I've basically blocked out my book and to keep things straight in my mind I titled the chapters so I know what scenes/characters are going in that section. But, I don't know if I want to keep the title chapters, some are a bit spoilery as well. I've read books that title their chapters and books that don't, so I know it doesn't really matter and can go either way. But, what do you all prefer? Do you title your chapters or just use plain numbers?
I have enough issues titling my books. I would never get anywhere if I had to come up with titles for each individual chapter.
My 'chapters' are short stories, so it only makes sense to title them. Titling isn't that difficult, because every short has a purpose and a message, just as I think every proper chapter should have. ETA: Let's not start a flame war about 'proper chapters' vs 'improper chapters'
I don't have a preference when reading. When I write, I use names to label them in Scrivener, and at the last minute I decide to use those labels in the compiled output. They allude to people or events. Some are a little bit bit spoilerish, but not of anything important. And some are only true "from a certain point of view" -- that is, they're a little misleading.
I feel chapter titles spoil the work more often then not. A lot of book's story-lines can literally be read from the chapter index. The titles can show the course of the story and betray interest or investment by the reader. I'm not a fan of them at all. The Mysterious Island and many other books are plagued by this issue.
Personally I find that titled chapters give books a bit more personality. That said, I'm not a fan of spoilery chapter titles. I'd prefer plain ol' numbers over spoilers any day.
I think if it suits the story go for it. There was a kind of suspense/tension in reading Charlie and the Chocolate factory and seeing things like Augustus Gloop goes up the Pipe and thinking what pipe? If they're too spoiler-y though then I'd switch them or use numbers. For my first novel I gave my titles chapters specifically to keep track of scenes during the storyline phase and they stuck. Some were vague, odd, or relating to pieces of evidence - Blue Bibi, Iggie and Yililah, The Mermaid Postcard and What the Blind Man Saw. But I made sure not to give away key plot points so that if I had a chapter list the reader wouldn't just skim ahead to a stupidly named chapter - And the Killer is …
I've been writing my novel with chapter titles, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to take them out when I'm done. Although they can be fun to write and help guide a writer and stay focused, I've come to realize that these chapter titles are for me. I think the story will be more streamlined without them.
I think when I finish my book I'll see how I like the chapter titles and if not take them out, and if I do decide to keep them, I'll definitely take out the spoilery ones and replace them with neutral titles. I agree that having titles that spoil can be detrimental. I do like the idea of having titles that lend to suspense, get the reader interested in what it could possibly mean.
I go out of my way to ignore them, because too many authors give away spoilers. I prefer no chapter titles, or generic ones such as date and place.
If you want to see chapter titling raised to something of an art form, look up Kurt Vonnegut's earlier works, particularly Mother Night and Cat's Cradle. He'd use them as punch lines, either to spin the last chapter or make a wry comment on the following one.
