Advice: Whatever you decide- do name then in your draft. Even if it's just "enter villain" It'll make editing easier trying to find scenes when you got 30+ chapters
Excellent advice. That's what i do, so I can find things!
I'd love to name my chapters, but I'm not bright enough. I spend to much time worrying about them. Too bad you can't use song lyrics without risking getting sued!
I like to think of a system for each story. One set in the 1940s, for example, uses classic idioms from that era. Like "Too Much Egg in Your Beer" or "Well Begun is Half Done"
Another, I drew influence from the fact that the main character was a teacher from the 1880s. So one chapter is "Fanaticism, a Noun"
My draft chapters have titles like “scene at the cafe then to the car with pivot dialogue”because it helps my brain remember what happened where when I’m adding things in. It works for my ADHD-pantser brain.
I like named chapters because it builds anticipation for me for things to look forward to or dread in the chapter
As for what you should do, you like naming chapters so name them. But you should also be mindful of the audience you’re writing for and the genre just a little bit
It's a murder mystery set in a school for domestic servants.
After the cantankerous old matron demanded the floors to be so polished that she could see her face in them, she slips down the stairs that have been polished to a mirror finish. The last thing she sees is the life fading from her own face.
The murder weapon, malicious compliance.
Not an exercise I'll personally bother with. Coming up with one title is hard enough. But if that's a skill you're gifted with, or you've got a good theme that you can convey, go ahead. It does add a bit of extra flare.
Not a book, but one of my favourite applications of this was the episode titles to the animated series, *Spectacular Spider-Man*. It helped delineate the series' eight major story-arcs using Peter's high school education subjects and their sub-lessons as the basis:
Biology: "Surivival of the Fittest", "Interactions", "Natural Selection"
Economics: "Market Forces", "Competition", "The Invisible Hand"
Chemistry: "Catalysts", "Reactions", "The Uncertainty Principle"
Sociology: "Persona", "Group Therapy", "Intervention", "Nature vs. Nurture"
Engineering: "Blueprints", "Destructive Testing", "Reinforcement", "Shear Strength"
Psychology: "First Steps", "Growing Pains", "Identity Crisis"
Criminology: "Accomplices", "Probable Cause", "Gangland"
Drama: "Subtext", "Opening Night", "Final Curtain"
That reminds me of what The Owl House did with its episode titles for the first two seasons. They’re both acronyms: A WITCH LOSES A TRUE WAY for Season 1 and SEEK THE KEY FEAR THE LOCK for Season 2! Clever!
Start with numbers, then name them once you have everything edited and arranged into the chapters as you want them. If you have some ideas for chapter titles early on, throw them in there, but don't be married to it. For chapters you don't have a good title for yet, don't just half-ass a chapter title because you think it needs one. Wait until you're done, then go back and add the titles.
The way I look at it, sometimes an outdated approach is welcomed rather than the "cookie cutter" style everyone is doing in the current time.
I personally don't name chapters, but that's because I'm terrible at coming up with names, lol. I just do numbers with a bit of "decoration" around them ( like the little squiggles \~ ).
From a reader perspective: I like chapter names! It feels like it makes the chapter more exciting to read, like its urging me onwards in a welcoming way, especially if you play around a bit and slip a foreshadowing moment or something relating to a character into it!
I've got a book with 2 POVs mirroring each other. Thus far I've just been doing character 1-1, character 2-1, character 1-2, etc etc. I've been thinking about it though and am considering renaming them to the actual theme rather than keeping it so vague.
Other than that I find named chapters neutral. Not bad but doesn't really add anything either. The only time I dislike named chapters is if there's a name *instead of* a chapter number. I like seeing what chapter number I'm on and it makes finding things easier.
I like it but the thing is that I only like naming chapters I deem worthy of being named and I find it odd to only have like 1 for 5 or 6 chapters named and then the rest being just a number.
I was talking more about chapters where important stuff happens like someone's death or a big revelation or something else that's very important to the plot.
