Chapter titles?

[Incanus]

This is hardly a crucial matter, but I was just curious. Two questions.

--Are any of you who are working of novels using titles for individual chapters?

--Are chapter titles used less often these days?

In my current WIP, my chapters are kind of shortish, so I haven't been naming them. But I may later combine them to make larger, and fewer, chapters overall. In that case I might give them titles.

 

[pmmg]

I dont have chapters, I have parts. (whats the difference? well...if you saw it, you would know). I have names for the parts, so there are part titles, but I am not happy with all of them. Some I know I will change in editing.

Mr. Martin tends to name his section after just the character name, so you know who its about. I sometimes wish I had done this. It would add clarity at times.

I have no idea if its more or less common. I think its just a per individual thing.

(Incidentally, I did not originally have title names for the parts. A web site I posted too way back when required them, and thats when I started using them.)

 

[Finchbearer]

I’m undecided about this right now. I’d prefer to go with parts, and seeing as book 1 is inspired by the seasons of the year, four parts would make sense, and then I’d separate each sub section with breaks throughout the formatting. I don’t want to do traditional numbered chapters, but there’s also nothing wrong with using them. I also think that for specific genres, like fantasy, it can be more evocative to get creative. I want the reader to open up my books, pour over the maps, and be intrigued by the choice of story structure. I would like it to be experiential and not typical.

 

[Penpilot]

I used them, but they're mostly for myself, so I can recall what the chapter is about at a glance. Whether I keep them for the final product or not tends to be 50/50

 

[Michael K. Eidson]

A reader of one of my novels inquired as to why I hadn't used chapter titles. I concluded it was laziness on my part. Since then, I've been making more of an effort to use them.

 

[Incanus]

I dont have chapters, I have parts. (whats the difference? well...if you saw it, you would know). I have names for the parts, so there are part titles, but I am not happy with all of them. Some I know I will change in editing.

Mr. Martin tends to name his section after just the character name, so you know who its about. I sometimes wish I had done this. It would add clarity at times.

I have no idea if its more or less common. I think its just a per individual thing.

(Incidentally, I did not originally have title names for the parts. A web site I posted too way back when required them, and thats when I started using them.)

You raise some good points, pmmg. I've seen a novel or two that didn't have chapter breaks at all. So there's that option.

The chapter-title-is-the-POV-character-name thing: Stephen R. Donaldson did it before GRRM, but it would still seem like ripping off Martin if I came across it again.

And I've seen 'Parts' used before as well.

pmmg--I'm curious to know about how long your parts run? I'm assuming something different than typical chapter lengths, otherwise there wouldn't be much to distinguish them.

 

[pmmg]

pmmg--I'm curious to know about how long your parts run? I'm assuming something different than typical chapter lengths, otherwise there wouldn't be much to distinguish them.

In book 1, the parts are roughly 20-25k words. Now in book 4, there are running close to 35K.

Book 4 is an anomaly though...they've been mostly in the 20's for the other books.



Each part has many scenes. If you were a reader, there would be many natural stopping places, they just are not chapters. If you are one who has to read until the author stops to take a break, you have about 20-30k words to read.

 

[Finchbearer]

I’m reading a book with compass points as new chapter indicators. Get creative!

 

[Jackarandajam]

The chapter-title-is-the-POV-character-name thing: Stephen R. Donaldson did it before GRRM, but it would still seem like ripping off Martin if I came across it again.

I don't think it would be ripping off anybody, I'm pretty sure I've seen this several times.
I may do all three, as in:

- Chapter 1 -
Bill: An Unprotected Marty

- Chapter 2 -
Beau: Scribbles in the Park

- Chapter 3 -
Bill: Route of the Scrying Fan​

 

[Mad Swede]

I don't use chapter titles, and I only have chapters because my editor insisted on this. Looking back she was quite right, using chapters helps structure the story in a way that makes it easier for readers to read when they have a moment so keeping them interested in the book even when they're busy.

 

[The Dark One]

I love chapter titles.

I always try to find the most apposite and transcendant phrase within each chapter which somehow best represents that chapter and doubles as a chapter title.

For example, Ch 1 of my WIP is: Unrealistic and Pointless Dreams

Ch 3 is The First of Her Secret Desires

Works for me.

 

[Ban]

My current work is divided in three parts, which each have chapters. While I am writing the story I do use titled chapters, wherein I mention the location the chapter is set in. I plan to remove these titles when the work is completed, replacing them with Roman numerals. The three parts will retain their titles.

 

[Prince of Spires]

I think viewpoint character name as chapter title has been gaining popularity. GRR Martin probably played some role in therethiugh he's by no means the first or only one to use it. I think the main reason for going with character names is if the view point and switching it is the point of the chapter. Game of thrones very much is about these deep POV's. The location very much is "in the character's head".

If you don't do this, and you don't switch viewpoint character pretty much each chapter, or you have only 2 of them, then doing so doesn't make any sense. It's wouldn't work in Lord of the Rings for instance.

Another option is location name. This is mainly used when there are a bunch of different, distinct locations. Giving the location name then helps ground the reader in where they are the moment the chapter starts, similar to giving a character name immediately places you in the character's head.

The other options generally are either number, or reference to event that will happen in the chapter. Or both of course.

All in all, it matters very little. Do what you like. I have even seen Terry Pratchett (in some later books where he actually uses chapters) give a list of spoilers for the chapter. Though they were so vague and random that they just added to the comedic effect. You can do basically anything, as long as you've given it some little thought.

 

[JBCrowson]

I use chapter titles, which are essentially a geographical, or occasionally a time, location e.g "Imperial Palace, Q' Amolis, year 132 of the second dynasty".

An associated question is does anyone (else) use chapter quotes? I like them, I use them to add worldbuilding, occasionally to suggest how a character might end up (e.g. a young musician in the story is quoted as a bard, implying they have been successful in their musical career).

 

[pmmg]

Quotes as in, where there is some cryptic passage and its attributed to some figure from the past, or a holy book or such?

I do not use these, and like everything, I suppose, they are hit an miss too. Some I have liked and some not. Last book I read that had these heavily, was....Eve of Snows.

 

[Dankolisic]

Currently I have sixteen chapters with names that are crucial for the chapter. Some of them will be assimilated into one, some will be divided, but I think I will keep the names.

 

[The Dark One]

Quotes as in, where there is some cryptic passage and its attributed to some figure from the past, or a holy book or such?

I do not use these, and like everything, I suppose, they are hit an miss too. Some I have liked and some not. Last book I read that had these heavily, was....Eve of Snows.

In my first ever (not published) novel. Every chapter title was accompanied by an aphorism from a book I invented for the story called The Way.

They were probably the coolest part of the story.