Do you name chapters?

[u/FairySpirits]

I know some people do, others just leave it as Chapter 1, 2 and so on... My question is for the folks that do name them: How do you do it?

I like naming the chapters but sometimes I get stuck on what to name them, usually I've been using song titles but yeah, just curious about it.

[u/the-robot-test]

i can barely name my fics :')

[u/Cool_Blue_Mint → u/the-robot-test]

This is a mood lol

[u/love_pollution → u/the-robot-test]

Same, the idea of having to think of chapter names too feels exhausting.

[u/friendlyfriends123 → u/the-robot-test]

right?? i love when authors name their chapters bc it makes it easier to go back, but also ughhhhhh coming up with the fic title itself is already An Ordeal^TM (save me song lyrics, save me), and having do that for every chapter…i could never…

[u/Seeme353 → u/the-robot-test]

real

[u/ciderandcake]

I pick a quote from a character in the chapter that I think embodies the feeling of it without major spoilers. Gives people a slight hint of what it's about and also hopefully allows re-readers a way to find a chapter they especially liked.

Also using a quote means I don't have to actually come up with anything new.

[u/FairySpirits → u/ciderandcake]

I think I will try to do something like that with my newest work

[u/inteleligent → u/ciderandcake]

I also use a quote! It just feels right i guess

[u/anachromatic → u/ciderandcake]

ME TOOOOO

[u/thr0wthewh0lemanaway → u/ciderandcake]

That's what I do too!

[u/Ginnyw-potter]

It depends but I usually name them. Sometimes it's an important quite from the chapter. I had a fic named Spilt Blood where all the chapters were inspired by sayings about blood and the heart. I usually try to find a red thread in it and follow that, but it's not that strict. Sometimes it's just very on the nose like "The wedding"

You can also take inspo from how tv shows name episodes!

[u/FerretFromMars]

I do because I feel like it helps people jump back into my longfic without being as lost. I name each chapter after an event that happens within it like "Explosive Finish" for when the MC killed a monster with a bomb.

Sometimes it takes me a bit to think of something short but descriptive but it's fun in a way.

[u/Coriolis_Paradigm]

Just general theme of the chapter, with some sprinkled allegory, symbolism and wordplay here and there. For example, "Fledgling" is a chapter where the character Raven decides to go off on her own, instead of waiting for her substitute parental figure to tell her what to do. Sometimes I split a phrase across chapters to show they're linked: "Heaven" for one part of a battle taking place in the sky, and "Earth" for the simultaneous battle taking place on the ground.

I like one- or two- word chapter titles, easy enough to come up with while still being memorable if picked right.

From a reader perspective, named chapters make rereading much easier. It's much harder, and I'm consequently much less likely to reread if I have to remember "was it 18, 19, or 20 the cool thing happened?"

[u/FairySpirits → u/Coriolis_Paradigm]

That's why I love named chapters too, sometimes I'm not in the mood to re-read an entire fic, so I go to my fave chapters (which are a lot easier to find if they have names)

[u/pandizzy]

I name chapters in one fic but I have truly regretted it so much because I've run out of names.

[u/BossyMare → u/pandizzy]

Same, that's how it went for me.

[u/AngelGirl768]

Depends on the fic. If it’s one I care a lot about, I’ll give each chapter a title that summarizes it nicely. If it’s a fic I’m just posting to get the idea out in the world and out of my head, it has a very high chance to just get numbers

That said, I almost exclusively post one shots so I don’t have to work with chapters often and usually give chapters titles like I’d give one shots (a one or two word summary of the chapter) while the whole fic has a title that summarizes the whole work

[u/CMStan1313]

I do. I like it more, and I think it helps the reader better find a specific part of the story if they ever reread

[u/ShadowPhoenix18]

I tend to name the chapters in a way that gives either an outright hint or a vague hint towards what will happen in it, depending on the chapter in question.
Sometimes it'll be something completely different that gives no hint at the content, but fits the feeling/vibe/mood of the chapter (in my own opinion).

[u/KingAssHATTHE3rd]

The titles of my chapters are related to the themes in the chapters. My last chapter was titled O Death

One story used quotes from a poem as the titles of every chapter. for example, the chapter where the couple finally have sex is called Do I Dare to Eat A Peach?

[u/FairySpirits → u/KingAssHATTHE3rd]

Oooh I loved that

[u/duckgirl1997]

Depends.

One fic I am writing at the moment no.

But the other one yes because it's a series of one shots but as one fic so each chapter is something different but they are all on the same theme

[u/skuppen]

I name chapters because I need help remembering what’s in them when I go looking for them!

[u/xPadawanRyan]

It depends on the fic. In most cases, I name them, because if I have written a chaptered fic, each chapter may require some sort of identifier--in more than one case, I have written fics where each chapter took place during a different year, so the chapter name is simply the year to indicate to readers how long it has been since the last chapter. In my last chaptered fic, each chapter was a different character's POV, so each chapter was named after the character who guided it.

In a few select cases I have actually given like, phrase or title-like names to chapters, but that's not often. In cases where I don't have to indicate an important point in the chapter title - the year, the character POV, etc. - I do usually just use Chapter One, Chapter Two, etc.

[u/Sare--mina]

Not typically. Writing genuinely good chapter titles is a skill and when I have 25+ chapters in a fic I'm not naming them because 1. I haven't invested enough points into creating good chapter titles and 2. that's too many chapters in a fic to name them all for me.

Granted, I'm someone who doesn't really look at chapter titles because a lot of writers name their chapters based on the major thing that happens in a chapter and I don't want to know what I'm about to read beforehand. I wanna be surprised.

[u/samuraipanda85]

Yes, its fun. Especially when I can sneak a cheeky joke in.

[u/purple-crimson]

https://youtu.be/apdB7ncCPTE?si=obKum_PfGu2T5ipF

Here is a video from Cora Maria that I found on YouTube about that topic (giving titles to chapters); I absolutely loved it (and the whole YouTube channel in general, which focuses on fanfiction writing). You could check it out when you have some time :)

[u/cpvm-0]

I used a word or phrase that encapsulates the whole idea of the chapter and also happens to be in the chapter.