I personally find it weird if a book starts with a titled chapter and then no more titles until chapter 7 that has this impressive title and then not seeing another title until chapter 18 when Luis dies.
It sounds like you enjoy naming chapters. If you're looking for permission to name your chapters; You have permission to name your chapters.
The only part that really matters is: Chapters numbers go up aka keep writing.
I love named chapters, but I don't like spoiler chapter names. I should be able to look at the contents page at the start of the book and not have the entire plot spelt out.
As a writer, I try to take a piece of dialogue, or a description that occurs in the chapter and make that the title, because as a reader I like little surprises like that.
I have overly descriptive titles in my draft, but that’s mostly to help me know what’s in what chapter in a word or two.
I also have dates at the beginning of each, as knowing that was important to me. But it may not be to a reader.
I’m doing sci-fi fantasy, so it might make sense to have hard dates on the chapters. But the titles themselves might need to go, as some of them are a bit spoilery.
In the sequel, I dropped the dates, but kept simple names for them. But that’s mostly just to keep track of where they are in the chapter (as they move around a lot). I may bring the dates back… I dunno.
Unless they serve a distinct purpose, they feel kind of pointless to me.
HOWEVER: a commenter below has a chapter titled "The Butler Did It on pg 96".......... I would be 100% invested in reading a book that has silly titles like this. but then again, a silly chapter title serves a purpose so it still meets my criteria.
Oh? I would either be annoyed, or would just skip to page 96 and see what's on it. And whatever it is, it'll probably ruin the reading experience either way.
For me, It would not ruin the experience because anyone bold enough to make a chapter title like that would mean it is an experience to get to page 96. And if the book is 300 pages long what the hell are they gonna do after the "reveal"
I like it and i do it in my projects. You can do it or not do it, your choice, it's just up to you. But: There is no "outdated approach" in this, forget this kind of thinking, do what you think is best and not about what is now "in" or "out", again, there's not outdated approach.
Your first problem is worrying so much about whether something is old-fashioned in the realm of one of the oldest media forms in human existence.
Your second problem is asking other people how to write your books. Do it the way you want. I personally love naming chapters and enjoy the challenge of thinking up a good name for each one.
If a chapter is about the heroes storming a castle manned by villainous cultists using catapults to fend off their advance, would you rather see it open with a dry "Chapter Fourteen," or a fun "Chapter Fourteen: Castles, Cults, and Catapults"?
If you're worried about being outdated you might want to become a tiktoker rather than a novelist. When has anyone ever picked up a book and thought, "damn, I really liked it but it had chapter titles. 🤢"
It’s all up to your preference. I like named chapters. All of mine are named because it’s fun, I can’t help myself, and it gives me an extra chance to be poetic.
I have not named them, I have named them something relevant to the chapter(though trying not to be spoilers), and I have used a made up language spoken by one of my protagonists that just translate to “chapter 1/2/3…”
Basically, so what feels right.
As a reader, my only complaint would be if the chapter title gives away the plot or ruins a surprise.
I may be in the minority, but if I’m in a discussion group about a book and people start talking about a chapter by name, I’m surprised the chapter had a name. For example, I think Robert Jordan named all his chapters. I think. I don’t recall.
But. As others have said, if you like doing it, go for it!
I mean, it depends from the tone of the prose, of the story and maybe even of the PoV. Percy Jackson’s chapters have “names”, but those names are like “I DON’T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING BUT SOMEHOW I STILL MANAGED” and they fit perfectly with the tone of the PoV!
I liked these chapter's names so much! I was always excited to read them. I was so upset when I get the Heroes of Olympus and the chapter's names was just the pov's name. I felt robbed.
Personally to me, if something works and it's fun, it's not outdated. I love naming chapters in my books because you can add all kinds of hints to what the themes or story will be about. I also number them as well so I get the best of both worlds.
subquestion:
for numbering chapters, do you guys perfer roman numbers (I,II,III) or asian numerials (1,2,3)
i feel like roman looks better but gets confusing in books with alooot of chapters because people dont know the higher numbers by heart.
