Chapter Titles?
Like ’em? Hate ’em? Never even notice ’em?
Just curious as to how many of you read chapter titles? I’m guessing not too many. Myself, I love them. A well written or humorous one is something I enjoy greatly. If it is based on a line from the chapter, I find myself watching for it, and it becomes an “Ah! There it is!” moment. It doesn’t distract me from what I’m reading, but my “ear” recognizes it when I get to it.
Since I like them so much, I’m planning to use them in my own book, but I thought it would be fun to know how others see—or don’t see—them.
How about you? How do you feel about chapter titles?
Bookin' It 
I love them if they are well done and fit the structure of the book.
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Hi, Maedez! Good to see you here today. Okay, that’s you and I! We have two! Do I hear three, anyone?
Thanks for stopping by!
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You are most welcome!
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I hate ’em. I feel obliged to read them, but they sometimes give too much away and always break the flow. I do, however, prefer books with chapters to books that are just one long, ungainly mass.
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I promise mine won’t give away anything, and hopefully, they will be intriguing. But I know that a lot of people don’t like them, and most people probably don’t read them, or even notice them. I loved the ones in Infernal Devices, btw. Thanks for weighing in. It’s still 2 to 1 for now, but I suspect that will change!
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I very much like chapter titles if they are clever little hints as to what might be coming next!
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Yay! Another for my team! Haha. Thanks for letting me know, Steve. I feel exactly the same way.
Good to see you, as always.
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Count me in !
I like tittles to chapters. They can be fun and give a slight focus as to what’s ahead.
Too much will give it away but done cleverly would be something I like.
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Wow, look at us Chapter Title Lovers go! Nice to see you, Felix, and I agree with you completely. I think they are fun and can be very imaginative. I’m having fun coming up with mine, and if even a few readers like them, I’ll be happy. Thanks for stopping by. Hope you are still enjoying those Leandros brothers.
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I flipped through my books for some examples.
Bloodsucking Fiends; Christopher Moore. Ch. 11: He Was an Ex-Con, She Was Defrosted…
Un Lun Dun; China Mieville. Ch. 3: The Visiting Smoke.
Winner Take All; Simon R. Green. Ch 4. Various Kinds of Truth.
Matilda; Roald Dahl. The Platinum-Blond Man.
Couldn’t find quote titles, though I have seen them. I agree with most everyone here. Keep it short, don’t give too much away. They’re basically bonuses for those who read the chapter titles, but you don’t want those who don’t read them to miss anything too important.
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Good ones, Caitlin! Yeah, I like them to be short, witty, and to give just a hint of something to come, but not necessarily even the gist of the chapter. Just a reference to a line somewhere, or an actual line that strikes my fancy. Then they are fun.
Thanks for stopping by and adding to the score. So far, it’s 5 to 1, I believe, though from articles I’ve read, it would seem most people don’t really read the. That’s okay. I’ll write mine for those who do.
🙂
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I don’t pay too much attention to chapter titles. I’ll read them, obviously, but I tend to forget them once I’m in the chapter, unless of course, the chapter title is printed on every other page. If they’re done well, they can enhance the reading, but the danger with them is giving too much away, in my opinion.
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That is, of course, a real danger, but the ones that are just clever hints–usually only a snippet of clever dialogue–make me smile every time. They’re just fun. I do think most readers today don’t even notice them. But for those who devour every word, like me, they can be pretty entertaining.
Thanks for weighing in. I’m enjoying seeing what everyone thinks.
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