Chapter Titles In a Novel?

[Damage718]

Some hate it, some love it. Others don't care either way. What's your take and why?

I think it can be a clever and appetizing way for the reader to start a chapter, but it's not wholly necessary at the same time. My current WIP has chapter titles, but I'm not sure if I'm going to keep them yet.

 

[Louanne Learning]

I'm in favour of chapter titles, especially when they hint at what is to come, not obviously, but like an interest-tickler.

 

[Homer Potvin]

I think it can be a clever and appetizing way for the reader to start a chapter

Affected and pretentious is the other way that can go. Personally, I don't mind or prefer one way or the other. My first novel had them but I never did it again. I found that it became increasingly difficult to come up with something clever and just became lame after a bit.

I will add that I've watched a few shows lately where the title of the episode has clued me into something to come that I would have much preferred to have been discovered on my own. It kind of ruined the surprise.

 

[Damage718]

I think the trick is to be ambiguous with them. I, too, have been spoiled on show plots based on episode titles. You don't want to give the farm away in the title unless it's super straightforward and intentional, like short story titles sometimes are, but that doesn't always translate well to a full-length.

 

[Stuart Dren]

I love naming chapters. I get really corny with them. Maybe someone will shame me into enough to just call them chapters and give them numbers, hopefully before I ever self publish.

To give an example, my WIP is post bio-mod apocalypse. I themed the chapter titles and content (loosely) on the stages of an attempted DNA NER.

 

[theterrifieddreamer]

I’m a huge fan of chapter titles when they fit with the voice of the narrator. One of my WIPs is from the perspective of a cheeky goddess (high fantasy), so the chapter title game plays into her tone and general character

 

[Sandor]

I haven't tried chapter titles but I want to. To me it kind of breaks up the flow. That said it's never really bothered me when reading. I think it helps to identify things, such as the perspective character or characters.

 

[X Equestris]

While I like well-executed chapter titles in other author’s books, they are not for me. Titles are hard enough for me to create without needing to come up with potentially dozens of them

I did it for a novella once, but that was only five or so, and it still wasn’t easy.

 

[Homer Potvin]

While I like well-executed chapter titles in other author’s books, they are not for me. Titles are hard enough for me to create without needing to come up with potentially dozens of them

I did it for a novella once, but that was only five or so, and it still wasn’t easy.

Good point. Cool titles don't grow on trees.

 

[GlitterRain]

I don’t mind them, but generally the books I read don’t have them. As a result, I have never even thought of putting them into my novels.

However, now that I’m thinking about it, I could see them working to my advantage in a short story I haven’t got around to finishing. I’ll have to think on it some more (and actually get around to continuing the short story).

 

[Madman Starryteller]

I like titles when they're clever and hints at what's coming without spoiling anything.

I use them myself and usually have an easy time coming up with something.

 

[JT Woody]

as a reader, i dont mind. it makes it easier for me to find where i am if my bookmark falls out or if my audiobook doesnt save where I left off .
It's inconvenient if those things happen in books that dont have chapter titles, but not an end-all for me. I just adapt. Plus, chapter titles build anticipation! It makes me want to read to get to the title(s) that may have either hinted at the course of action, or is about a character that i reeeeeally want to know about.

As a writer.... its something I've questioned having as well. Maybe it depends on genre, but it is easier to name chapters in contemporary stories than SF/F.
(First snip are some chapters from one project, and the second snip are the chapters for a WIP. Both are contemporary fiction)

 

[Banespawn]

While I like well-executed chapter titles in other author’s books, they are not for me. Titles are hard enough for me to create without needing to come up with potentially dozens of them

I did it for a novella once, but that was only five or so, and it still wasn’t easy.

I find them to be easier to come up with than book titles. With a book title, I'm trying to distill an entire novel down into one phrase. Chapter titles are much more focused. I'm grouping scenes into chapters based on content, so it's easier to come up with a title based on that.

 

[Catrin Lewis]

My romantic suspense series The Architects has chapter numbers, but I've made them resemble drawing numbers in a set of construction documents. Like A.1, A.2, A.3; B.1, B.2, B.3; and so on. I think it fits.

My psychological horror/cryptozoology W.I.P. seems to want chapter names. Some of them have come to me quite easily, others, I'm struggling with. But I think I'll keep at it. I like having the genres differentiated.

 

[X Equestris]

I find them to be easier to come up with than book titles. With a book title, I'm trying to distill an entire novel down into one phrase. Chapter titles are much more focused. I'm grouping scenes into chapters based on content, so it's easier to come up with a title based on that.

True, there is less pressure with them, since they don’t have to sell the book. On the other hand, I find it tough to make good ones without spoilers.

 

[defaux]

I enjoy chapter titles, gives an extra little clue or additional context. I don't like them to give too much away though, like "Red Wedding".
I also don't know if I could do it myself for a whole novel, I well overthink my titles as is. Then again I'd probably enjoy feeling clever about them.

A.1, A.2, A.3; B.1, B.2, B.3;

I like it when a books theme or motif penetrates subtly to other areas like this, I think it adds to the immersion.
One of my stories that had a Latin pseudo-religious context, I simply used roman numerals instead of digits.

 

[Banespawn]

I don't like them to give too much away though, like "Red Wedding".

The "Red Wedding" is how the event was described after the fact. I'm not even sure that term was used in the books (it has been a long time since I read them). It may have only been the TV show.

The books don't have any chapter titles. There aren't even chapter numbers, just the name of the POV character as the heading. And even in the TV show, that episode was called "The Rains of Castamere."

 

[Nomad416]

I used to subtitle chapters with a quote from the chapter being written, like Chapter 1: You're Gonna Pay, but stopped a while back.

 

[defaux]

The "Red Wedding" is how the event was described after the fact. I'm not even sure that term was used in the books (it has been a long time since I read them). It may have only been the TV show.

The books don't have any chapter titles. There aren't even chapter numbers, just the name of the POV character as the heading. And even in the TV show, that episode was called "The Rains of Castamere."

I was referring to the tv episode, embarrassing to be wrong, I could have sworn that was the title that came up in the playlist.

Eh, ok somebody please furnish me with a new, valid, bad example.

 

[defaux]

Does anyone do epigraphs? I like reading them, and seems like a neat a way to expand lore and would building without being overly expository.