How Do You Title Chapters

I'm not the best titling chapters but usually I look for something that had a lot of relevance in the specific chapter and make something that sounds good to me or just what the main focus of the chapter is.

 

I tend to see my work as similar to a TV show (this is why my chapters are usually called "episodes"), so depending on the story's character, I may go the "reference to culture or proverb that has something to do with the episode" route. If the story is more anime influenced, I will take the "Basic gist of the episode! Something that happens in this episode!" approach.

 

My method for titling chapters, just as my method for titling complete works, is very simple. I will either title a chapter as a single word, or I won't title my chapters at all.

In short stories I don't have this issue because they don't have chapters, but even with works of intermediate length I don't always title chapters. As long as it's clear there's a break or shift in the tempo or scene of the story, it's enough to simply put a chapter break without having to assign a name to it. However, if I do, I usually choose 1 word (noun, verb, adjective, doesn't matter - though verbs are rarer) that can stand reasonably by itself, and can succinctly describe what the chapter is about.

I don't like going for more words than necessary, because it could force preliminary mental images that may or may not be correct - or it could indirectly spoil or reveal a major detail before I've even mentioned it yet. On cliffhanger chapters, you can get around this somewhat by titling the new chapter based on what happened right at the end of the previous one - hint for any writers out there who want to try this method.

Don't get me wrong - finding one-word titles for chapters is fun, but it's not altogether necessary. The books I tend to read (in real life) don't usually have chapter titles, so it's not something mandatory for a book by any means. It's merely a stylistic choice.

 

I normally try to make jokes dealing with what the chapter is about with my chapter titles, as well as references. Some examples include:

"A Serpent of EarthSea"
"Three Legendaries and a Baby"
and, in my other stories,
"Love is in the Air. You're Inhaling Love."
and
"John Stabs Himself, the Moron."

 

You mainly reflect on what your chapter is about. Look back on all the contents in the chapter and figure out the main idea. There's nothing quite as annoying as reading a title that has nothing to do with the chapter itself.

 

I name my chapters after what they're about... really depends on what story I'm doing. If I'm doing my main fanfiction, I'll go with the cheesiest anime-esc names possible, but for anything else it's a few words or so about the chapter in a nutshell.

Say the chapter is about making a new friend and gaining a travelling companion. It's either gonna be something like "New Friends" for one fic and "Two's a Crowd Three's a Journey" over here for the other. I know, terribly cheesy... I find the chapter name really depends on the mood of the story as well. If you have a story that's dark, you're not gonna name the chapters "Rainbow Kitten Time" or something of the likes.

 

I try to title my chapters from something important that happens during the chapter. Weather it be a plot point or something completely random about it.

 

I title it based on the content in the chapter.

 

For me, it depends entirely on the story.

With some, I title them with the generic 'Chapter One', 'Chapter Two', ect. With my fanfiction Singular, I name the chapters by giving the number of the part (the story's going to be a 3-parter), number of the chapter, and then a single word summing up a prominent theme or character within that chapter (e.g. Flame, Venomoth, Split). With more comedic stories, I try and sum up the chapter in the briefest and most ridiculous way possible (e.g. 'We Recruit a Chair', 'Charlene Makes Friends with Turtles', 'How to Win Friends and Influence Psychos'), basically the same way Rick Riordan names the chapters in the Percy Jackson series.

Most times, I try and keep it brief. 'He Who Waited', 'The Talk', 'Ike's Problem', 'When it Rains Squids', etc.

 

It depends, I don't normally. But for one fanfiction, Greyscale, I'm using song titles and it's pretty interesting (especially find relevant song titles and I have look for all different genres.). A few times I've done "In which (insert cryptic/funny line here)"

 

i take my base at what is happening at the story. Often use metaphorical phrases. Sometimes I use character's name if they are appearing for the first time.
But if my story involves quests, I love mentioning the places like: "Peak of Mount Darulban". And if we are still on the same place then "Peak of Mount Darulban Part IV" and such.

I want to add that, if something happens between, then I use metaphor For example: "Ashes of Ice" (If an Ice Queen died with a will of fire burning in her heart during the battle) and I mention something like "Even if she was cold, will be reminded as our eternal flame of hope" to help the tittle while I write the paragraphs.

For me the Tittle is the resource to tell the reader: Imagine what will happen, because i will make your brain explode . Imagine, because you will read this book over and over again

 

I think titling is another useful work of writing. Just like with how paintings are titled, the way that chapters are titled can add to the experience of the chapter.

Personally, I always try to name my chapters base off of the most important event that occurs in the chapter, but I'll try to twist it in a way that perpetuates the mystery. Sometimes the title is a character or place, or even an event, but if it is not any of those things, I like to use broad terms in my title that add to the mystery of the novel itself.

 

Hmm. I'll remember that

I usually don't title chapters (on FF it's just 'Chapter One', 'Chapter Two', etc), but if I do, I try to make it interesting. Just like UnstoppableGamer, each of my characters have a theme associated with them. I'll then title the chapter according to the POV it starts with.
#MissingNo

 

I haven't written multi-chapter stories in a while, but when I need a chapter title, I usually base it on what happens inside the chapter.