Naming chapters - Powerful or pretentious?

I think whether or not to title your chapters depends on the kind of book you're writing and what kind of chapters titles you want to use. Maybe adult books don't normally have titled chapters, but that doesn't mean you can't pull it off. It can be bad if the name of the chapter gives away too much, but if the writer is careful to avoid that, I don't see why it should be a problem.

I have no doubts that agents and publishers will poo poo it, but for every writing convention there is there's also at least one famous author out there who broke it and still wrote an amazing story. Should you do it because they did it? No, but if you really want to do it that way, take heart in the fact that it can probably be done again.

That being said, chapter titles aren't worth a huge fight. If they're going to make your life more difficult, I would just drop them. What they could potentially add to your story isn't worth butting heads with publishers.

 

It does not matter to me if chapters in a novel that I am reading are named or numbered. When I write I will always use titles to chapters as I find them to be the cute little tea doilies on the table I am setting. However, I tend to name chapters using a standard template for my writing style - 1 word titles that convey simply the overall theme of the novel (or in the case of short stories/poems it will be simply the name of the piece I am writing) so as not to give away any major plot points contained within the chapter.

I cannot fathom how someone can become distracted in their reading simply by a titled chapter. I am not minimizing people who do become distracted - only that I cannot see how that can happen from my point of view.

 

If the agent/publisher likes the novel, but not the titles, wouldn't they just tell you that it will be better for them to be numbered? Nothing more hazardous could happen, could it?

 

While in a perfect world this would logically be true, agents and editors get so many submissions (vastly more than they could ever hope to represent or place in the publication schedule) that many look for a reason to say "no" and pass on a submission and get onto the next in the never-ever-ending slush/submission pile.

Trying to avoid the quick "no" by following guidelines exactly, having the first chapters, cover letter and synopsis as perfect and on target as possible, etc., is what every writer should strive to do. I believe what Mammamaia is indicating is that the use of titles for chapters in an adult novel, may not be normally what agents/editors that represent/publish such adult novels deal with, expect or look.

Even worse, they may immediately (and mistakenly) peg it as a YA or such novel which they don't deal with and pass on it. Unfortunately, it is quite common for authors to send mansucripts of the wrong genre, age-level, length, etc., making the result described in the previous paragraph quite possible as reading slush is a process managed as quickly as possible. Again, to find a reason to say, "No." Don't give that reason and keep the editor/agent reading...

A tactic that might be employed would be to go to the bookstore and read the acknowledgements, which sometimes lists agents (or for SF/Fantasy read Locus Magazine which lists which agent representing which author sold what novel to which editor at which publisher) and see which agents/editors represented or purchased recently a novel or two with titles for chapters, on the notion that they'd be more open from the start to such.

Terry

 

I'm naming mine because it is mock non-fiction and it helps with the "soul" of my book. They are also kind of humorous and help with grabbing the reader. If I ever write a more serious novel, I probably won't title each chapter.

 

i have to ditto all terry said... he explains exactly why i said not to do it for adult fiction...

 

Fair enough, Terry. I just thought I'd ask. Once again, I learn never to doubt maia

 

Jwatson,

Sometimes knowing why something works the way it does is important too. You'd never know if you didn't ask. Plus, it allows you to make your own evaluation based on other information you might have come across or experiences you've had.

Terry

 

never say never, jw!... i actually was wrong once... it was the time i thought i was wrong... ;-)