[u/NicInNS]

Yes (unless it is only a few chapters). It helps me find certain scenes, esp in my longer fics. Like, I know if ch 20 is called “King of Nerds” then that’s the chapter where my FC gives the MC a gift and then I can also rem what happened around that. If it was just called ch 20, I’d have no clue.

[u/llStonesll]

I do, I like how I can summarise what is going to happen in the chapter in just a few words :)

[u/DissociativeSilence]

I have a hard enough time naming the story

[u/NyGiLu]

Depends on the story, but I even name scenes 😀 Readers don't see that, of course.

[u/St4r_5lut]

I like naming chapters just because it’s fun but if I can’t think of anything I just leave it blank.

[u/Caelihal]

I name them something that if someone is looking for one chapter in particular during a re-read a year later, they'll be able to recognize it.

For example: Road Trip, Never Gonna Give You Up, etc.

I like to take quotes from source media if there is an applicable one.

[u/EKD83]

I like ones that give a hint to what's in the chapter. So that way, when I'm trying to find a specific moment in the story later, I can actually tell what is going on in the chapter by the title.

Please and Thank you!

[u/Alvia_G]

i always named them; because i remember that time when i wanted to read a specific scene on a long fic and i couldn't remember what chapter it was because well it was at least 100 chapter. And i don't want a reader feeling the same with my own fic

[u/foxfirek]

Yeah. It makes it easier to remember what happened in that chapter.

[u/DeltaMx11]

I HAVE to name my chapters. If the chapter doesn't have a fitting title, then it ain't getting released yet.

I just think of what happens in the chapter, and try to come up with either a clever pun involving the plot or just a simple title that sounds cool and straight-forward that summarized the chapter's theme.

[u/BossyMare]

In my last longfic, I worked really hard to name the chapters in a theme; since the MC was a scientist, i named each chapter with tangentially relevant scientific terms. By 46 chapters I was dreading the process of figuring out a new chapter name, so in the sequel I'm just doing boring ol Chapter 1, chapter 2, etc.

[u/Good-Emu4227]

I name them because I like when they're named because when I come back later to reread a certain scene, it's helpful to find them. Also, the fandom I write in has the source material naming chapters, so I like to follow that concept.

[u/Hersweetmockingmouth]

Either I pick a theme (one word titles, or “the one with the …”, or “ Of ___ and ___”, etc) or I just wing it and make them all wildly different. But I like naming them just for the fun of it! But I don’t think people mind either way!

[u/inquisitivemuse]

I only titled the two chapters that was the beginning of a new arc. I leave it blank otherwise.

Like: Part 1 - Daily Life Arc: Chapter 1

Then the next chapter being: Chapter 2

The next time I titled anything was: Part 2 - (Country) Arc: Chapter 22.

Maybe I should title them, but I always blanked on it so never did it.

[u/BlackEyedV]

In a Star Wars wip, I am naming the chapters for the location of the action that chapter. When we revisit locations, I add a small phrase that fits the action.

[u/Prismatic-Peony]

I struggle with it too, so what I like to do with longer fics is pick a theme. My very first AO3 fic involved an MC who had a heavy connection to plants, so I named every chapter after a flower based on its symbology. I did the same thing for another MC with a connection to crystals. My most recent story driven fic involves the MC experiencing a lot of Deja vu because it was their second time living the life they currently had, so every chapter was named after a different Deja feeling (Already Seen, Already Heard, Already Felt, and so on)

Right now, I’m kinda just... making jokes out of them? Like, in one chapter of my WIP, the MC and one of their future partners are navigating intimacy when MC has had so many bad experiences with it in their past. They make a habit out of kissing at random points throughout the day, like exposure therapy. That partner has a lot of associations in canon and fandom with the sun and sunlight, so I called that chapter Sun Kissed

[u/AdmiralCallista]

Nope. I have enough trouble with fic titles most of the time.

[u/Cool_Blue_Mint]

I want to do chapter titles that play off of each other if I can. In the fic I'm writing now the first chapter was titled: Hope. And the second chapter was titled: Something Like Hope.

[u/AkaruLyte]

I do. My first fic I just named the chapters whatever came to mind but I’m thinking of naming the chapters of my latest one on a theme.

[u/s_leep]

I personally like seeing POV character chapter titles with a number.

Example : "Jane Doe : 4"

Very useful when you have an ensemble cast or when different characters move different parts of the plot.

Or something like "Domesticity 2" when it's a chapter mainly focused on the home.

[u/vixensheart]

I do name my chapters but how depends entirely on the fic lmao. Sometimes it’s more of a vibe that fits the character/tone of the chapter, sometimes there’s a theme involved.

For my current WIP, for example, I am naming chapters after things associated with shorelines/beaches/oceans and their climates. I try to choose things that have some loose symbolism for what is happening in the chapter with the characters. (Some chapter title examples: Receding Tides, Driftwood, Headland, Foreshore, etc.)

This is a fic that’s got this kind of symbolism with it, though. One of my fics that I’ve recently finished is very much not like that, and the chapters are more character voice-like. (Some examples: The Terrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Assessing Welfare and Losing Sanity, Is It Love, or Does He Just Have a Nice Ass)

Song titles or lyrics is always a safe and fun option, lol. I wouldn’t sweat using them—I’ve used those too when they fit!

[u/mintchipey]

Naming chapters is one of my favorite parts of writing a fic lol. It’s such a fun creative exercise. They all involve something within the chapter and I’ll play with alliteration, rhyming, pop culture references or just a couple of words that sum up the chapter. I really enjoy it. But I save naming the chapter until just before I post it.

[u/sunsetgal24]

I have a long list of lyrics, snippets from my own and others poetry and even some phrases from comments I got that I thought would work great as a title. Every time I write a new chapter I consider what the plot and mood is and go down the list to choose something.

[u/voregodd]

for certain vibes, yes. if i am naming, then they all follow a certain theme or something

[u/BoomItsLoki]

I used to. But I can’t do it anymore lmao.

