tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681673467821918300.post6804135038609218137..comments2023-11-30T08:17:36.675+00:00Comments on The Beautiful Room: Are chapter titles an under-used marketing tool for writers? jane ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07009255158129557930noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681673467821918300.post-26084322140253419832013-04-03T18:24:38.187+01:002013-04-03T18:24:38.187+01:00Hi Keri - thanks for stopping by and some great po...Hi Keri - thanks for stopping by and some great points. It's interesting how people think of chapter headings as old fashioned; I wonder if that's why most writers don't use them? They are very useful with e-books, which you can't flick through so easily as a print book. jane ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009255158129557930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681673467821918300.post-66707577335868844032013-04-03T13:32:49.722+01:002013-04-03T13:32:49.722+01:00I used chapter titles in my first book merely as a...I used chapter titles in my first book merely as a way to help me navigate my own book as I was writing it. <br /><br />I left them in when I printed a proof copy. My husband noticed and said they were old-fashioned and no one uses them anymore. I hadn't ever thought about it, so I started looking in books to see. J.K. Rowling used them, and a few other people I read did too, but the vast majority of writers (or publishers) don't. <br /><br />Of course, just because the publishing world says something isn't wanted by the audience doesn't mean that it's true. Smashwords has found that in almost every genre, books sell better with word counts higher than publishers typically recommend. So it would seem that readers actually want longer books than they're being given. <br /><br />I was thinking about taking the chapter titles out of my next book, but instead I think I'll make a little effort to make them better (they can be a little TOO descriptive when I make them for myself; I don't want any spoilers). I think you make a good argument that they make navigating an ebook much easier. It's not like a traditional paper book, where you can remember the page number or the general location of the part you want to re-read. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681673467821918300.post-4731125299292813702013-04-02T17:49:57.974+01:002013-04-02T17:49:57.974+01:00Hi David - me neither until recently. I also write...Hi David - me neither until recently. I also write for children and teens - I wonder if I would use chapter titles for adult books? It is a great creative tool. jane ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009255158129557930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681673467821918300.post-53475512307240434572013-04-02T00:15:56.427+01:002013-04-02T00:15:56.427+01:00I use chapter titles - but I write for kids. Think...I use chapter titles - but I write for kids. Think it gives them a chance to peek ahead. Never thought of it as a marketing tool. David Ebrighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03037059701518103541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681673467821918300.post-26715079090708025482013-03-31T21:29:23.911+01:002013-03-31T21:29:23.911+01:00btw I enjoyed your blog post Fairy Dust!btw I enjoyed your blog post Fairy Dust!jane ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009255158129557930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681673467821918300.post-4100052799140993172013-03-31T21:18:38.410+01:002013-03-31T21:18:38.410+01:00Hi Lexi - I totally agree, and especially with poi...Hi Lexi - I totally agree, and especially with points 3 and 4. I'm a big fan of reference points for readers. jane ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009255158129557930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681673467821918300.post-54279778007468617922013-03-31T14:13:01.405+01:002013-03-31T14:13:01.405+01:00I use chapter titles because:
1. Why not when you...I use chapter titles because:<br /><br />1. Why not when you can? <br />2. They avoid the boring numerals-only TOC. <br />3. Chapter titles help readers to locate the bit they want to reread.<br />4. I like to make them amusing, ironic or teasing where possible.Lexihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14404818053292364819noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681673467821918300.post-3418035844121200722013-03-18T09:05:07.719+00:002013-03-18T09:05:07.719+00:00Hi Annalisa, thanks for stopping by. Glad to find ...Hi Annalisa, thanks for stopping by. Glad to find a fellow writer who also uses chapter titles. I was just thinking about a lot of the TV series I like (the American supernatural ones) which are for grown-ups and the episodes all have titles, which do add something, and act as teasers and can intrigue, especially if they are a play on words or reference other sources. I will definitely use chapter titles in my new work. jane ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009255158129557930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1681673467821918300.post-85696692020159902392013-03-17T20:23:45.368+00:002013-03-17T20:23:45.368+00:00I was going to say it depends on the book I'm ...I was going to say it depends on the book I'm writing, but actually I've been using chapter titles for a while now - although my WIP is written from different points of view so the chapters are just the character names at the moment. I like your theory that it gives the reader a taste for what's to come.Annalisa Crawfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14943610814274794998noreply@blogger.com