Chapter Titles: Yes or No?
Hi, Everyone! I’m sorry I haven’t written in a while. I won’t be writing every week, but when inspiration hits, there will be a new post and I hope you’ll visit.
When you’re reading a book, do you like chapter titles or not? I realized recently that I love them.
I’m obsessed with Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series. I’m on the third book, Voyager. When I read the title of the chapter I’m on now, “I Meet a Priest,” it sparked so many questions. Where will she meet this priest? When? What role will he play in her life?
So, as part of my efforts to present a new and improved version of my book, Is This All There Is?, to my wonderful new publisher, Booktrope, who I’m so grateful to for taking me on, I decided to add chapter titles.
I reread the book and created titles that would either convey the overall theme or one critical moment in each chapter.
I’ll share the chapter titles I came up with below.
But first, will you please answer my question quickly in the comments? Do you like chapter titles or not and why? It’s okay to disagree! I know you’re all readers and many of you are writers as well, so I’d love to know what you think.
Oh, and I’m also hard at work on the sequel, so I hope you’ll read it when it’s ready. I’m shooting for this summer.
One last thing… here’s a fabulous resource my brilliant book manager, Sárka-Jonae Miller shared with me. Title Case Universal Converter You can paste any text into it and it’ll tell you the proper title case!
Thanks for reading,
Patricia
New Chapter Titles for Is This All There Is?
Chapter 1: No Kiss for Me
Chapter 2: Childhood Memories
Chapter 3: A Dinner Date
Chapter 4: Distracted Mommy
Chapter 5: An Unexpected Change
Chapter 6: Let’s Dance
Chapter 7: Playing With Fire
Chapter 8: The Aftermath
Chapter 9: Weaning Wars
Chapter 10: Guilty Pleasure
Chapter 11: Finding an Accomplice
Chapter 12: A Surprise Visit
Chapter 13: Sudden Interest
Chapter 14: Cyberspace Meetups
Chapter 15: Confession
Chapter 16: Cheating Fathers
Chapter 17: Who Will You Be?
Chapter 18: Psychic Predictions
Chapter 19: Mothers’ Worst Fears
Chapter 20: Letting Boys Be Boys
Chapter 21: Haunting Dreams
Chapter 22: Three Little Words
Chapter 23: Crossing Over
Chapter 24: Silly Love Songs
Chapter 25: Letting Go
Chapter 26: Caught
Chapter 27: Lies Become Truth
Chapter 28: Consequences
Chapter 29: Anger’s Lust
Chapter 30: Cutting Off Contact
Chapter 31: No More Pretending
Chapter 32: Help Arrives
Chapter 33: Endings and Beginnings
14 Comments
Good question!
I never read chapter titles – I just plow straight into the story.
Congratulations on your publisher, by the way 🙂
I enjoy chapter titles, as long as they make sense. If I’m constantly puzzling over them, however, trying to figure out why a certain chapter is called what it is, they annoy me, and I stop reading them. But clever ones that make me curious about what’s going to happen in the chapter and keep me reading AND actually make sense are pretty cool.
Hope you’ll come back to answer, Corie! 😉 Brea, I truly value and appreciate your input. I’ve learned so much from you. What you wrote makes so much sense. Being clever and stirring curiosity are excellent goals for chapter titles. I’ll definitely keep that in mind!
As a reader, I really enjoy chapter titles – especially if they are intriguing, or in the case of a humorous book I love it if they’re funny. Sometimes they really suck you in to that next chapter and keep you reading! I do try to not read them all ahead of time though when I start a book, because sometimes they can set up expectations of where the story might go. (Not necessarily be spoiler-y, but just get my mind racing too far ahead as to what might happen.)
As a writer, I love to include them in my books, but they can be tough! It’s hard to come up with 30 extra titles for a book, but it’s fun to try and figure them out. Did you have a hard time coming up with any of yours?
Oh, I’ve pondered over this question, too! While I enjoy chapter titles, I think that they have to be done right, without giving too much away just by the name. I’ve read a lot of books that give too much away, and reading the chapter was pointless. If it’s done right (like the titles look for your book), then it’s okay, and can be a great read.
By the way, I’ve missed your blog posts. 🙂
Good to know, Ceri. I was hoping to get a variety of opinions. Thanks for your input and the congratulations. Thanks again for your very, very kind review of the book too!
Jackie, I agree. Chapter titles get me excited about the next chapter, but they should’t give too much away, as you said, Isabella. I think my chapter 26 title suffers from that problem, but it comes out in the first lines of that chapter anyway as long as a reader doesn’t read titles ahead of time, hopefully it won’t spoil things too much.
It made me so, so, so happy to read that you’ve missed my posts, Isabella. You’re too kind. That inspires me to keep writing. You’re the best. Can’t wait to start reading The Right Design, by the way! I need to get my act together to find time to indulge in my true love – reading!
Jackie, great question about whether I found it hard to come up with the titles. Strangely, no. I would read each chapter and something would immediately pop into my head. But maybe that’s because I’ve been living with this book out there and reader reactions, etc. for over a year. I think it’s proving harder with the new book, actually.
I’m personally not a fan of chapter titles – don’t ask me why. I think I associate them with children’s books. Having said that, they wouldn’t put me off reading a book.
Thanks for your input and honesty, Ruth. I hoped someone would disagree and let me know why. I can definitely understand the association with children’s books. Very interesting! Glad to hear they wouldn’t put you off though.
I have never used chapter titles in my books, but that may be because I’m bad with coming up with titles for anything. I do enjoy reading them in other peoples’ books sometimes. Other times, I don’t really notice them, as I’m anxious to get to the story.
Thanks for that input, Mary. I love the variety of opinions I’ve gotten!