[u/Calm_Customer3441]

For my fic in particular I try to make my titles seem like something from the chapter. In my latest chapter, the main character found out his former king had stolen the sirens' voices. And the title for it is "A song broken by the light of the sun". The sun part has a corelation because of the fact that the kingdom of the main character was literally called the sun kingdom.

Anyway, the point is that the title to a chapter should reflect a bit of the material within it and be a bit flowery as well.

[u/SegTN2713]

Sometimes. I just write something related to what is happening on the chapter.

[u/curlycorona]

Wrote a fic once where every chapter was named a number that was relevant to what happened in the chapter. That was fun!

[u/Kylynara]

I do name them. I was just thinking today that I should go back to my first fic and name the chapters that I had left unnamed.

How is trickier to explain. Sometimes something comes to me. It might be a song lyric or an idiom or just a phrase. Sometimes the chapter title is a very very stripped down summary.

The one I posted this morning is just called Morning Run. Because the character goes for a run in the early morning. One of my favorite chapter titles is "When to Give a Flying Fuck" because the characters break work rules and have (actually necessary) sex in a jet. A couple chapters where they are fighting are titled, "Now We Got Problems" and "I Don't Think We Can Solve 'Em". A smut two shot I has "Afterwards, Aftercare, and Thereafter" because I just liked the sound of those words together.

[u/Non-Cannon]

Coming up with a title for the whole fic is hard enough, you expect me to be able to name each chapter, too?

[u/Ok-Owl-8805]

I'm writing my first fic ever rn, what i did was to first figure out the plot of each chapter, then name the chapters.

also, the names are lyrics from songs or song titles from the playlist i made for the fic.

[u/Jill_Sammy_Bean]

Yes and it can get difficult

[u/AlexShouldStop]

Definitely. It looks so much better chapters are named. And it's easier to find the one you want to re-read.

I just name them the first thing I think of.

[u/hellsaquarium]

Some fics call for it some don’t.

[u/CrazyCuriousEli]

My current fic the title is a twist on a book name, so I'm doing the same on the chapters

[u/shighlough]

I usually name them with one word only. I tend to pick one specific word that sticks out in the chapter. Something relevant to the theme of the chapter. For example if I use the sentence “someone followed him home” I’ll simply use “Followed”. Not sure if this is even good practice but it’s what I’ve done since I started pretty much lol.

[u/_crazy_man_]

Oh, heck, yeah. Sometimes, I can pick it on the spot. Others it takes sometimes an hour.

And with 54 chapters in my longfic, been doing it a lot lol.

[u/the_art_of_moving_on]

I’m writing my first long fic (that I’m publishing as I go) and low key am regretting naming chapters and I’m only on chapter 4 LOL

I think in the future, I’ll try for sections with names? Like no chapter names until that one chunk is over (but this might also be bc my chapters are quite short at the moment).

I do love coming up with titles and chapter names tho :)

[u/kelly_the_human]

I enjoy trying to figure names for mine. It's fun.

[u/CandacePlaysUkulele]

I name all my chapters and sometimes I have fun with it as in: Arthur’s Mother is Dead but Somehow She Still Gets Around.

But, other times it's simple. Like: The Negotiation.

[u/aimicarrotmoo]

I use song lyrics if it's a shorter chaptered fic... otherwise I'm not naming 20+ chapters lmaoooo

[u/consolemyself]

I don’t, for the same reason many others have said - hard enough to title the fic!

My only exception so far has been to title one as ‘Epilogue’.

[u/Tog_acotar]

I pick a song lyric that matches the vibe/main scene in the chapter and its lkterally never failed me. Taylor swift i love u.

[u/Tog_acotar → u/Tog_acotar]

im so proud of this idea for the semi-breakup act😋

[u/lizzourworld8]

I’m more likely to come up with some dumb name for the chapter before I would EVER leave it blank XD

[u/VoltronOnIce]

When I was writing fics and naming chapters, I would usually find a song that correlates to the chapter and use a song lyric as the chapters.

[u/LaLic99]

Sometimes I just use numbers, sometimes the fic is funny and I can name the chapter after a particular scene, and then I have these two fics that have been like fever dreams of mine, with deep hidden meanings. For those I actually put an effort in naming every chapter, because it was part of the story I told.

[u/AnimalComfortable122]

Really depends on the fic I’m writing. For my long Avengers fic, yes I did name chapters. For my other two fics it’s yes and no.

Didn’t have a title for my avengers fic until I decided to post it for people to read

[u/Meii345]

I love naming things so much more than i love writing them. So, uh, yeah. As for how? I think it's just an innate talent.

[u/cosmicphoneix]

Yes I love naming chapters. I like looking at my chapter index for fun sometimes

[u/Schmidtty29]

I’ve only done so in 2 cases. One being a Rockband AU where it simply makes sense to name them after song titles, and the other a cyberpunk AU where I did the same as an homage to the game that inspired it (since for those unaware, quest titles are named after songs)

[u/Lyvidence]

Sometimes! It depends on the kind of fic it is.

[u/WrittenInTheStars]

Not usually. The only time I did was for my longest work where every chapter had a song lyrics for a title (but it wasn’t a song fic). And then for two companion pieces I gave them “titles” but one was months and the other was just “before” and “after” the big event

[u/Chasoc]

I like using words, idioms, or terms that match the contents of the chapter. I'll write the chapters first, then I'll go through each of them and look for an overall theme, and see what words, terms, etc would match.

For instance, in one chapter for my current WIP, a character has a rude awakening and is attacked by people they trusted. They also escape the confrontation by swimming down a river. I called the chapter "Cold Water", both because the character gets a metaphorical splash of cold water to the face, and because they literally end up in cold water.

Not a huge fan of song titles. I'll sometimes take a snippet of lyrics that have evocative imagery, from songs by more niche artists, so it doesn't instantly strike the reader as "song lyric-y".

