I've been asked on more than one occasion: "Why are your chapters so short?"
Honestly, it never hit me that this was something unique until people pointed it out. I just used to write. I have a scene in my head, and I write it. If that scene is only two pages long, then so be it. What's the point of stretching a scene just for the sake of making a chapter longer? Once I’ve explained what I need to explain and the action is done, it’s time to move on to the next beat.
I don’t really call them chapters; I call them scenes. In my head, that is what they are—like a movie or a TV series. A scene tells a specific part of the story, and once it's complete, the camera moves to another part of the story. That is how I write, scene by scene.
📏 Short Chapters and Word Count
My father-in-law was the first person to mention it while I was signing his copy of An Irish Mystery. Since then, I've considered amalgamating some chapters in my newest book, An American Treasure, but people have told me to keep it as it is. If that's how I wrote it, keep it original and keep it authentic.
When you look at the stats, it highlights the difference:
- An Irish Mystery is 83,773 words long and has 60 chapters.
- An American Treasure (Book 2, still unpublished) is 96,539 words long and has 94 chapters.
Is that too many chapters? Maybe, but keeping the chapters short definitely helps me with the massive task of writing a whole novel. I love reading Clive Cussler's books, and while I wouldn't say his chapters are short, they are frequently 80 to 90 chapters long. Perhaps his style is an unconscious foundation to my own writing.
✈️ The Power of the Jump Cut
The true reason my chapters are short comes down to pacing and structure.
The book I finished, Everybody Lies by L.J. Breedlove, initially seemed to have long chapters—I was over 60% through and only on chapter 12! But as it turns out, the entire book only had 20 chapters, including the epilogue. This makes sense for its continuous storyline.
My stories are very different. They are Adventure Thrillers that often jump from location to location, from character to character, or even different time zones and countries. They require different angles and different perspectives. Short chapters, or scenes, allow me to achieve that classic thriller pacing:
- High Tension Ending: Every scene can end on a mini-cliffhanger.
- Location Switch: Moving from Hans in Arizona to Cedric Newman in London (or vice-versa) requires a hard cut.
- Multiple Timelines: The ability to instantly shift to a different perspective keeps the reader engaged and unable to put the book down.
Ultimately, chapter length doesn't bother me as long as the story flows and is enjoyable. And for an adventure thriller, the short, quick scenes are essential for the ride.
🎨 The New Cover: The Clock is Ticking!
The good news is that the new chapter in the An Irish Mystery saga has begun!
As of Monday, my book designers officially started work on the new cover design. While I gave them plenty of context and inspiration—including drafts and covers from my favorite adventure thriller authors—I've stepped back and left them to work their magic.
I have no clue what they have planned, but the suspense is building! I'm really hoping that by next week, I'll have more information for you, maybe even a glimpse of a completed design. Watch this space!
🚀 An American Treasure Excerpt: Early Access is LIVE!
This focus on short, sharp scenes and instant jumps in the narrative—essential elements of an adventure thriller—is what I’ve carried into my next novel, An American Treasure.
Which brings me on to Book 2...
I couldn't wait until the next official newsletter date! I am thrilled to announce that I sent a special newsletter yesterday with a link to download an exclusive excerpt for my upcoming book, An American Treasure (Book 2 in the Newman Adventure series).
You can get early access to a sneak peek of the next thrilling chapter right now.
How to Get Your Excerpt
Want access? It's simple: you just have to be a subscriber! I use my newsletter for exactly this—giving early access to content, special offers, and the latest news before anybody else.
Once you sign up, you will be able to download the excerpt onto any of your preferred ebook platforms (via my BookFunnel channel).
👉 Sign up for the newsletter here to get the excerpt:
Catch Up on Book 1
If you haven't yet read An Irish Mystery, you can now find it on lots more platforms, making it easier than ever to dive into the adventure. It's now available on Apple Books, Kobo, Nook, Kindle, Smashwords, Fable, and many more!
📚 What Am I Reading?
I am thrilled to report that I finished Everybody Lies by L.J. Breedlove!
The opening hooked me straight away, and the book's pacing—despite its long chapters—flowed beautifully. I loved how the author's descriptive style and rich internal dialogue kept me firmly rooted in the characters' perspective. The mystery was definitely strong: the twists kept me guessing and made me doubt my early suspicions about the accused's identity. The suspense was maintained right up to the end. Well done, L.J. Breedlove! I will absolutely be picking up Book 2.
Now for the big question: What am I reading next? Who knows! My TBR (To Be Read) list is currently a mile long, but I'll make a decision soon and will update you next week on what adventure I'm diving into.
If you want to see my progress and reviews, you can always follow me on Goodreads or Fable!
About Me:
Hello and welcome to Swmming Upstream the home of my blogs. I am D.C. Salmon and I write pulse-pounding adventure thrillers that blend real-life unsolved mysteries with modern-day action.
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