Do I Need Chapter Titles in My Book?

Hi, Randy.

I use the numbering system in my novels. It is a simple way to keep them straight. I see nothing wrong with adding a short title afterwards, though. In this environment, you also have the box for initial chapter notes where a longer description can be placed. Sometimes I use it, sometimes I don't. It is all a matter of personal choice. Go with what you're comfortable with.

~Tom

Welcome, Randall, and thanks again for the review. I'll recip shortly.

I use chapter titles to tease the reader, either with a few word summary of a key event in the chapter, or with a little misdirection.

For example, my story builds up over many chapters that one of my MCs, Apollo, is heir to the Imperial throne and is expected to become emperor and lead a holy war. It's pretty much a given that that event will occur, so I give the reader something to look forward to when they check out the table of contents. Through chapter titles, they see his rise and fall, followed by a climax where everything will be decided. As you read it, you know he will fall, but he doesn't. As a result, I have a chapter called Emperor Apollo that includes his coronation, which is the peak of his success before the fall.

It's kind of like when you saw the second death star in Return of the Jedi. You know a big battle will occur, but not the how, including the fact that Emperor Plapatine has planned the whole thing. So, there were still a lot of surprises left to be had in ROTJ. Dune did something similar. It used epigraphs at the top of each chapter (I use them too) to give historical information about Maud'dib, the protagonist. You know from early on that Paul Atreides will become Maud'dib, but you have to tear through the book to get there and see how it happens.

The other example, misdirection, I do for fun (my story tries for a fair bit of humor). I have a title called Joseph Enters Heaven. He's a religious character, so it could be interpreted as him going to Heaven (in some form). In reality Heaven is the name of a prison.

By using both types of chapter titles, I also keep the reader guessing.

If you want the whole story to be a closely held secret and only unfold through the content of the chapters, then leave them out. If you prefer to tease them with some information, then use chapter titles. The latter also gives potential readers a little more information about the book when they're deciding whether or not to buy it. You have the book title and the book summary to sell your novel, but a few interesting chapter titles in a TOC might help seal the deal. In my book, a chapter titled "Worlds Collide" let's the reader know that, as suggested in the book summary, the quests of the two MCs will indeed collide.

Hope that helps.
Dirk