The opening line should hook the reader not the chapter title. Same goes for the final line in a chapter. As for names I don't use them except for working purposes. I typically name the chapter after some random object or situation in the chapter because it helps me remember what is where while I'm editing and shifting things around. Once it's finished it's just chapter one, chapter two, chapter three, and so on.
But, but, in Harry Potters the chapters were named... Personally I love chapter names, and I love that the author has taken time to think them up, and I love to make them up myself (omg, does this mean I'm using a crutch to keep my non-interesting chapters interesting? Wait, come to think of it... never mind.). The dystopian novel I'm reading right now, Metro 2033 also has chapter names, and it's not YA or sword-and-damsels fantasy. I love to work it out what the chapter name is referring to and why the author has maybe possibly picked it. The name can be something that your character says. In my French character's chapters, all the names are in French. Maybe the name can be the first thing that comes to your mind about the chapter, then just dress it prettily and use it.
Harry Potter was not written for adults, even though adults read the series, and fantasy is fantasy even when there are no swords and damsels. You just proved my point. The other reason you see chapter titles is when the novel originally appears as a serial in a magazine or on a blog. Dickens' and Trollope's works were usually serialised in magazines before being published as full novels.
they almost always come to me unbidden... make themselves known either before [book title] or as i write [chapter titles]... but i wouldn't be using chapter titles unless i'm writing a children's chapter book, or non-fiction...
My take on it is that of course your writing should hook the reader. If the writing is not good, then no amount of interesting chapter titles will keep them. I personally like to use chapter titles because if it is done correctly, it can give you the gist of a story without actually revealing anything- kind of like previews for a movie or "next week on..." for TV. Sure the book jacket is there to do that, but its alot faster and easier to read the table of contents than a long and exceptionally vague excerpt. The key is that is has to be done right though. I tend to try and use either the title of a character (one of my chapters is called "The Emperor's Advisor") or a play on a well known but related phrase to what happens within the chapter (my final chapter is titled "What Once Was Lost"). So I really think, as with all writing mechanics, it comes down to personal style and taste. Some people dislike chapter names, some like them, and some just don't care.
I suppose you are correct. Personally I like to smack my readers upside the head with the plot and give them no hints.
Hi, I don't use them, think they're unecessary. But then I got hit with a bombshell from Amazon which I still haven't got around to addressing. They wanted a table of contents, or apparently a reader did. At that point I tried to explain to them that a TOC for a book without them would look something like chapter numbers linked to page numbers, or put another way a double column of numbers seperated by dots. I've let the matter drop for the moment in the hope that it will all blow over. But if it doesn't I suppose in order to give them a TOC I'm actually going to have to come up with some chapter titles or else my opening page will look like a complete accountants wet dream! So maybe there's one reason for them. Cheers, Greg.
Metro is actually a Russian novel, so maybe they have other conventions in fiction there. It's clearly an adults' novel (surprised me a bit when a high schooler actually recommended it, oh well). The novel does other things "wrong" as well (oh the poor reader has to remember so many long Russian place and character names, why weren't they "Westernized" for us, the dumb, short-attention-spanned folk) but it's been a huge success, I think they even made a video game of it, and so far the novel's been absolutely amazing. Goes to show that not every recommendation or rule out there is worth heeding. Of course if a publisher went like, "the titles have to go or we won't publish your book", yeah, they would go. And then maybe return for Amazon if they wanted a TOC...
Does anyone know how gothic titles are usually made? And by that I mean like are gothic titles usually based on the setting or the protagonist's character or what because I am currently writing a gothic (or horror) novel and I am trying to research gothic titles. Thanks in advance
There isn't a unique way of titling a gothic horror novel, if that is what you're asking for. It's no different from deciding on a title for any other story. Yesterday I sat in on a presentation on fiction writing, and the speaker said that after initially using a 'clever' title (jargon) that he found many of his beta readers didn't understand, he researched into naming techniques and decided that using a phrase/line that actually appears in the text is the most effective away of titling a story. I wouldn't necessarily agree with this, but you may find it useful.
I've been having a hard time coming up with something creative and emotionally striking for my essay. The whole point of my essay is: * Free yourself from insecurities * Don't try to be what you aren't * Don't try to make yourself beautiful for the society; you are beautiful no matter what * Stay as you are, don't change yourself for others, don't change yourself just to "fit in" * Boost up some confidence, physical beauty isn't what makes a person beautiful * Cheer up, sad soul, there's some light in this darkness * You're only pulling yourself back
Go do something that personifies the drive of your essay, such as walk into a clown bar wearing all black. Be in tune with your surroundings and your inner dialog. A title will come to you.
You sound like you've never been to one. You haven't fallen till you tripped over a pair of size 15s into a custard pie!
Hi all, I'm writing a teenage real-life book (kind of Jacqueline Wilson style) but am stuck for a name for it. It would be great if you could offer suggestions because I am completely at a loss at the moment. Had to use one of these to conjure up a name for my last book. Here's the synopsis: Ellie's life seems to always be going from bad to worse. Her parents are always arguing, her sister is out every night partying, she's failing in school and now she's fallen out with her best friend. She truly feels alone. That is, until she meets friendly park keeper Jim, who, along with beautiful Terrier Flossie, manage to take her mind off of her horrible home life. Things are beginning to look up, but is her relationship with Jim all it seems? Or could this friendship be the very thing to tear Ellie's life apart forever? Thanks guys, hope you can help. Steve.
First of all, have you finished writing the book? If you haven't, or haven't even started, I urge you to do so. It'll be far easier to title your book when you have finished it, as you will have a better feel for the theme and characters, and what you feel are the most important aspects of the story (which you can then include as a short title on the front cover). Even so, look and Google for ideas on how to title it (once you've finished writing!): http://www.google.co.uk/#q=how+to+create+a+good+story+title&spell=1&sa=X&ei=_0e8UamuCoKlPeG5gOAI&ved=0CCgQvwUoAA&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=1a3d9ad4e3ef4fa8&biw=1920&bih=957 Welcome to the forums!
What Thomas and Maia said. Finish it first. If you really have to have a working title (I find I usually do, if only to have a name for the subdirectory on my desktop), then pick any word or phrase that sums up your project, but do not spend more than 30 seconds on it. As you work, you may very well find that you come up with a better working title. If so, go with it. This may happen a few times throughout the project, and that's fine, too. In the end, you may find a word or phrase in the work that summarizes it nicely. Or some other word or phrase in general usage will seem appropriate. But in the list of the things you need to do to ensure a quality project, this is at the very bottom. Good luck.
