There are many formats for chapter headings, but one thing that can’t be wrong is the numbering. #writetip If you’re self editing, and I would guess lots of authors are, at least before submitting to an agent or publisher, check your numbers carefully.
By the time an author completes a novel, I suspect scenes, if not whole chapters, have been reorganized. You might move a scene to an earlier spot in your novel. You might remove a chapter. Infinite changes are possible.
In the end, don’t forget to check the chapter numbers are in right. It’s easy to re-use a chapter number or skip one all together. I print my manuscript and spread is chapter by chapter across the floor.
Other small things I check:
– Are the headings a consistent font and character size?
– Are the headings positioned at the same spot on the page? By this I mean, check the number of lines before and after the chapter heading. Are all the heading centred, left aligned, or right aligned?
– Do the headings start on a new page?
This many seem small, but it will enhance the professionalism of your submission.
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If you are using Word, you can use the Chapter/Table of contents feature. It automatically numbers your chapters for you, even if you move them around. For me, It’s been a Godsend. It even automatically updates what page number the chapters start in a table of contents.
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I’m using pages on a mac, but I bet it has the same feature. Thanks for the tip. I’ll try it out. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it earlier.
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Good tips for writers. Thanks. I’m using a mac too, and will have to check out the Word Chapter/Table for my second novel.
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