: Re: Are there rules for, or guidelines on, time gaps between a plot's scenes/chapters? I've been reading a host of old favourites, classics and authors outside of my usual reading pool, in an effort

@Annie587

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There's certainly no rule on a specific time gap between chapters, like, "Every chapter must begin 32 hours and 12 minutes after the last chapter ended." It depends on the subject matter. If the whole story happens in one day, then the gap between chapters may be a few hours, or less. If the story spans the history of a family or a civilization, the gap between chapters may be years or decades.

If the gap is consistent and natural, it usually needs no explanation. Statements of what the characters are doing and the beginning and end of each chapter can help, like if chapter 1 ends with the hero turning out the lights and going to bed and chapter 2 begins with him having breakfast, I think the reader will generally assume it's the next day.

If the gap between chapters is inconsistent or otherwise unclear, just add a couple of sentences to clarify. That could be as blunt as, "After the war ended, George went back to ..." Or a few lines of dialogue could set the time frame. "'Have you been here before?' Sally asked. 'Yes, but that was thirty years ago,' Brian replied."

If your times go all over the place, then I'd just put times or dates on the chapters. I've read plenty of books where each chapter begins with a label, like "February, 1832: Paris" or the like. I know some people will say that's clumsy, but I think it's better than trying to work statements of dates into the dialoge at the start of every chapter. "Well, Harold, it really is hot this summer. Yes, this summer, 1938, will certainly be remembered as one of the hottest summers we've had around here ..." I've seen plenty of movies that try to establish a date by having some news program on a TV in the background, like as the characters are talking we see a reporter on the TV talking about the moon landing or Nixon's resignation or some such to tip us off as to when this is happening. Personally I find this annoying: they think they're being subtle but it's screamingly blatant. I'd rather if they just pop up a subtitle that says "1973" or whatever. A gimmick way to fit the date into background or dialog may work once, but if you do it all the time, it becomes too obvious it's a gimmick.

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