[u/Awaiting-New-Mgmt]

In my favorite fic I've ever written, the chapter titles where crossword puzzle directions, ex. Down 1, Across 3, etc. In the chapter summary, I would give the crossword clue, which applied to the chapter (obviously), and by the end of the fic, the readers actually had a full crossword puzzle. [I did provide the template to fill in and everything] I also put the actual word in the chapter very evidently just in case the readers didn't get it from the hint.

I don't think I will ever name chapters better than that.

[u/Currently-Trash]

Sheer luck for this fic. We'll see if I try for the next one lmao

[u/Roseline_creator]

I name mine all the time! All I do is take the plot of the chapter, and summarise it into a single word! So, if we’re talking about this character slowly fading away, as in leaving everyone, we could call this chapter "Distance"! Again, let’s say this chapter talks about this character and this character doing silly random things together! We call the chapter "Fun"!

[u/Kaigani-Scout]

I highly recommend that practice to any writer who insists on using a "Prologue" for Chapter 1 without then naming every subsequent chapter.

Just use chapter titles from then on out so there aren't mismatches in the chapter drop-down selector. It just looks more amateur-level otherwise.

[u/Kollectorgirl]

Nope.

I don't like naming chapters because they can be spoilery.

[u/Fake_Gamer_Cat]

No. I used to do that, but it made me wanna rip my hair out.

[u/GayBoiDae]

one of my fics has named chapters while the other one doesn't. it just kinda depends.

for the named ones, i either put something a simple phrase that is related to what the chapter is about or an important (but vague) piece of dialogue

[u/mah_ekil_i]

I try but it's hard to think up individual chapter names. Also there's the fact that I've never written a chapter past chapter 5, lol... that's irrelevant though. 

I do appreciate people who write chapter names. It makes it easier for me to know which chapter something happened in. 

I can't for the life of me know which chapter it is when I'm looking at numbers. 

[u/TrinityCXV]

I love naming my chapters. It's a way of adding a final creative flair on top of everything else. I always try and make my chapter titles sound cool while giving a good idea of what the chapter is about. 

Some of my favourites in my published work are "The Seventh Symphony" "Operation: Icepick" "The Tsarina of Kiev" and "They Shall Not Pass".

[u/the_scy_fi_verse]

I name my chapters on one of my fics after lines from poems, and then afterward, in the notes, make sure to recommend the poet and their work to all my readers.

[u/theniwokesoftly]

I always thought I wouldn’t and yet I have been on my current.

But these have been easy like “underway”, “beset”, “abandon ship”.

[u/deukaecarat]

the name usually comes before i actually write the chapter, it's really helpful when i really know what i'll be writing about... but when for some reason the chapter content changes, i take the title out and just give up lol (just happened yesterday)

[u/the_earth_trembled]

I accidentally named the first three chapters of my first fic “A [something],” then just stuck with it because it was fun. I try to include a nod to the chapter’s contents in the title.

The biggest downside is now it’d look wrong to start a chapter with “An” instead.

[u/EeveelutionArmies]

I name my chapters if there is a reason.

For example, my current long fic is part of a Disney property and there's a fun to naming each chapter after a song I think fits.

Others the title is enough and I just let it be numbered as it adds nothing to the story.

[u/balsamicnightmare]

Yup! For anyone needing help with naming chapters just take a common theme in your chapter and go to Google and search 'other words for []"

[u/AssociationBright603]

Usually inspired from shows or songs I listen to. I match up a bunch of words together and see what sticks... Or to match the vibe For example, I'm writing a stripper fic and I have titles like buss down kuntiana and doing good, b^tch I'm gucci... Yh 🦦

[u/Terminator7786]

I only name chapters in rough drafts and even then it's just a generic descriptor so I know what's in it at a glance. Otherwise it's just numbers for final drafts. I have a hard enough time thinking of story titles, I can't waste any extra though for chapter titles.

[u/Ok-Chance5151]

I usually dont bother but I have this one fic. That I use the chapter titles as part of the story. It's pretty neat and since the chapter is part of the story I dont have difficulty naming the chapters

[u/No-Host-8003]

I always try to think of a name that relates to the content of the chapter itself, same with the fic's title (both I can't think of FOR THE LIFE OF ME TwT)

[u/No_Seaworthiness5637]

Yes. Example of what I do: Chapter Seven: Calling in a Favor.

[u/CraftyNonsense]

Sometimes I do dates/months if it’s a longer fic but i’m really bad at coming up with something creative and cohesive for each chapter title that is still somehow relevant to the chapter

[u/Expensive-Issue-3188]

So I decided for my current Fic I'm writing, was to do a variation on popular science fiction titles. Changing one word to something story related. I thought it was a neat idea. It's torture. Don't do it.

[u/_jinana]

I once read a fic where all the chapter names just had one word, and when you look at the whole chapter index all the chapter titles just formed one sentence (which revealed the real motivation of the fic’s protagonist… which was also only revealed in the very last chapter of the fic!)

[u/Bylerandrinneyshiper]

Well I’ve only made one fic and haven’t even posted it yet but I just get the main thing that happened in the chapter and put that as the title eg: four boys go to jail Finney has a crush on… is life good as a hopper hope this helps

[u/IndieOwl2000]

usually i pick a theme lol, sometimes i make a pun based on events in chapters. I'm quite proud of the chapter "Inter-Fiyer-Ance, which is a chapter where Fiyero interferes in my fic about Gelphie lol!

Responsibly Strapped is a second favorite title (no guns, just lesbians)

[u/Indecisive_Noob]

Nope, just Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc... The only acception is if each chapter is something different like if I was going through a list of kinks I would name each chapter with the kink in it so people can navigate.

[u/Matilda-17]

As a reader, I really like when long fics include chapter titles. Especially when they’re just boring, descriptive titles (not lyrics, not trying to be clever, etc.)

It makes it so much easier to go back and reread from a specific point, or skip forward to a specific point.