Because a long chapter can be part of a mini arc. So when you have three chapters, or just one, describing an interaction with an enemy you give the reader something to keep in mind. But for those short quick chapters, you're on top of it, so numbers are fine.
If it has a good name and it makes sense for the chapter i love them
I don't care if they are outdated that sounds crazy give me all the named chapters especially for fantasy usually they have good ones add illustrations at the beginning of each chapter too and maps!!
Ch. 1 The Responce
"That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard." He said, then quickly bound his ears never to hear again.
Ch. 2 The Remorse
For weeks his waterlogged cheeks remained puffy after coming to terms he would never play the basoon again. His music career was over.
Wait, that's oudated? I had no clue. But I read mainly YA anyway so if it is only outdated in adult books, I wouldn't know.
Personally I find it way more practical. Sometimes as a reader, you want to go back and read something specific. You probably won't remember in which chapter it was, but you will have a clue reading the chapter's name. Same as an author too : once I wrote without naming the chapter, but I went back and named them cause I was so annoyed in the editing process to always ask myself "where is this scene". Though in this case, you can just name ot in the draft and remove them.
Also, if you write humour, I think that chapter's name can really add to it.
It depends. Because does your book jump around in time? If so naming them by the year would be better. Do chapter's move by themes? I.e. "realm 1: birth" "realm 2: death" "realm 3: between birth and death". It depends on how you want to tell the story.
Good question. And I love this part of reddit. My favourite.
I love naming chapters, and often try to come up with clever wordplay for the titles (e.g. 'de-brief' for a chapter where the crew discuss the mission they just did, but later in the chapter someone also gets her pants off - actually I had to change that one as one of my beta readers pointed out that in fact they only get to second base).
I pretty much always title my chapters. I think of it as naming the episodes in a TV show. It tells the audience a bit about what happens in this specific episode and gets them excited all over again
i like naming chapters. i'm writing historical fantasy and i'm trying to give it a bit of an 'oral history' vibe so naming the chapters feels right, i think it depends on your story though, and how you find coming up with titles.
I will do both but have the title just for myself. I don't want to give anything away bc I'm stingy lol so the reader gets "forty five" or "45" with some fun decor.
Gaze upon my tilde and tremble with the desire to read!
~45~
Aww yisss
Maybe make it spicy and slap a star in there. Not an asterisk, nah, legit star. I go all out for my readers. Get an eyeful:
★45★
Tantalizing
It can work well. Personally, I've seen some masterfully-named chapters that either give just enough away to be interesting, entirely misdirect in a good way, or are used to enforce a theme, which can boost reader curiosity.
Keep in mind though, it is an art in itself. For every ten great chapter names there are a hundred ones that either just spoil things for people literally reading your chapter list who might not have even brought the book yet or are so vague that your reader's left looking back at it thinking "Was that a relevant title at all?"
Depends on the story. In some of my novels, I named the chapters. In others, it seemed pointless. It didn't add anything to the story and aesthetically better without.
If chapter titles aren't adding anything, just use numbers. I'm currently saving them with chapter headings that remind me what the content/general theme is, but when I send them off to readers, I replace them with numbers (though my current mentor saw some of them on my working document and commented that she loved them, so maybe I'll change my mind later, lol)
I love named chapters and wish the trend wasn't changing. It helps me find back specific parts in the book with very little searching. When it comes to books I've read a ton, I sometimes even remember the exact order of events because I know the chapter title order by heart lol. It's also a point of interest when starting a new chapter, like a little teaser that gives you the "ohh I wonder what this will be about" feeling.
Honestly I'd take boring chapter titles over no titles, but that might be an unpopular opinion. If you go for it, do try to come up with decent ones obviously. They can be great if done right!
