Titles!

[Brandi_R]

I have a conflicted relationship with titles. I love them. I browse library shelves for the sheer joy of titles. I often look through the table of contents of journals and collections--both poetry and short fiction--that I don't necessarily have the intention of reading. (Although, often titles will convince me that I simply must read the book.) I even find titles spring out at me in the course of my day--a phrase that someone has said simply floats up and declares itself an interesting possibility for a title. The other end of this is the agony I go through in order to title stories I've actually written. Nothing stumps me more than that white space above the text on the first page of my manuscript.

What's your take on titles? What are some of your favorite titles? What's the title of a novel, story or poem that you'd love to read but hasn't yet been written?

[GS2991]

I have a love/hate thing with titles. I love to shift through the shop and read the titles but naming my own stuff stumps me. A few times I can get it and times like with my poems I just can't find a name. Some titles I say "gota buy it!" Some sound cheesy and I skip it. A little picky maybe but thats me.

[shadowcat80]

I usually don't title a story right away cause it locks me into a direction of story that might hendee my creative process. I figure out a title as I get going.

[Darkkin]

Within the first page of a project, I know my title, know the heart of my story.  I don't have a title; I don't have a defining edge.  Where my characters go, what they do is still surprising, but always remains in tune with piece.  Like the flow of water across a palm, a tear down a cheek...A name, a title, traces through my head.  Akin to the perfect theme music, a title has to be in rhythm with a piece.  It is the heartbeat that holds a story steady.  A pulse, a compass point...The Traveller.  The Angel.  The Changeling.  The Flower.  The Star.  Darkkin Lost.  Dark Angel.  A rhythm...Subtle.  Sometimes dark, sometimes driving, occasionally cryptic, but always there.

- Darkkin, the Tedious

[BookishBlonde]

Although coming up with just the right title can be challenging it doesn't really bother me, I haven't felt pinned down by any of them at all, if I don't like it or it doesn't fit I just change it. It's my work, my world, I get to make up all the rules as I go and break a few too if that's what suits me at the moment.

When it comes to reading/chosing books I tend to steer clear of the "best-seller" lists and instead browse for interesting and engaging titles or look for authors I've really enjoyed before. I'm surprised at how many times I've selected something that way, it turned out to be a wonderful read, and 3-6 months later every one's talking about it!

[Whisper-Lynn]

I am in love with "marriages of words" as I call them.  I, too, constantly find myself thinking "great title" if I hear an interesting sentence or see a particularly stunning title at the book store.  I even suggested Joe Hill's "Heart Shaped Box" for my book group because it's also the title of one of my favorite Nirvana songs!

My vice as far as browsing is covers.  I have purchased most of my books because the cover grabs me (I'm really bad about not even reading the synopsis, cover + title = interest!), and have alternately read many books, because my friends all but forced me too, which I thoroughly enjoyed...and would never have picked up off the shelf because the cover art was not compelling enough! 

I find myself most often thinking of a title and then beginning the story around it - I'll think of a combination of words that inspires me and think "I've got to write that!"  i.e. my current projects, "Symphony Of The Damned" (the sequel, "Requiem For Lost Souls"), "Casualties Of Optimism" and "Barstool Confessions"

[Brandi_R]

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Whisper-Lynn wrote:

I find myself most often thinking of a title and then beginning the story around it - I'll think of a combination of words that inspires me and think "I've got to write that!"  i.e. my current projects, "Symphony Of The Damned" (the sequel, "Requiem For Lost Souls"), "Casualties Of Optimism" and "Barstool Confessions"

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Very cool! Sometimes I'll start a story from a striking line, but perhpas my own relationship with titles has steered me away from starting from a title. Sounds like a neat idea for an exercise. Hmmm . . .

[Brandi_R]

It's so interesting to read these responses. I'm continually amazed at just how different the writing process can be for writers.

[Brandi_R]

What about intriguing titles . . . Does anyone have the title of a work they'd like to read (if only the book existed)? Or a title that sets your imagination in motion?

[TylerAE]

This is a title of a movie, but it really got my attention: The Happening.

[newfern]

I have to admit, I prefer non-noun titles. "The book" doesn't exactly sound thrilling to me. I would much rather dive into something that sounds active, alive. So, instead of looking for "The Zombie" I would really like to read "A funny thing happened on the way to dinner" or "How I ate Manhattan."

-Fern

http://www.fernjardin.com

[Darkkin]

Blue Star of the Hinterlands.

[FactAboutStuff]

Huh Same here!

Its really very tough to find the correct title! I have a friend of mine, she did a preitty nice job on her website which is about providing learning resources for the people to help them in their daily routine.. currently serving topics -- tutorials on creating a website, how to make money online etc.

Source: FactAboutStuff

[Zkullis]

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Brandi_R wrote:

I have a conflicted relationship with titles. I love them. I browse library shelves for the sheer joy of titles. I often look through the table of contents of journals and collections--both poetry and short fiction--that I don't necessarily have the intention of reading. (Although, often titles will convince me that I simply must read the book.) I even find titles spring out at me in the course of my day--a phrase that someone has said simply floats up and declares itself an interesting possibility for a title. The other end of this is the agony I go through in order to title stories I've actually written. Nothing stumps me more than that white space above the text on the first page of my manuscript.

What's your take on titles? What are some of your favorite titles? What's the title of a novel, story or poem that you'd love to read but hasn't yet been written?

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I have always thought that a good title is an important part of the story.  This might stem from having so many years of reading lists of titles (pre internet, of course) at the library in order to sift through the mountains of literature to find something good to read.  Back then, a good title was almost all the information you had (short of word-of-mouth) to start your book selection process.

As far as writing a novel/story/poem goes, I am rarely able to find a title that screams perfection until I am more than halfway through what I am writing.  The novel I am currently working on is an exception - I knew immediately what it was going to be.  The direction, tone, and storyline were all very clear, so the title was easy.

While it is easier now to search for a good read without paying too much attention to the title, I still feel like the title is important.  It should be a good teaser.  But, I do have a hard time with titles that are the size of a small paragraph.

[AlmH]

Omo... I'm so glad I'm not the only one with this fetish (for lack of a better word... lololo).  I can be so over the top about them that sometimes I think what kind of book would "X" (title) be lololo.  What would be the story line and who would be the characters. 

[Open-Peacemind]

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shadowcat80 wrote:
I usually don't title a story right away cause it locks me into a direction of story that might hendee my creative process. I figure out a title as I get going.

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I agree with shadowcat80.

I can't tell my story until I'm finished completely then I look for the title

I do this because I don't know every single word what to write

and when you write the title first you have to follow the title or else it will go off topic

[GS2991]

Off topic can lead to new storys though. Sometimes I will split storys if it goes too far. Change things add things take things. Hit or miss sometimes I find it fun fun to go crazy see just how odd or strange a free range idea can go. And no I don't follow rules well ....

[lilythdarkheart]

I do have to admit that the book covers get me more than the titles do.  There are a few titles I love, like Lothaire, Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night, The Vampire Who Loved me, Archon, Blood Magic, etc., but overall I go for the cover.  I have a hard time coming up with titles for books, screenplays, or poetry that I write.  I write one down and then scratch it over a couple seconds later.