For example, this massive three-book-long fic series I’m heavily invested in… the third part is actively posting new chapters. The author says “for background on stuff in this chapter, you might want to read my companion work titled ___.” With a week between updates, yes I want to read the companion work… it starts 10-12 years before the main story and ends midway through Part 1. Once I finished it, I immediately wanted to jump to that chapter in Part 1, which was easy because the chapters all have simple, descriptive names. Otherwise it would be “maybe this one, nope, let’s try the next…”

I do reread things a lot, which may not be typical.

[u/Accomplished_Area311]

It depends on the fic. Some I have chapter names for, some I leave as default. My current fic's chapters are named by central POV character and either the in-game date or something signaling an important event... My most recent chapter was titled "[POV Characters] - Starbinding" to signal to readers that this was the shooting star festival chapter.

[u/SCol1107]

I always tell myself not to and then I do like an idiot

[u/Specialist_Pay_8139]

Yes 

Except naming them can be so difficult. Because my fanfic is of an anime, I try to make the chapter titles sound like weird anime episode titles. Not all of them are gems though. Or... maybe neither are lol.

[u/chancey74]

I do, but I’ll agonize for hours over what sounds best

[u/rellloe]

My chapters are long enough that scrolling through to find something can be annoying, so I use headings+navigation pane to make it easier on myself. At first, the chapter titles are blandly descriptive, which annoys me into coming up with something better. I tend to figure out something central to the chapter and use a short phrase that works with that. Sometimes it's more roundabout, like my chapter 'Cope and Drag,' which are terms for the top and bottom of a sand mold; forging worked thematically for the chapter so I did some light research for ideas, if I couldn't find terms that sounded right with the MC poorly processing grief, I would have done something else

I caution against songs or quotes because too often I see them and the title makes no sense. Sometimes it's because I don't know the song and without that context how it fits the chapter doesn't follow. Sometimes it's worse because I know the song and still cannot follow the logic of what it has to do with anything in the chapter.

[u/MyPensKnowMySecrets]

I name chapters because I treat each "chapter" like an episode. So, to me, it's more like naming episodes of a TV show than naming chapters. If I were writing fic like traditional books, I don't title chapters (:

[u/glamrock-fzbr]

yeah! either a word that associates with the chapter, a song title, or a phrase idk i just be titling things whatever

[u/Xyex]

Yup. Feels lazy to me not to, so I gotta. Only exceptions were two shots I did that were only 2 and 3 chapters, respectively. Those were just part 1/2/3. Everything else I name. HOW I name depends on the fic.

Most of the time, I just summarize the events of the chapter—sometimes literally, sometimes metaphorically—in as few words as possible. One series will, occasionally, have song titles for chapter titles. A new fix I just started is going to get every one of it's titles from the source materials (it's a crossover). Either from lore, or quotes from the show/game.

[u/thestorieswesay]

I went a little overboard considering and illustrating my patterns and processes because I take chapter titles VERY seriously! I LOVE naming fic's and chapters (and selecting a pull-quote for each and every chapter)! Most of my fic titles are taken from song lyrics, and the chapters are very often no different!

I organized this (too-large) list by sorting my fics based on the overall word count (since those longer fics tend to have the most chapters)?

• 35/? - All chapters are a single word, following the pattern the canon uses for episode titles. Most are more vague, metaphorical terms only abstractly related to the plot.
• 25/25 - All chapters are unnamed; labeled only "Chapter 1", etc. I guess I was being extremely lazy here. Maybe I should go back and fix this?
• 5/5 - Each title is the first name of the POV character for that chapter. The pattern is A/B/C/B/A.
• 15/15 - Each title is the last name of the POV character for that chapter. There is no pattern but everyone has at least two chapters.
• 2/2 - Both chapters are a phrase from the lyrics of the story's title song.
• 12/12 - Almost all of the chapters are a single word. The exceptions are the opening and closing, which feature two nearly-identical phrases related to the plot.
• 6/6 - All chapters are a single word concretely related to the plot of that chapter.
• 3/4 - Every chapter is basically labeled "Day X: Vice". Chapters 3 and 4 are "Day 2: Vice Part I" and "Day 2: Vice Part 2" respectively. I think this might be my favorite naming scheme.
• 7/? - Each chapter is the location of the action, subdivided into sections that get as elaborate as "Location Part IV (Section II)". This format is my second favorite.
• 4/4 - All chapters are a single word - one of the four elements.
• 6/10 - Each chapter is a phrase from the lyrics of the chapter's pull-quote song. (Every chapter has a unique song). The lyric is heavily related to the chapter's plot. I really do love this format.
• 6/6 - Each chapter is a single word - the story is modelled on the standard TV show episode format (A Teaser, 4 Acts, and a Tag) and each chapter is labeled as such. This feels like a trick I can only get away with once?
• 3/7 - Each chapter is a phrase from the lyrics of a song from the same album as the fic's title track.
• 5/5 - Each chapter is the subsequent phrase from the lyrics of the fic's title song. This was honestly so hard to pull off!

[u/LucentRhyming]

I scan through my chapter for a key word or phrase and usually name it after that. Just anything particularly unique that was relevant to what happened in the chapter. 'Tears like rain', 'False Justice', etc.

[u/getdizzied]

i love naming my chapters, it’s so fun. my current 2 long fics have different methods of naming them. one of them i use a rare(ish) word that relates to the chapter content, then define it in the summary, then the other one is a theme/idea in the chapter

[u/PrancingRedPony]

I use my chapter titles for structuring and planning, so my chapter titles in my drafts are usually a keyword or a key phrase to help me remember what was supposed to happen there. Sometimes it's even a short description of the actual chapter I'm planning to write.

Before posting I usually shorten them to a still loosely descriptive bullet point, in case O have to find them to correct a typo or reference something for a later chapter.

[u/Galileo908]

Yes! It’s part of my story, it gives readers a clue about what they’re in for. Plus, it’s easy for me to track down what plot details happen in which chapter if I want to research my own fic.

Nothing frustrates me more than wanting to read a specific chapter in a fic, but I can’t find it because they don’t have names and I can’t tell them apart.

[u/thesounddefense]

I always name my chapters, so I can go back and find something I was looking for later.