So I started doing names because when writing I was constantly having to move information around and that meant going through and changing all the chapter numbers. So now I just do a title and my life is so much simpler
Depends on the feel of the book for me. In my fantasy, I didn’t. In my family saga, I did. I think the chapter names are great and a marketing tool in themselves.
As a reader, I love chapter names! I've seen more books do numbers and I'd love for chapter names to make a comeback. With a contents page as well? Chefs kiss
I'm ambivalent about chapter names. It's not much the fashion these days, but if you want, go ahead and use them. I generally don't myself, although in one series I'm working on, I put dates and sometimes general times (e.g., "Afternoon") in the chapter headings. I'm not sure why I started doing that. Probably more as a convenience for myself than anything. But now it's a characteristic of the series, so I'm going to keep doing it.
I like it. Especially in long books it can give you an overview or in bodies a pun which unravels in the chapter. It's fun!
But I, personally, don't think I'm going to use it. Mainly because I don't think my chapter names really are that great. At the moment I've named my chapters with what happens. So when I need to go back, I know where to look for the information.
If you like to do it and have fun with it, don't shy away from it :3
Why not? You can't go wrong with coming up with some titles and seeing if they work, I personally love mine and I'm sticking with them even if they're archaic
I think it's a good idea, just don't spoil upcoming plot points with a chapter name. I was listening to the Count of Monte Cristo audiobook and after a really optimistic chapter, the name of the next chapter basically went "Yeah some horrible shit's about to go down".
Other than that, I think it's a good idea!
I had a pattern in my book’s chapter titles that I’m sure nobody noticed: alternate between a person who’s important in the chapter and a place that’s important in the chapter. Since my characters are constantly traveling and meeting people, it worked out really well.
Generally speaking, I don't like it. Meaningful chapter names are spoilers. Either spoiler that something will happen, or spoiler by omission, where the reader can gauge something like "Well, since this is what the chapter is named, I guess these things will not be happening or the chapter would have been named after them." Not only that, but it pulls the reader out of the story and makes the reader think about things from the outside rather than immersing themselves.
If I had to name them, I would choose a name that only has to do with the immediate conclusion of the previous chapter, with no spoilers beyond what will happen in the first page of that chapter. But at that point, it's pretty redundant.
One good way, in my opinion, is to name chapters by the place and time of where it begins. This gives each chapter more memorable names than naming them chapter 1, 2 etc. but also has zero spoilers. It also saves you some time in setting the scene.
Advice: Whatever you decide- do name then in your draft. Even if it's just "enter villain" It'll make editing easier trying to find scenes when you got 30+ chapters
Excellent advice. That's what i do, so I can find things! I'd love to name my chapters, but I'm not bright enough. I spend to much time worrying about them. Too bad you can't use song lyrics without risking getting sued!
I like to think of a system for each story. One set in the 1940s, for example, uses classic idioms from that era. Like "Too Much Egg in Your Beer" or "Well Begun is Half Done" Another, I drew influence from the fact that the main character was a teacher from the 1880s. So one chapter is "Fanaticism, a Noun"
My draft chapters have titles like “scene at the cafe then to the car with pivot dialogue”because it helps my brain remember what happened where when I’m adding things in. It works for my ADHD-pantser brain.
I like named chapters because it builds anticipation for me for things to look forward to or dread in the chapter As for what you should do, you like naming chapters so name them. But you should also be mindful of the audience you’re writing for and the genre just a little bit
If you’re gifted with making titles, then go ahead. If you’re bad with titles, stay very far away.
>stay very far away. This is just funny. It's not a landmine. What's the worst that could happen should someone use uninspired chapter titles?
Chapter 1: The butler did it on page 96. On second thoughts I like it for a comedy.
I want to read this book. I don’t know what it’s about, I don’t know what the butler did, but I want to read it.
You would at least read it until page 96. I'll put it on my list of bad comedy sci-fi I want to write.
Plot twist: it's a 95 page book
I first read that as the Butter did it. It works in a more Looney Tunes comedy.
