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Gae Polisher asked:
"Chapter Titles or Simply Numbers?"
Look at the tiger above. What is his story?
The image is striking but tells little about what is going on in his head or around him.
But if you are like me, you wonder about his story.
If you can get your reader interested in what happens in the next chapter,
you are on your way to crafting a real page-turner.
Page turners create word of mouth which helps sell books.
In my first Victor Standish novel, one chapter is entitled:
"First Meetings and Last Rites."
It details Victor's first meeting with the ghoul, Alice Wentworth, in a midnight graveyard.
In the above novel, the chapter which highlights Victor's quick thinking is entitled,
"Open Graves and Job Opportunities."
I use chapter titles because of my own reading history.
1) CHAPTER TITLES
ATTRACTED MY ATTENTION
WHEN DECIDING TO BUY A BOOK
Most readers, even on Amazon, are browsers before they buy.
The first few chapter titles will give the reader
an inkling if your story sounds intriguing enough to buy.
2) TITLES FOCUSED THE OVER-ALL TONE
OF THE BOOK FOR ME
Chapter titles which were clever, funny, or intriguing
hinted at those elements being all through the meat of the story.
Baited hooks catch more fish.
3) CHAPTER TITLES SKETCHED
IN THE STORY WORLD
OF THE NOVEL
I WAS CONSIDERING BUYING.
The chapter titles hinted at the world the characters found themselves in.
They evoked the spirit of those characters.
They whispered of the dangers and adventures awaiting them ...
and me if I chose to buy the book.
QUESTION:
On flipping through my book above, what would intrigue you more?
Chapter 3
or
Chapter 3:
Wasn't Nobody Coming To Save Us
MOST NO LONGER USE
CHAPTER TITLES
DO YOU?
WOULD YOU CONSIDER
USING THEM NOW?
As a reader, it doesn't matter to me either way. I admit I don't use titles in mine. Until the story is polished and done, I don't even know where I am making chapter breaks.
ReplyDeleteEach of us has his or hers own style. Chapters help the pace of the story for me. How are things, Alex? Survive Black Friday? :-)
DeleteMy books have them, but chapter titles aren't vital to me. Over half of the books I've formatted for either clients or DLP didn't have titles. I loved that, as no table of contents required for the print book then.
ReplyDeleteAnything that might entice a reader to buy my book is a good thing to me. I hate that it is awkward for you publishers. :-(
DeleteWhen I serialized what ended up being a novel on my old blog, I did use chapter titles, but I generally don't use them.
ReplyDeleteI suppose I thought that each chapter ending would make my reader want to turn the page, but I never considered that chapter titles could aid in leading people to purchase a book. Now that I read this post, I see your point.
When listed in the table of contents, chapter titles can tease the potential reader to buy our books I think.
DeleteI am a chapter title fan, though it's not a necessity. I like that they can read like a poem of the book, if that makes sense?
ReplyDeleteNo, it makes perfect sense. :-)
Delete