280. Chapters vs. Scenes: What Most Writers Get Wrong

280. Chapters vs. Scenes: What Most Writers Get Wrong

From Writer Unleashed by Nanci Panuccio

June 9, 2026 · 17 min · Season 7

About this episode

Nanci Panuccio discusses the common misconception among first-time novelists of confusing chapters with scenes and explains how understanding this distinction can improve their writing.

You think in chapters. You write in chapters. And that might be exactly why revision feels impossible. In this episode, I tackle one of the most universal misconceptions I see in first-time novelists — confusing chapters with scenes. I'll explain why scenes are the real building blocks of your story, what a scene actually does, and how understanding this distinction will help you write a tighter, more unified story. Episode Web Page Send me Fan Mail

People in this episode

Host: Nanci Panuccio

Topics covered

  • writing
  • novel structure
  • revision
  • chapters
  • scenes
  • storytelling

Keywords

  • chapters
  • scenes
  • writing tips
  • novel writing
  • story structure
  • revision techniques

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