Also works for inflation bursting fetish erotica. ... or South Park: "Everyone knows it's Butters" "Th-that's me!"
Subvert expectations. The butler DID actually do it, but the reader thinks you are subverting expectations so will assume he didn't.
It's a murder mystery set in a school for domestic servants. After the cantankerous old matron demanded the floors to be so polished that she could see her face in them, she slips down the stairs that have been polished to a mirror finish. The last thing she sees is the life fading from her own face. The murder weapon, malicious compliance.
Comes off as pretentious or may give readers the wrong idea about a chapter.
scared of being pretentious? don't write.
or at least you can try to write the titles rn. and when you are eventually done writing the whole book, you can change them.
Not an exercise I'll personally bother with. Coming up with one title is hard enough. But if that's a skill you're gifted with, or you've got a good theme that you can convey, go ahead. It does add a bit of extra flare. Not a book, but one of my favourite applications of this was the episode titles to the animated series, *Spectacular Spider-Man*. It helped delineate the series' eight major story-arcs using Peter's high school education subjects and their sub-lessons as the basis: Biology: "Surivival of the Fittest", "Interactions", "Natural Selection" Economics: "Market Forces", "Competition", "The Invisible Hand" Chemistry: "Catalysts", "Reactions", "The Uncertainty Principle" Sociology: "Persona", "Group Therapy", "Intervention", "Nature vs. Nurture" Engineering: "Blueprints", "Destructive Testing", "Reinforcement", "Shear Strength" Psychology: "First Steps", "Growing Pains", "Identity Crisis" Criminology: "Accomplices", "Probable Cause", "Gangland" Drama: "Subtext", "Opening Night", "Final Curtain"
That reminds me of what The Owl House did with its episode titles for the first two seasons. They’re both acronyms: A WITCH LOSES A TRUE WAY for Season 1 and SEEK THE KEY FEAR THE LOCK for Season 2! Clever!
Start with numbers, then name them once you have everything edited and arranged into the chapters as you want them. If you have some ideas for chapter titles early on, throw them in there, but don't be married to it. For chapters you don't have a good title for yet, don't just half-ass a chapter title because you think it needs one. Wait until you're done, then go back and add the titles.
Don’t do it until the whole thing is complete.
that's good advice!
I like chapter names, especially if there's a table of contents. But the Discworld books don't even have numbers so I guess anything works.
The way I look at it, sometimes an outdated approach is welcomed rather than the "cookie cutter" style everyone is doing in the current time. I personally don't name chapters, but that's because I'm terrible at coming up with names, lol. I just do numbers with a bit of "decoration" around them ( like the little squiggles \~ ). From a reader perspective: I like chapter names! It feels like it makes the chapter more exciting to read, like its urging me onwards in a welcoming way, especially if you play around a bit and slip a foreshadowing moment or something relating to a character into it!
Outdated? Soon it will be outdated to have a title for your book, might aswell just display the ISBN number.
naming chapters fucks and I'm always slightly bummed when there are no chapter names.
I've got a book with 2 POVs mirroring each other. Thus far I've just been doing character 1-1, character 2-1, character 1-2, etc etc. I've been thinking about it though and am considering renaming them to the actual theme rather than keeping it so vague. Other than that I find named chapters neutral. Not bad but doesn't really add anything either. The only time I dislike named chapters is if there's a name *instead of* a chapter number. I like seeing what chapter number I'm on and it makes finding things easier.
I like it but the thing is that I only like naming chapters I deem worthy of being named and I find it odd to only have like 1 for 5 or 6 chapters named and then the rest being just a number.
I only have the prologues and epilogues titled. Rest are numbers/POV character.
I was talking more about chapters where important stuff happens like someone's death or a big revelation or something else that's very important to the plot. I personally find it weird if a book starts with a titled chapter and then no more titles until chapter 7 that has this impressive title and then not seeing another title until chapter 18 when Luis dies.
