Places and dates in chapter headings

[prizzley]

One of my readers suggested I don't need to have a chapter heading if the place and date is the same as the previous chapter.

My instinctive reaction, after no one reads chapter headings anyway, was that if the info is there you can ignore it - but if it's not there, you have to flip back to a previous chapter. Easier in a print version than ebook, but frustrating. It's not as if it's a big issue either. I reckon I'd lose about 4 headings. But then it would look as if something's missing.

Who'd prefer to have the info? Does anyone care?

 

[Ursa major]

I would have thought that the form the chapter headings/titles take is entirely up to the author, as is whether to use subheadings.

There's no reason not to have long chapters, or you can add some extra information, e.g. "March 27th 2013" and "March 27th 2013, Afternoon".


As it happens, I use dates for my chapter titles, but that's just me. I follow the example above, although I use a dash between the date and the qualifier.

 

[Brian G Turner]

If it's the same place and date, then whether it's the same or a different character, why not white space 3 lines and begin a new section? That's perfectly acceptable.

Otherwise, use chapter headings if that's what you are consistently doing.

IMO.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I agree. As a reader, it wouldn't matter to me which way you decided to do it. If you think it will look more consistent to include the headings, then go for it. If you are sticking with the same characters and the same location, putting everything together in one long chapter, as Brian suggests, might also be a good solution. I'd caution you against making chapters too tremendously long, because some readers are constitutionally unable to put down a book before the end of a chapter, and while we do want our books to be un-put-down-able, people do have to eat, and sleep, and get to work on time.

 

[Tecdavid]

It's really just up to yourself. I've always seen chapter headings as a way to break a book up into manageable chunks, and that they work best when jumping from one major scene to another, but there's no hard rule for them.

 

[Glitch]

If the time and date is relevant to the story, then I'd definitely include it. If it's just there to show the passage of time then I personally wouldn't.

In my WIP I'm writing short chapters, currently averaging 1,100 word per. It wasn't by choice, it just happened that way. The interval between the chapters could be minutes or weeks.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Currently, my WIP has chapter headings of "Monday", or "Thursday afternoon". Nothing more than that. Well, it IS a Work In Progress.

 

[Colbey Frost]

I like chapter headings. For me it's a way to give a slight hint to what the theme of the chapter is, and as you read on, you would start guessing at what's going to happen based on the heading. A way of getting people interested before even reading the chapter.

I don't know, that's how I see them anyway. Your book has a name and is supposed to be interesting, get your attention, so why should a chapter be any different?

 

[Glitch]

I was considering, think I've seen someone else do it, take a short sentence or dialogue from the chapter and use that as the chapter heading.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Or use real or fictional quotes. For example, one of the Myth Adventures series had a chapter about Our Hero facing the biggest army ever assembled on his world. And he had to face them almost single handed.

The chapter-heading quote was "It is always easier to destroy than to create" - any general, any army, any era.

 

[prizzley]

The general view seems to be that it's not hugely important, so I'll stick with my original - place and rough date for each chapter - for consistency. I'm not a fan of long chapters - so running on isn't for me.

Teresa's right

some readers are constitutionally unable to put down a book before the end of a chapter, and while we do want our books to be un-put-down-able, people do have to eat, and sleep, and get to work on time.

My chapter headings are purely factual. I love chapter heading teasers and quotes when they work, but so many fall flat that I'd rather not chance it.

Thanks everyone.

 

[TheCrusher]

IMO using dates/names/locations as chapter heading would be most appropriate if the book is written in a personal journal/travel journal fashion or if the book has a lot of POVs/characters or if the action takes place in different timelines/universes/planets.

 

[prizzley]

I have 2 main locations, each with its group of characters. While the chapters are mainly chronological, sometimes the action overlaps. I think the chapter headings make life easier for the reader, though I do try to make the POV character clear at the start of each chapter.

 

[TheCrusher]

There's your answer: just be sure the reader can identify a character+location and all will be fine.

Good luck on your writing.