I have recently moticed that some authors elect to give each chapter a name (other than 1,2,3. . . of course). Do you name your chapters? Why or why not?
Posted by ArachneWeave (Member # 5469) on :
I don't generally notice chapter titles while I'm reading (not if the book's really good!) but when I want to find a place, I like it if there's a title to help me find it. Though generally I just skim the pages. Ah, I love paper books!
I also enjoy seeing clever chapter titles in books I've gotten to know pretty well. So I often write them just for that effect. The pleasure of a reader. I don't always have the motivation to do it though.
Posted by InarticulateBabbler (Member # 4849) on :
Sometimes I name them. I don't write the chapters in the same file, so I save them separately and I have to name the files something. Sometimes it'll be the PoV, if it changes, or a quick reminder of what the chapter's about. If it's told from one PoV, I might save them all as one.
Posted by darklight (Member # 5213) on :
It depends on the story I write. If I think the story needs them, I'll name chapters. I like to name chapters for children and YA novels, I think kids relate to them more. I've noticed that most new novels don't name chapters, just number them and I think that's why I don't bother so much now.
In a novel that has no chapters (taking a risk with that) I named indivudual or a number of scenes instead for reference points and to break the story up.
Posted by Balthasar (Member # 5399) on :
I love chapter titles. I pay close attention to chapter titles when I read, and all my novels will include them.
Posted by I am destiny on :
i have a hard enough time just coming up with titles for my books let alone chapters. I have a chapter info sheet above my desk that had pg # and a small bit as to what the chapter is about. and one of them is named "Scars" if i did name chapters that one would stick. but those of you that do.... I envy you. I just cant do it. ~destiny
Posted by NoTimeToThink (Member # 5174) on :
I like to have chapter names to help me find my way when I've lost my place. Be careful about the names you use, though - it should be just enough to tell us where we are without giving away what is about to happen. I've read some books with chapter titles that gave everything away, like a bad movie preview that shows you everything that happens in the movie before you even see it; very disappointing.
I tend to view EVERYTHING (Story or book title, chapter headings, cover art, appendices, etc.) pertaining to a story/novel as being part of the whole, and everything should contribute. You can play with your titles if you have a talent (or curse) for being ambiguous. I like to have titles that are just vague enough to have multiple possible meanings, all of which could be valid, and are only become clear once you've read the chapter. It's a little risky (if you don't do it right you might give things away), but if you can pull it off it is almost like another hook for your story.
If you don't want to risk the ambiguous, you can always use a title that tells the reader what has just happened to get to this point, or what is in the first paragraph of the chapter.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
I'm for it---it's something to keep the writer connecting with the reader, assuming he has any. A lotta writers dispense with 'em, but I like it. (If, say, you have a hundred-plus chapters of only a few pages each, matters would be different.)
Of course, one can go too far with titles. "The Simpsons," for example, have clever episode titles that their writers must have spent a good deal of time coming up with---but their viewers wouldn't have seen the titles until the series started coming out on video. And, at the beginning, they couldn't have known that would happen. What's the point?
Posted by JamieFord (Member # 3112) on :
I have 60+ chapters in my book. I title my chapters for ease of editing. It helps when I'm skimming back, checking continuity, etc.
Posted by debhoag (Member # 5493) on :
i have about 40 chapters in the book i am working on right now. Some are funny, some are just markers tor mr, to remind me of what is in them. I was thinking of making all of them reference some famous other book/story, but don't know if I can come up with forty clever, meaningful, arch references (*sigh). Arch are us.
Posted by Mauvemuse (Member # 5488) on :
Right now in my book (a mere 12 chapters and an epilogue) I have just the number and year when it takes p;ace since it spans a long period of time. I don't know if I'm going to keep those though, it just makes it easier when writing.
Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :
I didn't give my chapters titles at first. When I had to look back to confirm information (age, description of people, whether or not I mentioned something before) I realized that it was tough to do without chapter titles. So I went back and named them. It helps me keep track of where stuff is in a 40 chapter book. Whether the chapter titles will stay when the book hits printe (when, if, whatever) who knows. But they're there for now.
Matt
Posted by KayTi (Member # 5137) on :
HOW do you title your chapters? I'm thinking along the lines of the way the Friends episodes are titled... "The one with..."
The writers of Friends did this on purpose at the beginning. They said they used titles that were how people would refer to the show at the water cooler the next day anyway. "The one where Phoebe lost her cat." or "The one with The Kiss." or whatever. I'm making those up, but you get the idea.
Posted by RMatthewWare (Member # 4831) on :
I try to find a few words that sum up what is happening. Some examples "Getting Ready to Leave", "Departure", "Into Battle One More Time", "Going Home". Yeah, basic, maybe not too exciting, but it keeps things straight for me.
Matt
Posted by lehollis (Member # 2883) on :
I'm all for chapter titles, but I usually consider the question of what they will add to the book. Thinking on that might lead to some good ideas about how to do them. In same cases, they can be helpful. For example if the PoV changes frequently, it helps the reader know who they are reading about. (Though I believe OSC has said it should be clear in first sentence of the text who is the PoV.)
Posted by Marzo (Member # 5495) on :
I generally don't notice chapter titles, or use them myself.
The one exception is where the book is a specific niche genre, and the chapter titles are almost "themed," or at least evocative of the genre itself.
The best example I can think of this is in gaslight fiction where the chapter title will allude to the old way of chaptering things, with something along the lines of "In Which Our Hero Discovers Another Use For Shears," etc.
So, unless it adds hefty flavor that'll help immerse the reader, I'm not really big about chapter titles.
