Nyx Nyghtingale
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Poll - SaS Chapter Titles
🕑 Added 2024-10-10 17:00:10 +0000 UTCHey everyone! As I mentioned in my most recent Update post, I'm polishing up Book One of Suddenly A Succubus to get it ready for publication. While the release is still a ways away, I have a lot of ideas floating around that I'd love to get some feedback on.
One in particular is Chapter Titles. Personally, I don't think I'm great at coming up with names or titles. Some of the free sites I post to (like AO3) require chapter titles, and I come up with simple things that are good enough, but not great.
Thankfully, I have a lot of time to think about this before I publish, and my editor had some neat ideas. I want to see what you all think!
Idea #1: Use titles inspired by biblical stories. As an example, the first chapter might be called "The First Temptation" or the last might be called "The Fall".
Benefits: Establishes a stronger connection with the ideas of Heaven and Hell.
Downside: Might imply the story has more to say about religion than it actually does. Amara’s story is about identity, not her opinions about the Church.
Idea #2: Use Tarot cards. Chapter One might be called "The Fool" and Chapter 13 "Death".
Benefits: Titling the last Chapter "Death" would be really fucking cool. New readers might have more genuine fear that Amara or Vee might die in the fight at the Palace.
Downside: Tarot is more commonly associated with witchcraft, which is present in Book One, but not as important. At some point, one of these books will be more heavily focused on Tessa and Witchcraft, and this name scheme would work much better there.
Idea #3: Use more conventional Chapter Titles inspired by the events of the story, most likely the stages of Amara's transformation. This would make it incredibly easy to have more light-hearted titles, like making a "Horny" joke for the Chapter in which her horns appear.
Benefits: More conventional name scheme.
Downside: Less depth, chapter titles risk being less memorable.
Idea #4: Name each chapter as if it were a class. Chapter One would be "Intro to Demonology" and stuff like that.
Benefits: Reinforces the College setting.
Detriments: Much like option number three, this risks feeling more light-hearted and jovial. (After all, this is how Community named their episodes.)
I'd be super curious to hear your thoughts about my ideas! That being said, if you have any ideas of your own, I'd love to hear those as well. Feel free to pick option four and make your pitch in the comments!
Nyx <3
Comments
Dadhiker
Use a favorite line from the chapter that sums up a feeling or an important event in the chapter. (But also teases the reader)
Jeff
If you went with option 4 you could do things like “Studying For Exams” while Amara is doing her gym training with Nick, and “Office Hours” when she intimidates Mr. Luxnor in book two. The downside is that you have to come up with something witty and school-related for each chapter, but not every chapter directly relates to school.
Otterly Ruddertail
I’ve done a series with titles based on college classes, that gets hard to do past twelve or so. Voted for basing on chapter events.
LanessaWhispers
Hi ! Maybe the chapter titles could start simple and then, as the story progresses, you add either enochian or demon scriptures, and at the end, both scriptures side by side, facing their differences. You could also put a translation under the title or before the text, so us mortals can understand the words.