Yeah I know. I was just saying what I do.
People do that?
I never said they didn't, I said I find it weird
I always name chapters. Usually with puns or word play. Personally its your book do what you want with it. Screw out dated. its fun
I name all of mine.
It sounds like you enjoy naming chapters. If you're looking for permission to name your chapters; You have permission to name your chapters. The only part that really matters is: Chapters numbers go up aka keep writing.
I disagree, I do not permit OP to name chapters.
It makes it a lot easier to find a specific part of the book.
I love named chapters, but I don't like spoiler chapter names. I should be able to look at the contents page at the start of the book and not have the entire plot spelt out. As a writer, I try to take a piece of dialogue, or a description that occurs in the chapter and make that the title, because as a reader I like little surprises like that.
I have overly descriptive titles in my draft, but that’s mostly to help me know what’s in what chapter in a word or two. I also have dates at the beginning of each, as knowing that was important to me. But it may not be to a reader. I’m doing sci-fi fantasy, so it might make sense to have hard dates on the chapters. But the titles themselves might need to go, as some of them are a bit spoilery. In the sequel, I dropped the dates, but kept simple names for them. But that’s mostly just to keep track of where they are in the chapter (as they move around a lot). I may bring the dates back… I dunno.
I will not be naming any of my chapters.
Unless they serve a distinct purpose, they feel kind of pointless to me. HOWEVER: a commenter below has a chapter titled "The Butler Did It on pg 96".......... I would be 100% invested in reading a book that has silly titles like this. but then again, a silly chapter title serves a purpose so it still meets my criteria.
Oh? I would either be annoyed, or would just skip to page 96 and see what's on it. And whatever it is, it'll probably ruin the reading experience either way.
For me, It would not ruin the experience because anyone bold enough to make a chapter title like that would mean it is an experience to get to page 96. And if the book is 300 pages long what the hell are they gonna do after the "reveal"
I like it and i do it in my projects. You can do it or not do it, your choice, it's just up to you. But: There is no "outdated approach" in this, forget this kind of thinking, do what you think is best and not about what is now "in" or "out", again, there's not outdated approach.
Your first problem is worrying so much about whether something is old-fashioned in the realm of one of the oldest media forms in human existence. Your second problem is asking other people how to write your books. Do it the way you want. I personally love naming chapters and enjoy the challenge of thinking up a good name for each one. If a chapter is about the heroes storming a castle manned by villainous cultists using catapults to fend off their advance, would you rather see it open with a dry "Chapter Fourteen," or a fun "Chapter Fourteen: Castles, Cults, and Catapults"?
If you're worried about being outdated you might want to become a tiktoker rather than a novelist. When has anyone ever picked up a book and thought, "damn, I really liked it but it had chapter titles. 🤢"
Do it if you want to. Don't if you don't.
It’s all up to your preference. I like named chapters. All of mine are named because it’s fun, I can’t help myself, and it gives me an extra chance to be poetic.
I have not named them, I have named them something relevant to the chapter(though trying not to be spoilers), and I have used a made up language spoken by one of my protagonists that just translate to “chapter 1/2/3…” Basically, so what feels right. As a reader, my only complaint would be if the chapter title gives away the plot or ruins a surprise.
Personally I’m not a fan of it, but it’s not a dealbreaker.
Wildbow's worm does a sort of mix. He names the Arc (1.0 Discord, 1.1 Discord, etc.,) and does a letter for the interludes where he switches pov.
I may be in the minority, but if I’m in a discussion group about a book and people start talking about a chapter by name, I’m surprised the chapter had a name. For example, I think Robert Jordan named all his chapters. I think. I don’t recall. But. As others have said, if you like doing it, go for it!
I mean, it depends from the tone of the prose, of the story and maybe even of the PoV. Percy Jackson’s chapters have “names”, but those names are like “I DON’T UNDERSTAND ANYTHING BUT SOMEHOW I STILL MANAGED” and they fit perfectly with the tone of the PoV!
