Chapters or just Sections/Parts?

[BillyxRansom]

I can't decide if the novel I'm working on should be divided up by chapters, or if it should just be lumped all into one section or part, like in The Gunslinger.

Can someone give me examples of when and why chapters would work better than just keeping it all one continuous body of text, until the next part or section in the novel? (Unless you consider The Gunslinger to really only have 6 chapters, then tell me that, as well!) And vice versa! When and why and how would just keeping it all one body of text work better?

Also, if this wasn't clear, lemme know, and I'll try to restate it the best I can.

[Steve]

1.) It's not a good idea to interrupt the flow of a novel with chapter breaks... unless you end on a high note. (see Stephen King)

2.) On the other hand, the lack of chapter breaks will make it seem a bit too blocky and tough for the average guy to read. (see that asshole Proust)

[Frunobulax]

You can do both in a way. Have long sections, but use Roman numeral headings for parts that drastically change the location or events. You can have a character trudging across the tundra, mile after mile, trudging...etc etc and call it I. Then when he gets to [secondary location/goal], call is II. And so on and so forth.

[Jean]

2.) On the other hand, the lack of chapter breaks will make it seem a bit too blocky and tough for the average guy to read. (see that asshole Proust)
hear, hear

I may be only an average bear, but I swear chapters greatly add to readability. The subtle art of giving your chapters actual titles, or - even more rare a case - epigraphs is being forgotten now; mainly, I am afraid, because the level of reading/writing culture is dropping.

[BillyxRansom]

2.) On the other hand, the lack of chapter breaks will make it seem a bit too blocky and tough for the average guy to read. (see that asshole Proust)
hear, hear

I may be only an average bear, but I swear chapters greatly add to readability. The subtle art of giving your chapters actual titles, or - even more rare a case - epigraphs is being forgotten now; mainly, I am afraid, because the level of reading/writing culture is dropping.

What about The Gunslinger? Does that constitute more as chapters? Those are long chapters, so I consider them parts. It even says (at least in the first edition) Part 1, Part 2, etc. Those are parts, to me, or.. Long chapters. Do you think those have chapters individually, based on the Roman numeral sections within, say, The Way Station? I thought them to be just scenes, personally.

[Jean]

the Gunslinger is such a specific piece of writing - more like a poem in prose - that I would think of those parts as stanzas.

[Steve]

2.) On the other hand, the lack of chapter breaks will make it seem a bit too blocky and tough for the average guy to read. (see that asshole Proust)
hear, hear

I may be only an average bear, but I swear chapters greatly add to readability. The subtle art of giving your chapters actual titles, or - even more rare a case - epigraphs is being forgotten now; mainly, I am afraid, because the level of reading/writing culture is dropping.

What about The Gunslinger? Does that constitute more as chapters? Those are long chapters, so I consider them parts. It even says (at least in the first edition) Part 1, Part 2, etc. Those are parts, to me, or.. Long chapters. Do you think those have chapters individually, based on the Roman numeral sections within, say, The Way Station? I thought them to be just scenes, personally.


Those are subchapters. They greatly add to the readability by dividing the story into smaller, more palatable portions. Think of a novel as a steak. A chapter is one slice of it, and a subchapter is a small chunk that you won't choke on.