Please welcome Tara Tyler, guest extraordinaire!
5 Reasons to Write with Chapter Titles
By Tara Tyler
I am a total PLOTTER. I need organization. I also like to name things, people, places, stories, even scenes. So this topic spoke to me… I even gave a few chapter headings from all my books as teasers.
5 Reasons to Use Chapter Titles
- As a Teaser/Preview - I like to hint what the chapter is about. And the hint lets the reader guess what’s coming
- For a Character POV - I love how some books, like Game of Thrones, have characters for the chapters so I could look ahead and see when my faves were coming up
- As a Quick Reference - I use them for myself whether I put them into the novel or not for organization. Like in my YA/Adult series Pop Travel, I have the list (with page numbers of course) so I know where to look for a certain scene or section as needed.
- To be Quirky & Funny - I have fun coming up with the previews and teasers. I was raised to be punny =D
- For Creativity - The process of devising them stretches the brain muscles!
For my Pop Travel Series, the chapter names are just for me, they're not in the books.
From the middle Pop Travel. As you can see, I started very basic, until I switch series...
Locker
Shocker
Plan
Saffioti & Jones
Library
Miki & Jared
Café
Vivienne
Hitman
Detained
Released
a new deal
C meets the C
G meets A
C chase
G&A investigate/C Slug
G & A trap
And here's a sneak peek at Disposal, these chapter titles are a little more detailed:
- Passion in a pill
- Jimmy's all-nighter
- Get to work
- Let's do lunch
- Is he dead?
- You can have him
- Kids, nothing but trouble
- You want me to what?
- Torture Chamber
- Thrill of a lifetime
For my Beast World Series, these chapter titles are totally in the books.
Chapters 1-16 From Broken Branch Falls- Careful what you wish for
- Best laid plans
- Meet cute
- Leave the pranking to the pros
- Punishment fits the crime
- No pain, no gain
- Phoenix from ashes
- Cracking the armor
- Hiding in the bushes
- Here's the deal
- A glimpse of hope
- Smashed to pieces
- Powder keg ignited
- The big deal
- Plan hatched
- Werewolves? There wolves
- You Can't Live With 'Em
- Sense of Insecurity
- Up, Up, and Away
- Fire It Up
- Watch Out For That Tree
- Pit of Despair
- Gesundheit!
- Without a Paddle
- Don't Get Too Cozy
- Forget Me Not
- Sticks and Stones
- Be Our Guest
Do you use chapter titles? Give us a teaser!
WELCOME BACK TO THE FOREST!
CRADLE ROCK, Beast World Book Two
by Tara Tyler
Gabe the goblin just saved his town Broken Branch Falls from splitting apart. He also revealed that humans--horrible creatures of myth and legend--may actually be part of their history! But seriously? Nah!
Now Ona, Gabe’s girlfriend, is headed thousands of miles away to Camp Cradle Rock for Spring Break seeking evidence of humans. Gabe knows better than to tell a stubborn ogress she’s crazy, so he’s letting her go and spending the break at the beach like a normal teenage beast. And he’s determined to have a good time without her, whether he likes it or not.
But when Gabe hears Ona went missing, he and his friends set out for the wilds of the west to find her, no matter what dangerous creatures get in his way. Not even humans.
Tara Tyler has had a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After moving all over, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her three active boys and Coach Husband. Currently she has two series, Pop Travel (techno-thriller detective capers) and Broken Branch Falls (fantasy adventures). To squeeze in writing, she economizes her time aka the Lazy Housewife. Make every day an adventure!Talk to me!
Author Blog ~~ @taratylertalks ~~ Facebook ~~ Housewives Blog
I'm also giving away signed copies of Broken Branch Falls and Cradle Rock, some Beast World swag, and a $20 GC!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tyrean's Review: Cradle Rock is an excellently fun MG adventure through a fantastical world of Beasts and those strange mythical creatures, humans. Gabe, Ona, and their friends stumble into a human camp, nearly begin a war, and then . . . well, you have to read to find out! It's hard for me to review this one because I was so caught up in the adventure that I didn't slow down. The characters are fully developed, the world-building is insteresting and full of depth, and the plot rocks!
I use them, I think they're great, for all the reasons you've stated - although no one's ever seen them because I've only used them in unpublished novels...
ReplyDeleteWith multiple POVs, I have used the character's name to distinguish who's POV the chapter was in, but I haven't used chapter titles otherwise. They can be fun, and I love the idea of using them as a quick reference for yourself.
ReplyDeleteGood post, Tara! I never thought to name my chapters. I usually just stick with the chapter number and the POV character's name. Boring, I know. :)
ReplyDeleteI know a lot of people use them, but I'm lazy and still just go for numbers. Heck, I don't even divide up my stories into chapters until the editing phase with my publisher. (Yeah, I'm sure they love that!)
ReplyDeleteAnnalisa - here's hoping we see those published and get to read all of those chapter titles and novels!
ReplyDeleteCherie - I like that idea, too.
Madeline - I think it works, especially with the character name, to help readers know where things are. I have a class who just read Where the Red Fern Grows, and they had to find quotes. It was tough for them with just numbers, but they could read the first line of every chapter and figure it out.
Alex - I think your publisher loves you, no matter what. Every author has different methods and every audience has difference preferences.
Tara - thanks for guest posting today! I have used chapter titles, and not used chapter titles. In fact, I have some clean up work to do on one of my novels over the decision to use or not use them.
Awesome post! I love Tara's chapter titles. I'm not one to name my chapters, but I do like it when it's a book that has multiple POVs.
ReplyDeleteLike Alex, I don't draft in chapters, so I'm some way from using chapter titles! It always seemed daunting to me, as I find just naming the book hard, but I appreciate how they can be fun. Maybe the pun-loving part of me could go down that route!
ReplyDeleteI've never used chapter titles, but then, I'm not nearly as organized as you are. Maybe I should start!
ReplyDeleteI like the thing (I'm not sure what it's called) where they do something cute at the start of each chapter. A quote or recipe or something else fun. Granted, I rarely stop and read them when I'm into a story, but I always like the way they look!
ReplyDeletei like the different takes on chapter titles, you guys!
ReplyDeleteand stephanie, i know what you're talking about and i've seen people use bible verses too. it's a nice touch =)
thanks for having me Tyrean! love doing the 5 reasons and i'd be happy to do it again next year!
merry christmas!
I've never used chapter titles but now I'm thinking I should give it a try. I had to laugh about Game of Thrones and skipping to your favorite character's name. Guilty LOL.
ReplyDeleteHi, Tyrean!
Love Tara's thoughts:) Good point about chapter titles with the character's name on it - I guess I look ahead to those too:)
ReplyDeleteI used to use Chapter titles, but then stopped. I believe it was more out of laziness and a perceived idea that few people do chapter titles anymore. But I've always liked them.
ReplyDeleteLove chapter titles! Back when I was a novelist, I would include them all the time. I do comics now, though, and my current one isn't even divided into chapters. However, future ones might be, so I hope to revisit chapter titles if/when that happens. The ones for your Beast World series are so much fun, Tara!
ReplyDelete