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Damien J. Nash Reading Flux by Mark. R. Faulkner

20 Sep 2012, 05:08 PM | Post: #1

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Tick TOC?

I was having a discussion at work today about eBooks (loads of us have a Kindle or tab with Kindle app- I work in a lab full of biomedical scientists and we all love our gadgets!) and the subject of Tables of Contents at the start of a fiction ebook came up. Ok, it was started by me as I didn't include one in my novel as I didn't see much point as the chapters don't have names.

The general concensus was that if they were included they weren't used as most just start at page one and work their way through until they reach the end. Kindle remembers where you left off, so what's the point?

So, my question to you all is this. Did/do you include a TOC in your work/s of fiction? If so, what was your rationale behind it (assuming you just name your chapters "Chapter One" etc? Has anyone received any feedback from readers regarding a lack of, or the inclusion of a TOC at the start of the book?

Does it even matter?

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J.S.Egan Reading

20 Sep 2012, 05:36 PM | Post: #2

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RE: Tick TOC?

Apple won't list your book unless it has a ToC. Also Kindle will occasionally lose its place and then trying to find it again without a ToC is REALLY flippin' annoying.

So my books have them!

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Damien J. Nash Reading Flux by Mark. R. Faulkner

20 Sep 2012, 06:12 PM | Post: #3

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RE: Tick TOC?

I hadn't even considered Apple, or other sites, so hadn't considered their requirements! I'm in the KDP programme for the time being. I also hadn't heard of Kindles losing their place either, but I can appreciate how annoying it would be to lose your place and have to page through half a novel to find where you were.

Maybe I should do a TOC afterall...

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J.S.Egan Reading

20 Sep 2012, 08:03 PM | Post: #4

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RE: Tick TOC?

Place-losing happens quite a bit on the iPad Kindle app.

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Ray Kingfisher Reading Children of the Holocaust - Helen Epstein

20 Sep 2012, 08:21 PM | Post: #5

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RE: Tick TOC?

My first published title was an anthology of short stories with a 'back to contents' link at the end of each one - obviously useful there.

For my first (only) novel - having worked out how to do a TOC I thought I might as well - my rationale was 'you never know who might find it useful' - occasionally people might backtrack or read a bit, get interrupted and have to go back. I was just going the extra mile for readers - a bit like putting the lyrics in with a CD, not essential but something I always like.
Having heard that losing your place happens I'll probably continue the practice.

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LindaGruchy Reading The Chandelier Ballroom by Elizabeth Lord

20 Sep 2012, 09:21 PM | Post: #6

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RE: Tick TOC?

This post was last modified: 20 Sep 2012 09:30 PM by LindaGruchy.

As my novels contain a lot of short chapters I don't include a TOC unless I thik it's pertinent. A couple of my novels have named chapters to that works, and I wanted to have aa link to the axcknowledgements etc, but I have seen books where the TOPC is just Chapter 1 Chapter 2 over a couple of pages and it looks odd.

Anthologies need them though.

I saw a NF book which had a useless one at the beginning and a far better one hidden at the end

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Damien J. Nash Reading Flux by Mark. R. Faulkner

20 Sep 2012, 09:47 PM | Post: #7

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RE: Tick TOC?

I think if I do do a TOC I may consider giving names/titles to the chapters. I think a list of chapter numbers looks 'fugly'. Rolleyes

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Chitma Reading

21 Sep 2012, 06:53 AM | Post: #8

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RE: Tick TOC?

This post was last modified: 21 Sep 2012 06:54 AM by Chitma.

i am going to put my view as a reader here. i know this is this author section and your question has specifically been directed to authors, BUT you do ask if they have had feedback from readers. There are plenty of readers here too, and we can sometimes be helpful to you authors, so why not also ask us directly!?!?

anyhow... as a reader, personally i am not fussed with TOC, i read on my Kindle, Cloud reader and tablet and all sync perfectly well... what i do find helpful and here, as a reader, i will have to concede i don't know if the two things are linked as it is techy stuff (eeks) but i DO LIKE the chapter dots you get on the % bar at the bottom... very useful for late night reading when you need to know if you can squeeze an extra chapter in before "lights out" Smile

dunno if i've been helpful or just opened up a different can of worms, but hey ho - just thought i'd add my tuppence Smile

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Damien J. Nash Reading Flux by Mark. R. Faulkner

21 Sep 2012, 07:34 AM | Post: #9

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RE: Tick TOC?

Hi sorry. I wasn't being rude, i put the thread in here as i was talking about my book so didn't want, as a new member, to be seen as trying to drum up interest in my novel elsewhere.is in

Of course, readers opinions are hugely important, so i will ask the masses Blush

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Chitma Reading

21 Sep 2012, 07:46 AM | Post: #10

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RE: Tick TOC?

This post was last modified: 21 Sep 2012 07:47 AM by Chitma.

oh no - i didnt mean to imply you were rude Sad

i was just trying to point out that we readers are also here and more than happy to help you authors - especially if it makes our reading a more pleasurable experience Smile

i was more worried that you would be offended by my answering your author directed post if truth be told - see we readers can get insecure too...

i know that on "some" forums (fora) authors are the devil, but NOT HERE Smile

here we actively encourage author/reader interaction and feedback and all that jazz Smile

all one big happy family here (mostly lol)

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