CHAPTER 1…
Chapter titles—some people love them, some people could care less if a book has them. Some agents/editors like them, some do not Vicki Motter. Absolute Write has a whole discussion on them here. So does NaNoWriMo. Nathan Bransford took a poll which showed that 39% of the respondees loved them, 37% didn’t or skipped them, and 22% had no opinion. Pretty split down the middle…
For me, good (operative word here) titles set the tone, boost excitement, and/or give a quick window into what’s going to happen even if it’s not the way the reader thinks (like a twist on the actual meaning of the title). Personally, I like to use numbered titles with a one or two-word title (so as not to give away too much). Since the English language is so full of homonyms, playing with titles that have double meanings or those not-what-you’d-first-think meanings are extra fun.
Originally, I had not titled the chapters of my first or second book (WIP sequel). I had just numered them, which was sort of surprising given that I love to read chapter titles in other books. When I started a third, totally different, manuscript and did title the chapters, I was pleased. Not only were they fun to create, but they provided sign posts for each section. My crit partners had good things to say about my chapter titles (and I have some pretty darned top-notch crit partners!), so I decided to revisit my first books on this topic. Because I knew the manuscripts better than the lines on my forehead, the process proved easy. It also rejuvenated my enthusiasm for the stories :-).
So, what about you, chapter titles or not?
