Word/Chapter Count for YA (amateur question)

[Jaya]

Let's assume you have a YA contemporary at 60,000 words (averagish length? yay or nay?).
How many chapters would be average for a novel of that length? How many words per chapter?

Yep, I know every novel is different. Yep, I know variation exists and is possible. And yep, I know that you ultimately have to write your story and how it turns out is completely unique to you.
But it still would be quite comforting/helpful to know how one compares to others been written. What is the average? Standard? Specifically words/chapter?

[polymath]

A novel has a number of major and minor dramatic pivots that ideally occur at points measured by word count. Pivots ideally turn once per chapter. Twelve to sixteen pivots makes for a dynamic dramatic structure: twelve to sixteen chapters.

Sixty thousand words is a fair benchmark for a young adult novel, though forty thousand to eighty thousand words are not uncommon.

[Sommer Leigh]

For a contemporary YA 60,000 isn't too bad, though they can go higher. You don't see to many YA going lower these days, though. Sometimes that's warranted as a lot of YA coming out now are pretty complex compared to 5-10 years ago. Sometimes it feels like they are just stretched for no good reason. So 60,000 is fair, although it falls back to what you already know. As long as you tell the story fully, you're fine, and word count is dependent on that, not on standards.

I would say, however, that there isn't a standard for chapter count or word count within a chapter. I know that's not the answer you want, but it is the answer you already know. That can make knowing if you have a complete chapter or if it's too long, too short, etc, very confusing. There are some tricks you can do to help yourself, but please understand that there are no standards in this area.

Here are some loose guidelines:

1. What is the purpose of the chapter? What event kicks off in the beginning of the chapter, moves through the middle, and changes at the end? This will often dictate your pacing. A rapid fire, action packed chapter can be very short, which is good because you want it to feel like things are moving at a brisk pace. Several of these chapters might be followed by a slower chapter that gives the characters and the readers a time to take a breath and get their bearings. This might be a longer chapter, but keep in mind that doesn't mean boring or slow. It should mimic the tension or emotion or action of the content.

2. I am writing a 90,000 word YA science fiction adventure with 2 narrators. Many of my chapters are shorter, around 1500-2000 words, and about every 4 or 5 we get a longer chapter of about 2500-2800. I didn't do this on purpose, it was just kind of how my natural pacing is. I have four or five quick action packed chapters where everything is moving at lightning speed, and then a chapter where the characters stop and deal with what the hell just happened to them, and they move the plot forward by acting on what has happened, while the short chapters tend to be reactive.

3. Find several YA books that are like yours in scope, size, and genre. Read them and take notes on their structure. How long are their chapters? Are they all the same or do they alternate? What are they composed of? You'll see patterns between authors and you'll learn better what others are doing. But keep in mind that this doesn't translate necessarily to what you've written. But it can help you get a feel for what to look for.

4. Most importantly, chapters aren't structured by word count, they are structured sort of like mini-novels. Sort of. They have beginning middles and ends, and the beginning should carry over some of the dramatic tension from the previous chapter, build on a question or an event or whatever thematic purpose the chapter is there for, and then sort of has a climax towards the end which will then push tension to the next chapter. The tension should never bottom out (i.e. beneath the weight of heavy exposition) and a chapter should never exist for one purpose. Every chapter should do double duty furthering the main plot point, satisfactorily wrapping up previous mini plot points, asking new questions, developing characters, and progressing subplots. If your chapter doesn't do multiple things, it's not doing enough. that doesn't mean it has to be longer, it just needs to work harder. Which refers back up to my first point, in that what your chapter is doing often dictates how long you should expect it to be. And while many of your chapters can be similar in length, it's totally cool for them to change up from time to time. That helps with the tension and feeling of forward momentum.

I think you already knew there were no standards, and you were right. But you can help yourself understand how to build your chapters and know whether you've done it "right" by studying what other writers of stories like yours have done. That'll be your best teacher.

[Jaya]

Thanks so much.