FanFictions. If you're trying to publish your story, then...
WHY IS IT A FANFICTION? :O
Anyway.
Before I get on with things, I'd like to add a disclaimer that I probably should have a while back:
This book is a non-fiction guide based on getting a point across. I use emoticons (Like :), or :O, or :P) as well as randomized bold and italics font :) And of course CAPITAL LETTERS. I'll use other stuff, too, but on with the point.
When you're writing a book, it just looks silly to have CAPITAL LETTERS (Even if the character is screaming) and using too much italics or bold will likely make them seem less important.
AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T USE EMOTICONS.
Well, unless you're DIRECTLY quoting some sort of IM or Text message, but that's only when you're SUPER sure it makes COMPLETE sense. And if you're reaaaaally skilled, you mightbe able to make it work in a first-person narrative. But if you're that talented, why are you writing FanFics? :P
Anyway, on with point number... one? Or should I say two? Ah, whatever...
IMPORTANT POINT NUMBER ONE:
There is one thing that has haunted me in FAR too many fanfictions (and some fictions here on wattpad) that is SO basic and actually HELPFUL that it confuses me why people don't do it.
I'm going to write a bunch of text out here:
"Hello," said Joe. "Hello," replied Mark.
What is the PROBLEM here?
WHENEVER YOU CHANGE PEOPLE TALKING, YOU NEED A NEW PARAGRAPH.
It seems that people for some reason idolize paragraphs and believe each one has to be long, or long enough to please their english teacher.
THAT IS NOT TRUE. THIS IS ONE THING I CAN SAY WITH COMPLETE CERTAINTY.
For EACHand EVERYnew thought, a NEW PARAGRAPH is needed. A paragraph can be three words. It can be two sentences. But if your paragraph is over five sentences, then you need to take a look and make sure something isn't wrong here.
AGAIN. EVERY TIME YOU HAVE A NEW THOUGHT, NEW SPEAKER, NEW WHATEVER, YOU NEED A NEW PARAGRAPH AS WELL.
Example 2:
"Hello," said Mark. Bob fidgeted with his thumbs.
Those are two COMPLETELY disconnected thoughts, most of the time. I mean, it depends on context, but 'usually that should be:
"Hello," said Mark.
Bob fidgeted with his thumbs.
But that doesn't flow. Well, I don't really want to get into flow anyway :P That's another story completely.
If you ever need clarification, just ask.
Now, my second and final point for this chapter:
Chapter length matters. Now that your chapters appear longer (you used to have one gigantic blob of text, and now you've got a bunch of tiny ones! Yay!) you need to know exactly how long they should be.
And there's really no regulation for that. A chapter can be as long or short as you want. If it's a super-good, amazing and reader-fulfilling chapter, I'd suggest at least 1 wattpad page (roughly 5000 characters)
If there's slightly less reader-fulfilling plot, I'd suggest perhaps two pages. And so on.
And if it's a boring or bad chapter, I'd suggest...
EDITING IT.
Thank you.
*Takes a bow*
Anyway, come back next time to hear me talk about something...
And, if you have any ideas for topics, go ahead and throw them at me. Or if you've got questions regarding anything I've said or not said, go ahead and chuck them at me.
Please restrict use of missile launchers for both previous comments, because I can't exactly read your comment if it hit me hard enough.
Everything is up for debate and I might have made some stupid mistkaes but yeah :) Comments are much appreciated.
And that misspelling was on purpose :P
By the way, as a self-advert, I don't write stories on this account anymore. This account is not really used much anymore. If you'd like to read recent works by me, go to @James_Janzen
And as a second note referring to the last one, PLEASE DON'T GO BY THE FANFICTIONS IN THIS ACCOUNT'S ARCHIVES. Despite what some may believe, THEY ARE NOT SUITABLE ROLE-MODELS.
See next chapter for some more cliches :P Possibly.