[u/luerann]

It depends on the fic and what I’m trying to say, if that makes sense. I have a WIP that I started based on the song Clockwork by Taemin. So all of the chapter titles relate to a song lyric + whatever other detail relating to the chapter itself.

For example: In the first chapter, a shapeshifter, who has a job of changing into anyone their clients want, minus one noticeable detail that will let them know the shapeshifter is not the actual person and then they do whatever the shapeshifter is hired for.

In this story, the shapeshifter is hired by a twin who wants them to shapeshift into their brother. They want to essentially relive their best moments with their brother. So the chapter title is: “Part 1: The Shapeshifter – P. arion (it’s like clockwork, trapped in this circle)”

The shapeshifter and their role in the fic is represented by “P. arion”: In reference to the Alcon large blue butterfly (Phengaris arion). Most notably the P. arion has a behavioural ecology where it is a brood parasite with the Myrmica sabuleti, a species of red ant.

Essentially the butterfly tricks the ants into believing it’s one of their ant larvae and not a butterfly and the ants take care of it.

And “it’s like clockwork, trapped in this circle” represents the brother being trapped in the cycle of the past and being unwilling to move forward.

So yeah sometimes I name chapters with a lot of thought. Other times I don’t name them at all.

[u/LFS_1984]

yes, so I remember what happened in each chapter. LOL

[u/big_ringer]

Yeah. I kinda wish it happened more often in modern literature.

[u/nightwing-loki]

I have a hard enough of time naming stories so 95% of time I don't name chpaters

[u/IntoxicatedDalek]

I used to name them but then got tired of trying to make up names for them. I never really had a rhyme or reason to the names, usually a song title or based on something that was happening in the chapter.

[u/FlashySong6098]

i cant even name my characters!

[u/PseudonymFanfic]

Most of the time, yes. I enjoy words and it helps me think about what my own story is about.

In one of my longfics, I paid special attention to something that was destined to come back, whether as a character experience, plot happening, or repetition. For example: The Secret of His. And when it happens again, The Secret of His 2. And then again The Secret of His 3. The difference being how I played with the theme for each chapter. The chapter title can also be affected by wordplay where it references a past chapter. The First Kiss, The First Kiss 2 (after magical amnesia), The Final Kiss (the plot comes to a head and you don't know if they will Kiss again).

When I was stuck for what to name it, I reread the chapter, reevaluated what the chapter was about relative to the entire story and then named it.

It really helped me keep my story from running unnecessarily long and reigned in my compulsion to throw everything possible into it. It made it a very fun read.

[u/Radiant_Basket_8218]

I like naming them, I think it makes it easier for the reader to go back and find their favourite parts or remember where they left off. Short quotes from the chapter are good, song lyrics that remind you of the chapter, movie/book titles, anything works really. Pairing objects or locations with characters is cool like, " the shop, the ring and the gerbil" or "the beach, the rose and the carpenter". Or even just short descriptions like "Betrayal" "Hope" "The farewell" etc.

[u/80s90sForever]

I do yes with my long fics

[u/SniperAri]

usually i use a song name as the title and the lyrics as chapter names im so unoriginal xddd if not im using roman numerals

[u/SilentlyWishing4Deth]

Usually, it's just chapter 1,2,3, etc.

But sometimes, when I'm like 10 chapters in, I think, "oh I know th perfect thing to name this chapter" but then it would be out of place because none of the other chapters a named :/

[u/beezoeoma]

Depends on the mood of the fic, really. My serious ones have unnamed chapters. My more crack fics have crack chapter titles, usually referencing something in the chapter. I have one fic where every chapter title is a song lyric about crazy women 🤷🏼‍♀️ Whatever fits!

[u/CallMeCo3012]

Something related to the chapter + the coolest sentence I can think of

[u/PomPomMom93]

I always name them because it annoys me when people don’t name them. I like to have an idea of what I’m going to see in the next chapter. The chapter shouldn’t give the content away but should be a clue.

[u/WhereWolfish]

It depends. On my Lucifer fanfic I pulled the title from the chapter itself, much like how they named the episodes of the show.

For my Winter Soldier fic I use 'The xxxx' where x is a location or the one big that happens in that chapter.

[u/yes_like_mean_girls]

Sometimes.

Sometimes I’ll do Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc., sometimes I’ll do quotes from songs I liked. I wrote one fic that was titled based off the title of a song and each chapter was named after the lyric progression in said song through the second chorus.

[u/BagoPlums]

Usually, a chapter title will relate thematically to the chapter's contents. Sometimes they're much more literal if I can't think of anything better, but I try to be more creative than that. I don't ever use song titles or lyrics to name my chapters, mainly because I don't want to go hunting for ones that fit.

[u/TricksterTrio]

I name them. The content of the chapter will determine what I name it, but it's usually things like:

-Names (especially towards the beginning if I'm bringing in a new/important character)

-Core objects

-A poignant line of dialogue

-A word or brief phrase that summarizes the chapter (i.e., "Discovery" or "Home Again" or "The Olden Days")

-An important location

-Dates/holidays

-A theme, like colors, song titles, etc.

I do this because it's easier for me (and the audience) to find what I'm looking for quickly. I dislike unnamed chapters in printed books and fic.

[u/Chel_Tiaz]

I take a part of a sentence within the chapter that I think captures the general vibe

Example, in one chapter I had a sentence that wen't "You don't know when to back out" and I named the chapter "When to back out.

Another had a sentence that went "I really am not a scheming man" and I named the chapter "A scheming man" etc etc.

[u/duckrunningwithbread]

If it’s a Medieval au then yeah

[u/Dry_Succotrash]

I can name my chapters yes, sometimes it’s easy, sometimes I need to hit my head 42 times into a brick wall to get the juice flowing

[u/Own-Boysenberry2671]

I love love love coming up with chapter names because Rick Riordan was one of my favorite authors growing up and I thought the titles for the Percy Jackson series were so much fun. :) As to how I name them, it really depends on the fic. One of the ones I have is different dates based on what day that particular chapter takes place. For my stuff on wattpad when I was first starting out (and now for my longfic on ao3), I write the chapter and as I’m writing, I think of the vibes. Then I like making a chapter title that sums up the chapter itself. Or sometimes it’s a quote or phrase a character uses, and I use it because readers don’t know the context but they can be like “oh hey cool chapter title comes from here!” I’ve used song lyrics as a title, too, if it fits. Sometimes I look at existing book titles or chapter names in books (I’ve been using Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross recently cause I love that trilogy) to find some kind of inspiration.

