Chapters

by Debbie Ellen
29th January 2014

When you're writing, do you use chapter titles instead of just 'Chapter 1', 'Chapter 2' etc?

I don't actually use chapter titles. But I guess there would be no reason to go back and change that.

What do you all do?

Replies

Well, I make this:

I write, ‘— CHAPTER 1 —’;

And then, ‘Title of chapter’ (if I've got it) but if no, I leave empty the place and then I think in one, later.

Profile picture for user karku_mo_24500
Jeferson
Bello
270 points
Developing your craft
Fiction
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Adventure
Middle Grade (Children's)
Picture Books (Children's)
Comic
Speculative Fiction
Historical
Gothic and Horror
Romance
Jeferson Bello
30/01/2014

Good point, but I've never done it. I outline using three 'chapter ideas' which doesn't really lend itself to a single heading. But that's just me.

Profile picture for user oldchesn_4270
Jonathan
Hopkins
6735 points
Practical publishing
Fiction
Historical
Adventure
The writing process
The publishing process
Self-Publishing
Jonathan Hopkins
29/01/2014

I used working chapter titles, but when I edited my manuscript I changed some of them to reflect what the chapters are about. I prefer to use chapter titles but I have noticed a trend to use chapter numbers. I wonder if the authors who use chapter numbers outline their novels with chapter titles and then remove the later.

As a would-be author it must help to use working chapter titles to keep the plot and storyline as straight and as clear as you can make it.

Profile picture for user Adrian
Adrian
Sroka
19900 points
Ready to publish
Fiction
Historical
Middle Grade (Children's)
Young Adult (YA)
Adventure
Adrian Sroka
29/01/2014