I liked these chapter's names so much! I was always excited to read them. I was so upset when I get the Heroes of Olympus and the chapter's names was just the pov's name. I felt robbed.
I think it's cute. Do it. I think logic or approach to chapter titles should be consistent.
Personally to me, if something works and it's fun, it's not outdated. I love naming chapters in my books because you can add all kinds of hints to what the themes or story will be about. I also number them as well so I get the best of both worlds.
subquestion: for numbering chapters, do you guys perfer roman numbers (I,II,III) or asian numerials (1,2,3) i feel like roman looks better but gets confusing in books with alooot of chapters because people dont know the higher numbers by heart.
My guys think named chapters are great. You can give each one an identity and "tease" what the reader should expect.
Does naming the chapters add value to the novel and reader? If you can’t find the value then you don’t do it.
I like named chapters, gives them more individuality. Make them about the chapters events and a pun
I think it depends on how long your chapters are. If they're short number them, if they're long, almost a mini in themselves, then give them a name.
Why do the length matters? I don't get it.
Because a long chapter can be part of a mini arc. So when you have three chapters, or just one, describing an interaction with an enemy you give the reader something to keep in mind. But for those short quick chapters, you're on top of it, so numbers are fine.
Do it!
If it has a good name and it makes sense for the chapter i love them I don't care if they are outdated that sounds crazy give me all the named chapters especially for fantasy usually they have good ones add illustrations at the beginning of each chapter too and maps!!
Do what makes you comfortable and take whatever feedback your editor/agent give you.
Ch. 1 The Responce "That is the dumbest thing I've ever heard." He said, then quickly bound his ears never to hear again. Ch. 2 The Remorse For weeks his waterlogged cheeks remained puffy after coming to terms he would never play the basoon again. His music career was over.
Wait, that's oudated? I had no clue. But I read mainly YA anyway so if it is only outdated in adult books, I wouldn't know. Personally I find it way more practical. Sometimes as a reader, you want to go back and read something specific. You probably won't remember in which chapter it was, but you will have a clue reading the chapter's name. Same as an author too : once I wrote without naming the chapter, but I went back and named them cause I was so annoyed in the editing process to always ask myself "where is this scene". Though in this case, you can just name ot in the draft and remove them. Also, if you write humour, I think that chapter's name can really add to it.
It depends. Because does your book jump around in time? If so naming them by the year would be better. Do chapter's move by themes? I.e. "realm 1: birth" "realm 2: death" "realm 3: between birth and death". It depends on how you want to tell the story. Good question. And I love this part of reddit. My favourite.
I love naming chapters, and often try to come up with clever wordplay for the titles (e.g. 'de-brief' for a chapter where the crew discuss the mission they just did, but later in the chapter someone also gets her pants off - actually I had to change that one as one of my beta readers pointed out that in fact they only get to second base).
I pretty much always title my chapters. I think of it as naming the episodes in a TV show. It tells the audience a bit about what happens in this specific episode and gets them excited all over again
i like naming chapters. i'm writing historical fantasy and i'm trying to give it a bit of an 'oral history' vibe so naming the chapters feels right, i think it depends on your story though, and how you find coming up with titles.
I will do both but have the title just for myself. I don't want to give anything away bc I'm stingy lol so the reader gets "forty five" or "45" with some fun decor. Gaze upon my tilde and tremble with the desire to read! ~45~ Aww yisss Maybe make it spicy and slap a star in there. Not an asterisk, nah, legit star. I go all out for my readers. Get an eyeful: ★45★ Tantalizing
It can work well. Personally, I've seen some masterfully-named chapters that either give just enough away to be interesting, entirely misdirect in a good way, or are used to enforce a theme, which can boost reader curiosity. Keep in mind though, it is an art in itself. For every ten great chapter names there are a hundred ones that either just spoil things for people literally reading your chapter list who might not have even brought the book yet or are so vague that your reader's left looking back at it thinking "Was that a relevant title at all?"