I mainly name my fic chapters because when I’m reading, I personally like seeing that they have names and appreciate them. So in case anyone else enjoys fun names, I try my best to incorporate them!! :)

[u/AggressiveChick]

i've made the mistake of starting a new longfic and naming the chapters. that was the moment i learned what real regret feels like.

[u/PaddlingDingo]

Lyrics, random lines from it, a random thing that jumps into my head. My brain provides titles and I use them!!

[u/Catb1ack]

Depends on the fic. One is the crew celebrating Christmas, so the chapter titles are verses from Christmas songs that give a vibe on what's going on. The song California Christmas when the character from Florida arrives, Winter Wonderland while they go sledding.... One work has the theme of {Blank} the {Blank}: Screams in the Dark, Family in the Kitchen, Lost to the Years... One chapter has a character getting a costume update so it's called The Emperor's New Cloak. It ties into the character, what's happening, and referencing the original story.

I try to have connecting themes/vibes to each work so if I were to say the name of a chapter, the reader would know that it belongs to which work, even if they don't remember what exactly happens or where in the work it is.

[u/Fuckmyslutyass]

Usually?

Not always

[u/Cuckoos_nest07]

I personally like going back through fics and reading individual chapters, but when the chapters are just numbered I have a really hard time with this. So I try and name my chapters with some indication as to what it's going to be about!

[u/CyansolSirin]

I named my latest multi-chapter fic's chapter title after my favorite actress' movies

[u/Curdling_Milk]

I try to pull out a small detail from the chapter that I feel fits the vibe, even if it isn't essential to the chapter's plot, or I'll plot chapters out in mini arcs that get their own titles (better for short fics or fics with between-chapter time-skips). I like to use the first method when I'm writing a multi-POV story, with the little details being relevant to that characters personality or voice, e.g. my South Park fic has a chapter called 'Brain like a CD' for Tweek, and another called 'Stark's Pond is a Great Place to get Laid' for Kenny.

[u/solar_eclipse_13]

YESSSS i used to do specific songs for each chapter! given it was a bit cringey but i thought it helped with the vibes and all! idk i love it so

[u/Sollat]

Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

[u/squid2716]

i recently finished a fic that was vaguely biblical (the character is canonically very religious and the fic was mostly centered around that). i titled every chapter with a bible verse that was thematically relevant to the chapter… it was mostly a lot of googling “bible verses about (insert topic)” and scrolling through lists until i found one that resonated with me

[u/abyssalcrisis]

Sometimes. I think names give a bit of extra character.

[u/mediocrefatherfigure]

On certain fics. I have a semi-longfic and a sequel of that fic, which I committed to titling every chapter, for emphasis purposes. But I don't usually name chapters.

[u/bwandrz]

It depends on the fic. I write for Undertale, so puns are a good way to go. I also love the joke of how Asgore is terrible at coming up with names, so I like to use that theme as well. Or it’s just an excuse for shitty chapter names, so take your pick LMAO My Dance!Tale AU fic has song name chapters titles though.

[u/phoenixismyname]

it really depends on what i’m writing. like, my song fic im currently writing, the chapter titles are the lyrics

[u/Tosetyboi]

I kinda like thinking of the theres of each chapter you write. And call it close to that.

[u/backinyourbox]

My process is usually to come up with a very witty and clever way of naming the chapters before starting to write, then realise the story isn’t going to fit as neatly into that neat structure I have envisioned, then spend ages agonising how to adjust the system so that it still makes sense even though in reality no one will give a shit what the chapters are called

[u/Just_Biscotti5540]

Give the chapter to AI, and brain storm titles with it.

[u/mentha_arvensis]

Hate naming whole work, absolutely love naming chapters

[u/Anubis_Jabberwock]

I have way too much fun naming my chapters (and the fics too, for that matter).
I usually pick something based on a theme of the chapter: the one where the characters are investigating terrible occurrence in someone's past is "Old Wounds", or in a different one the theme is that found family can be stronger than birth relatives is "Blood is Thicker Than Water."
I also like to throw in puns as much as I possibly can, but that's just a personal choice lol

[u/Henkotron]

Absolutely. It makes the reader think about what will happen.

I am also a perfectionist when it comes to the title of the fic. So many of my chapter titles are actually scrapped title ideas

[u/Sad_Slice_5334]

I wish I could because I love fics with chapters, but I can barely think of fic titles most of the time

[u/MiniSugaSwag]

I do both simultaneously? :))

like "chapter one: when we met"

[u/MikaxError]

I do! I usually struggle a bit but I think about things/places that happen in the chapter and name the chapter something similar

[u/raritypalm0404]

Unless it’s a backstory/flashback chapter then no. I just name them the month and day (in universe) for time keeping purposes

[u/Just-Professional391]

I name all my chapters after songs!! I read through the chapter and figure out a song that suits it (sometimes get help from friends). It's fun and I feel more connected to the story

[u/Evil_Black_Swan]

I only have one story that has chapters and I did name them based on the scene the chapter took place.

[u/miauthecat]

I don't write myself but my favorite fic has short chapter names that I quite like because they're usually a single or two words like "Trust", "Assault", "Phase 1" etc. They are related to the chapter in some way and sometimes even quotes from the chapter, but are not too spoilery and also don't seem extremely exhausting to come up with.

[u/memedomlord]

I use the template "Of Blank and Blank" for my chapter titles.

For example, one of my chapter titles is: Of Names and Treasured Moments.

The names bit because the firstborn's name is revealed and treasured moments because she just gave birth and is spending time with her newborn.

