Tips: How to name your chapters.

Hi,

I have decided to make more use of my blog. I’m letting it slip a little as real life is getting in the way. I’ve had people asking me for advice when writing and I’m happy to help. I’m in no way an expert, or think my way is the right way. It worked for me and I’m hoping it will help others in their journey.

I was stuck with my first novel when it came to the chapters as I didn’t want to give anything away to my readers. I had seen a few posts/comments over various blogs/chats etc that some readers didn’t like it when the chapter name told them what was going to happen. At the time this was exactly what my chosen names would have done if I had stuck with them. I read  tips from other writers and found some useful ones. How I chose mine in the end was simple.

I didn’t name them with titles that gave anything away, or even came close to what the main part of that chapter was about. I looked through the chapters and picked out something at complete random, a word or a quote from a character.

Example: Chapter nine of Strings ‘Hit the shelves’ that was a reference to the band being featured in a magazine. It wasn’t a big part of the plot. A small part of a bigger picture. It gave nothing away but that the mag ‘hit the shelves’ it wasn’t relevant to what was actually happening.

It could just be a bit of dialogue from a character; Nothing to much, it can  just one word. Chapter 10 was ‘Idiot’ but again, who was an idiot and who said it. You don’t know until you read it. And, it could be just a passing comment.

It worked for me and it will be a system I will continue to use. Of course, this is just how I do it. This is not me saying it is the right way, as I don’t think there is a right way. It is that of the writer to decide on how they want their book to work. I am just giving some tips to those who are looking for ideas.

I hope this helps and good luck to all writers out there.

Kat

xx