DO you prefer chapter titles or just numbers.

Billycourty · Dec 19, 2011

I have written a novel and I have named each Chapter. Now I am wondering if listing the chapters as:

Chapter One
Chapter Two

Who look cleaner.

It is an adult fantasy book.

What are your personal preferences?

Bufty · Dec 19, 2011

It doesn't matter a hoot and I have absolutely no preference at all.

Check the novels on your bookshelf.

SBibb · Dec 19, 2011

Totally depends on the story. Sometimes it adds to it, sometimes it doesn't.

mgberg · Dec 19, 2011

Depends on the story, I'd say.
I've loved it in some books I've read and hated it in others. I think I like it when titles sort of fit with the tone of book. But titles aren't that common, right?

A great classic example is Winnie the Pooh... But then that's a kids' book (some people say).
I can't think of any grown up examples right now, sorry.

/mg

Phaeal · Dec 19, 2011

I just number, but I don't care if a writer uses chapter titles. If the titles are witty, that's a plus. A little foreshadowing via chapter title can be enticing, as long as you don't blow suspense by giving away too much.

Chapter titling is an example of a thing so easy for an editor to delete or change that it's not worth worrying about. Like it? Go for it.

bearilou · Dec 19, 2011

TBH, as a reader, all I care about is that the chapters breaks be clear. Titles or numbers or quotes...doesn't really matter to me.

robjvargas · Dec 19, 2011

Seems like preference to me.

I can imagine stories where chapter titles make more sense (i.e. they can set the tone for a chapter). But overall, seems like a matter of the style and preferences of the writer.

Jamesaritchie · Dec 19, 2011

I prefer numbers, only because too many who give chapters titles either give away too much information in the title, or make the title confusing.

So give me numbers. I'll know everything I need to know about the chapter by reading it.

MamaStrong · Dec 19, 2011

One of the only things that bothered me about Breaking Dawn, the author chose to write titles as if the speaker was talking. Something like, " should have known this would have happened" or something like that. Annoying.

I prefer numbers.

dangerousbill · Dec 19, 2011

Billycourty said:
What are your personal preferences?

I don't care, but I like it when authors come up with witty chapter titles (something I don't do well myself).

Jonathan Figaro · Dec 19, 2011

Same here...as long as the story is great and can keep my attention. Than...hey...do as one pleases.

Bufty said:
It doesn't matter a hoot and I have absolutely no preference at all.

Check the novels on your bookshelf.

Billycourty · Dec 19, 2011

Thanks for sharing your opinions! I have books on my shelves but I don't have readers!

Grunkins · Dec 19, 2011

I prefer whatever is right for the story.

Mackenzie · Dec 19, 2011

I like chapter titles when they contribute something or are cleverly done. I tried it once, but they fell flat, so I went back to numbers. Now I've even gone from writing out the number to just using numerals. Makes it easier when I have to re-number the chapters after cutting and pasting . . . or losing count.

LadyDae · Dec 19, 2011

It the titles come easy for the most part, I give them names. If they don't I just number them and be done with it. I have no real preference, as long as the chapter breaks make sense, I could care less about a chapter title.

Alpha Echo · Dec 19, 2011

I prefer numbers. I really just skip past the titles and/or numbers and start at the beginning of the chapter. Even chapters that are started with quotes...I end up reading the first few quotes but then not even noticing them. It's not that I'm really doing it on purpose, my eyes just automatically head to the beginning of the first paragraph of the chapter.

aurinko · Dec 19, 2011

I also just skip over titles most of the time. And when I do read them, I tend to usually find them absolutely unimpressive. Most author attempts to come up with Totally Poetic or Totally Witty chapter titles tend to just fall flat for me.

Ken · Dec 19, 2011

... am reading one with chpt titles now. They're kinda neat, except for one thing. The titles sorta give away what's going to happen to some extent. In general though I still like titles. Lots of YA books I read have them.

Grunkins · Dec 19, 2011

I couldn't imagine A Tale of Two Cities without chapter titles. I couldn't imagine For Whom the Bell Tolls having chapter titles (I also couldn't imagine it with just "1" instead of "Chapter One").

Tepelus · Dec 19, 2011

Doesn't matter to me. For my Historical Fantasy WIP I'm using dates as chapter titles, mainly for my benefit since the story spans years and I tend to forget what year or time of year the chapter takes place. Labeling them with the date solves that problem. Will be helpful for any future readers too, I'm sure.

Button · Dec 19, 2011

For one book, I'm planning section titles. I don't think I'll have specific titles for each chapter.

For another book, I plan to have title chapters.

For the book I'm shopping now, it's numbered.

Totally depends on the book.

My fantasies tend to lean toward named chapters but this isn't the rule.

elindsen · Dec 19, 2011

For the book that's being published, I had to do chapter titles because it was written in 1st person. Person with two narratives so I named them for the readers sake. I do love writing chapter titles although I will admit it can be hard coming up with names that don't give away

Shadow_Ferret · Dec 19, 2011

For reading? I don't care. Whatever the author does.

For me when I write? Numbers. I have a hard enough time thinking of a title for the story itself without trying to come up with another 20 or 25 titles for the chapters.

CChampeau · Dec 19, 2011

Grunkins said:
I prefer whatever is right for the story.

I'm not sure how you would determine whether numbers or titles are better for denoting chapters based on the story itself, though. BTW, awesome avatar

jjdebenedictis · Dec 19, 2011

I prefer numbers (either as numerals or written out.)

That's only because I hate anything that interrupts my immersion in the story, and if there's a chapter title, I often stop to try to puzzle out what it might mean.

Which sucks, because sometimes the title is a mild spoiler for that chapter. I want to know nothing in advance.

DO you prefer chapter titles or just numbers.

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