@peachalulu - We still haven't established just how unusual chapter titles actually are. My impression is that, even now, they are more common than some would have us believe. At best, I think we can say that they are included less frequently than they are excluded. @Wreybies - in certain genres, such as those I mentioned earlier, I think you are right, which is why I would never expect to see chapter titles in them. However, I can safely say that, in my current project, neither the chapter titles nor the working title of the novel could be considered a spoiler. @GingerCoffee - the last thing I wanted to do was revisit the "Italics for Thoughts" kerfuffle. But when someone I respect a great deal says you shouldn't do something that I am, in fact, doing, I like to clarify things. And since the topic has come up a few times here, I thought it would be good to do it here. Fortunately, I think we've managed so far to avoid the rancor of the Italics discussion and I hope we continue to do so.
I was not commenting on the thread, I was commenting on the claim that a preference equated to poor writing skills. And I brought up the italics thread because the same unsubstantiated accusation was made there: "sloppy," "poor skills," "amateurish." I do think we can discuss style and preferences without insulting people for making different choices, don't you?
I'm of the general opinion that if you read enough fiction, you will see just about anything and everything done somewhere in a traditionally-published novel (and not just in novels by established writers who can get away with anything, but in lesser known or even first-time authors). Thus, empirically, it seems to me that the right answer for any question of this sort is that if you do it well, you can certainly do it. The only thing that matters, ultimately, is whether it works for the story. Yes, you may run afoul of pet peeves of various editors by doing certain things, but I'm not sure it is desirable to alter the work based on that fact. If you want chapter titles, use them. If you use them effectively, I don't think readers will be put off by them, regardless of genre. The same holds true for other stylistic or artistic choices you may make in writing your story.
you understood my post perfectly, jpeter... some of the dissenters seem to have overlooked or misinterpreted: 'if the chapter titles aren't warranted..." and i was not referring to the date/day/time type of chapter 'headings' but only the phrase type such as you see in a child's chapter book, or some adult fantasy/sci-fi novels, that are a distinct rarity among other genre adult market novels nowadays... i should have been more specific, i guess... foolishly assumed most would see what i wrote in the same light as you did... thanks for the elucidation!... may i count on you to explain all of my too-vague posts from now on? love and hugs, maia
Ed - Could be me, and my weirdo reading habits, I don't stick to a genre and I'm kinda picky so I'd never see how prevalent it could actually be. From what I recall I've seen them in Flowers in the Attic, some sci-fi, Ya and I think J.G. Ballard used them in his end-of-the-world type stories. I'm all for them if they serve the book well. Sometimes they're even necessary to keep order of place or a switch in pov. And am I crazy for admitting they're great for a reader who loves to reread a story and or really study a book?
I've given a chapter a name, as opposed to a number, but only for my own personal reference, so that I can remember which period it is in the timescale of my novel. I've called it 'One year later.' I might leave it like that or eventually give it a chapter number.