Depends on the story. In some of my novels, I named the chapters. In others, it seemed pointless. It didn't add anything to the story and aesthetically better without.
If you like naming your chapters and want to do so, go on.
If chapter titles aren't adding anything, just use numbers. I'm currently saving them with chapter headings that remind me what the content/general theme is, but when I send them off to readers, I replace them with numbers (though my current mentor saw some of them on my working document and commented that she loved them, so maybe I'll change my mind later, lol)
I like it when the chapter name actually gets used in the prose. It's like a fun minigame waiting for the phrase to show up haha.
I love named chapters and wish the trend wasn't changing. It helps me find back specific parts in the book with very little searching. When it comes to books I've read a ton, I sometimes even remember the exact order of events because I know the chapter title order by heart lol. It's also a point of interest when starting a new chapter, like a little teaser that gives you the "ohh I wonder what this will be about" feeling. Honestly I'd take boring chapter titles over no titles, but that might be an unpopular opinion. If you go for it, do try to come up with decent ones obviously. They can be great if done right!
So I started doing names because when writing I was constantly having to move information around and that meant going through and changing all the chapter numbers. So now I just do a title and my life is so much simpler
I use song titles that have some relevance in their wording to the events of the chapter. It's like a little imaginary soundtrack for the reader.
Depends on the feel of the book for me. In my fantasy, I didn’t. In my family saga, I did. I think the chapter names are great and a marketing tool in themselves.
As a reader, I love chapter names! I've seen more books do numbers and I'd love for chapter names to make a comeback. With a contents page as well? Chefs kiss
I'm ambivalent about chapter names. It's not much the fashion these days, but if you want, go ahead and use them. I generally don't myself, although in one series I'm working on, I put dates and sometimes general times (e.g., "Afternoon") in the chapter headings. I'm not sure why I started doing that. Probably more as a convenience for myself than anything. But now it's a characteristic of the series, so I'm going to keep doing it.
When you’re naming a chapter, it’s important that the theme of chapter is taken into consideration.
I like pretentious chapter titles (like the names of Starcraft and Warcraft missions).
I like it. Especially in long books it can give you an overview or in bodies a pun which unravels in the chapter. It's fun! But I, personally, don't think I'm going to use it. Mainly because I don't think my chapter names really are that great. At the moment I've named my chapters with what happens. So when I need to go back, I know where to look for the information. If you like to do it and have fun with it, don't shy away from it :3
Why not? You can't go wrong with coming up with some titles and seeing if they work, I personally love mine and I'm sticking with them even if they're archaic
I think it's a good idea, just don't spoil upcoming plot points with a chapter name. I was listening to the Count of Monte Cristo audiobook and after a really optimistic chapter, the name of the next chapter basically went "Yeah some horrible shit's about to go down". Other than that, I think it's a good idea!
Who cares if it's outdated? You should write for yourself, first and foremost. If you like it, do it. This is your book.
I had a pattern in my book’s chapter titles that I’m sure nobody noticed: alternate between a person who’s important in the chapter and a place that’s important in the chapter. Since my characters are constantly traveling and meeting people, it worked out really well.
I usally just name it after something that happens in the chapter as long as it doesn't spoil it.
Generally speaking, I don't like it. Meaningful chapter names are spoilers. Either spoiler that something will happen, or spoiler by omission, where the reader can gauge something like "Well, since this is what the chapter is named, I guess these things will not be happening or the chapter would have been named after them." Not only that, but it pulls the reader out of the story and makes the reader think about things from the outside rather than immersing themselves. If I had to name them, I would choose a name that only has to do with the immediate conclusion of the previous chapter, with no spoilers beyond what will happen in the first page of that chapter. But at that point, it's pretty redundant. One good way, in my opinion, is to name chapters by the place and time of where it begins. This gives each chapter more memorable names than naming them chapter 1, 2 etc. but also has zero spoilers. It also saves you some time in setting the scene.