Question about chapter-numbering style

[Rrty]

I'm assuming many people may have an opinion on this (although I am prepared to see my assumption turn out to be wrong; maybe many will say they never thought about this and that it is a weird thing to think about).

If a book is divided into parts, shouldn't each part see the first chapter start at 1? As in:

Part One
Chapter 1
Chapter 2

Part Two
Chapter 1
Chapter 2

I don't have my books in front of me, so maybe I am wrong about this specific example, but I believe some King tomes like It use the following structure:

Part One
Chapter 1
Chapter 2

Part Two
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Then there is something like The Stand, which never restarts to Chapter 1 even though its parts are labelled as Books. That really bugs me, especially since I believe The Tommyknockers and one of the Dark Tower books resets the number (assuming I am recalling this correctly).

Obviously not an important issue, but I am curious which style people here prefer.

 

[Spideyman]

Parts are parts and chapters are chapters. Personally, I prefer the chapters to continue in numbered sequence. Thus I am following a set order, even though a different topic/ character/ time frame is introduced . The parts are main divisions of the book-- change of time/ characters/ events.

When reading a book, for me, I just read and do not overthink the correctness of structure or "mistakes" which are often poetic license.

 

[Dana Jean]

I am just lucky I remember the book after I'm done reading.

 

[morgan]

I am just lucky I remember the book after I'm done reading.

Yep!!!

 

[mjs9153]

"All Gaul is divided into three parts.." ha,you are right Rrty,seems to me that there may be a right answer,but why anyone would care is beyond me..

 

[not_nadine]

Yikes, just imagine if the DT series were broken down like that.

Bev would have to write another book, just explaining that.

 

[Dana Jean]

Yikes, just imagine if the DT series were broken down like that.

Bev would have to write another book, just explaining that.

Bev: "Now, what Stephen meant by this is the Section is One, but the chapter is 4 with an installment that is part VII. If you minus the one from the 4 and add the VII, you get Roland with Oy picking roses in New York."

 

[Spideyman]

Bev: "Now, what Stephen meant by this is the Section is One, but the chapter is 4 with an installment that is part VII. If you minus the one from the 4 and add the VII, you get Roland with Oy picking roses in New York."

 

[Doc Creed]

Bev: "Now, what Stephen meant by this is the Section is One, but the chapter is 4 with an installment that is part VII. If you minus the one from the 4 and add the VII, you get Roland with Oy picking roses in New York."

 

[Rrty]

Thanks for all the great replies.

Speaking of Bev Vincent, I wouldn't mind if he weighed in on this. Bev Vincent , how does an author choose how she is going to number the chapters, whether or not to even use chapters, etc.? How do you do it when you write your books? King has, I believe, somewhat alluded to this subject once before, in the introduction to "The Langoliers" -- if I recall, he mentioned that he was using an old-fashioned, "rococo" (I think that was the word he used) method of describing the chapters (wasn't about numbering them).

 

[Gerald]

What I like about King is that it's always different in every book. Some have no chapters at all. What's the main need for chapters in a novel, which is basically one long story? I guess they're there to give the book more structure. You can use them to build to cliffhangers or can dedicate them to individual characters and switch the chapter when you move to another character.

No matter what, chapters always tend to take me out of the story, especially when the chapters are short. I think I would prefer no chapters at all. A new chapter feels a bit like a forced break or intermission. It makes you more aware that it's just a story and it takes you out of it in a way.

 

[Kurben]

All books, whether they use chapters or not, have different parts. I prefer if the book have chapters, either named or numbered and for me it does not take me out of the story at all.

 

[César Hernández-Meraz]

This structure in SK's books has not bothered me, although I like numbering to restart in each section of similarly structured writings.

I think I never questioned it here in part because when the first division came I was already lost in the story and in part because it was something that had years printed, so there would be no change, even if someone brought it to mind.

If these books were not fiction, but some technical books, then I think the numbering would really bother me, though.

Bev: "Now, what Stephen meant by this is the Section is One, but the chapter is 4 with an installment that is part VII. If you minus the one from the 4 and add the VII, you get Roland with Oy picking roses in New York."

Yar.

 

[GNTLGNT]

Spoiler

[\spoiler]

 

[Gerald]

All books, whether they use chapters or not, have different parts. I prefer if the book have chapters, either named or numbered and for me it does not take me out of the story at all.

I don't mean it takes me out of the story in a MAJOR way, just a little sometimes. I don't like when there are a lot of short chapters, it gives a fragmented feel.

You could wonder what the use of chapters (in fiction) is. We're used to them, but there's not a clear function. Like I said, some (Cujo for example) don't have them at all.
In a scientific book where you have to look things up, they have a function. But you don't do that with novels, you read them from beginning to end.

 

[César Hernández-Meraz]

You could wonder what the use of chapters (in fiction) is. We're used to them, but there's not a clear function.

Personally, I have a use for them. I can categorize which characters appear or are mentioned in each chapter, so it is easier to go back there when searching for references.

 

[Arcadevere]

as a reader who really has a short time for reading, SK's style help me a lot because i am type of reader who isn't comfortable stopping in the middle of chapter, i am a reader who always want to pause in chapter starter

 

[signals2112]

as a reader who really has a short time for reading, SK's style help me a lot because i am type of reader who isn't comfortable stopping in the middle of chapter, i am a reader who always want to pause in chapter starter

 

[muskrat]

All depends on the book, I reckon. The way the story is structured, the way it flows, what kind of Fornit dust you have dumped on yer head, that stuff. As long as the writer is doing his job right, reader shouldn't notice how the heck the chapters are numbered.

I always kinda dug how King also numbers the little 'sub chapters' within the chapters.