I feel like Chapters are more for the reader than anything else. Why not break it up if it's too long? Some authors eliminate chapters entirely; others write very longs ones, and others very short. I prefer shorter chapters myself, because I often read in short periods of time between other things, and it just feels nice to stop at a physical chapter break in the book. I couldn't care less whether there is an "artistic" reason for the chapter break from the authors point of view.
says who?... where is that written in stone, tj? i read good-to-great successfully published fiction every day and i can assure you that many chapters contain more than one scene... what authors have you found other than james patterson, with his beyond minimal 2-3 page chapters, sticks to your dictum?
I, too, disagree with this. Both parts. Dan Brown is a very successful writer who often writes VERY short chapters. Chapter 108 of his bestseller The Lost Symbol is only 58 words long. That's right: fifty-eight words. And many other chapters are only about a half page in length.
There are some writers who have like 11 page chapters, and has the plot rises, they become 16 pages, and one really important chapter is like 30 pages. If it's important! it's okay. =) But if it's all sporadic events and what not, then no, it's not okay.
