I am curious if it is just me but sometimes I will write and write and realize I have several pages worth of story. So I go back trying to find a place to branch off from but it isn't always easy as I would like it to be an actual choice were a reader would want to read both options or another writer might want to add onto.
Well, I have the same. Once I write chapter, I tried to see at least three option for next move of characters and continue in one way. Making plan before writing, where all story should go it is helpfull too. But it also made me less creative and it made harder to write something new.
I like for a chapter to express, if not an entire scene, than an entire idea - so sometimes they're relatively short, and sometimes they're quite long and detailed (especially end scenes and sex scenes). But the chapter should exist to carry the reader from one place to another place, and whatever length makes narrative sense in that context works.
Choices should always matter. Don’t branch off because you feel like your chapter is getting too long. Some people will like your longer chapters better than your shorter ones. I mostly keep my chapters short, but I’m not trying to tell a compelling story half the time.
I know how you feel. I write linear stories with few or no branches but do have the same issue. A bit of inspiration comes and I just write like crazy, then have the devil of a time finding appropriate chapter breaks. Often a minor rewrite is required. Also, I try to get my chapter headings as a quote from the chapter and sometimes I rewrite the chapter just to get a decent heading!