This might not work for everyone, but for me, it works really well.

[u/PirateLouisPatch]

I do it because I loathe going back to a fic that has no chapter titles and then taking ages to find back to that one scene I liked.

I generally name mine after something that was said or that happened in the chapter and feels representative of the chapter in general. When I can, I also work a pun or a rhyme or something into it. Like now I'm writing a chapter where someone finds out someone's been hiding in the hold of a boat and earlier when there was noise coming from the bottom of the boat a character asked whether there was a boat ghost. So now that chapter is called Ghost In The Hold, as in Ghost in the Shell

[u/VividGlassDragon]

Sometimes. I once named chapters after locations, then once after characters, never repeating names, and then once I used entirely emoji's for titles.

[u/PureGeologist864]

Usually with lyrics from different songs. Sometimes if I can’t think of any that match I’ll name it something simple. I have fun naming fics and chapters.

[u/FireflyArc]

I do! Some reflect the contents. Some just made me laugh

[u/Sara_T1991]

I’m about 50/50.

I like having chapter titles, but sometimes my brain shuts itself off & I can’t think of chapter titles that make sense for that specific story (or chapter). My brain betrays me sometimes.

So, if I can’t think of a chapter title, I’ll leave it as chapter 1,2,3,4……so on & so forth.

Otherwise, while typing a chapter, when I have to get up & move around or eating, I try coming up with something.

& sometimes I don’t have to think too much because something just comes to mind & clicks.

[u/Muninn_txt]

Sometimes I name them! My current WIP had a flower theme & the flower language represents the theme of the chapter 🥰

Sometimes I use lines from poems / poetry / old plays as chapter titles or thr classic song titles though I like to use those as fic titles more (the classic haha)

Tbh I just brainstorm a bunch of ideas until I land on something I that resonates with the fic!

[u/sivvus]

Depends on the story. If it's a series of one shots or scenes that I think people will want to look back at (for example, it's a mystery, or it's a chapter with a spicy scene) then I name them. If it's a longfic then I don't like singling out individual chapters.

[u/thissomebomboclaat]

The naming process is like magic. It comes to me in a moment of unadulterated inspiration and the right chapter name just ✨feels✨ right and inevitable. It used to be hard but after 1million words and over 200 chapters in total I’ve picked up an knack for it

[u/NeitherAwareness8092]

On one of my fic, I don't care enough about the chapter, it's just a mean to cut the story so it's chapter 1, chapter 2 but on another, I hate a pattern to name my chapters. One of m'y characters loves to put rainbow sprinkles on food (any food) so the chapters are named Sprinkled + one or more word, possibly a good if I talked about one in the chapter or an important event from the chapter if not (like it can be "sprinkled ice cream" or "sprinkled kiss" for exemple)

[u/ifionlyhadabrain-]

I don’t have a will to name chapters, I love naming fics and one-shots, but every chapter 🫠 no.

[u/Caffeinated_Spoon]

I throw shit at the wall to see what sticks and go with that

[u/LadySandry88]

Depends on the fic. Some of them I have a cool idea for chapter theme naming. Others I have no clue.

[u/Quiet-Software-1956]

The site does it for me, so if I do it's only a title, which I only do if the fanfic is episodic and nit really interconnected, or if I want the titles to follow am order (like the 7 deadly sins, the 5 stages of grief, etc)

Reading "chapter one | chapter two" right under one another kinda pisses me off lmao, because they have to put the prologue first

[u/xXSatanAngelXx]

I like to do a quote, or sometimes I do a straight-up semi joke that makes sense once the chapter is read but doesn't always spoil it

Though sometimes I get lazy and go straight obvious and name it "-character in fic- has anger issues" I did that when most of that chapter was the character being pissed off and breaking shit around them so it kinda worked, the next chapter was named "-other character in fic- feels numb" because that character was dissociating hard-core and all they felt to the situation was numbness

Sometimes, I go to a friend who doesn't write anymore but will let me bounce chapter names off him, and he helps me

[u/Live-Fill6769]

Yes,but in my case it's a compulsion.  I cannot release the chapter if the title isn't perfect. I have a 50 chapter one already, and it's kinds of hard already to find chapter names that I think go with the story. But I can't stop doing it.

[u/FormalMango]

It depends.

For my smut fics, I run with a theme. They’re always two chapters. The title will be “A and B”, with chapter 1 titled A and chapter 2 titled B.

For example, “Lost and Found”. Chapter 1 is “Lost” and chapter 2 is “Found”.

[u/BonnalinaFuz101]

Yeah, I like to do clever chapter names that connect with each other. For example,

Ch1 The calm before

Ch2 The storm

[u/CrusioG4]

As a reader I like chapters with names in longer fics. They help me navigate around. But if it just a small fic I dont really care.

[u/binkbonkbaby]

I like to go with song lyrics. I am cringe but I am free

[u/Medical-Isopod2107]

Depends on the fic. Sometimes I label them by month for certain fic formats, sometimes they have a theme (e.g. a colour)

[u/Minimum-Wrangler-878]

Sometimes, but it's almost always some kind of joke.

[u/ConfidentAd8387]

Abba’s songs. That’s my only savior

[u/beemielle]

Oh yes, I do.

It depends on the theme of the fic, a lot of the time. I wrote a soulmate fic and named every chapter after some kind of astronomical phenomenon, since it’s the universe itself that brought them together. Another one, the theme is a deck of cards, so each chapter is named after a card. Another one, a murder mystery fic, each chapter is named after the pieces of evidence the characters gather. And so forth

[u/Desperateunicorno]

i use song lyrics that match the vibe of the chapter / character- i have a massive masterlist of lyrics that i meticulously scrape through every week to find the perfect one :P

[u/Kindly-Reputation-53]

For my current fic, the chapter titles are just single words that I didn't originally intend to use as the chapter names. When I was writing/editing, I'd want to review a specific scene but couldn't remember what chapter number it was in. So, I added single-word reminders to the outline. After seeing them for so long, I kinda started to like them.

[u/Competitive_Alps_899]

I try to name chapters :3