How Did You Choose a Title?

Horserider · Dec 25, 2008

I've finished my first book, but I'm having a little trouble coming up with a good title. So my question is, How did you find the title for your book?

I know as a reader, the title is the first thing that I look at and if the title doesn't catch my eye that I won't even pick that book up off the shelf.

Palmfrond · Dec 25, 2008

I chose a title that I thought was subtle but attention-getting, and my agent changed it before submitting it to editors. In other words, it doesn't really matter what you pick now, just grow a thick hide.

William Haskins · Dec 25, 2008

ditto that. pick a working title and make it as comfortable as an old shoe. just be prepared to put on a nicer pair for company.

ChaosTitan · Dec 25, 2008

Someone told me a trick once: Take a piece of paper and make three columns. Name the first column "Nouns," the second "Adjectives," and the third "Verbs." Fill those columns with words or phrases that fit your book in some way. Use various combos of those words to come up with a title.

While a catchy title isn't necessary to gain an agent's attention, it can definitely help if you have one.

I think I was also one of the exceptions to the rule (that editors will usually change your title anyway), because my book is being published with the title I queried with.

brad_b · Dec 25, 2008

I almost finished my book before a title came to me; it seemed perfect and still is. It's strong and fits the storyline well. If a publisher wants to change it he'll be in for a fight unless he comes up with something I believe in as strongly.

Kitty Pryde · Dec 25, 2008

I took half of a proverb that one of my MCs is very fond of (One hand for yourself, and one hand for the ship.). Within my story, the phrase means a lot both literally and in the more abstract, aphorism sort of sense. I think it's a good name but I'm not married to it.

RunawayScribe · Dec 25, 2008

Eh. It's different for each work. Usually one comes to me partway through the project. Sometimes it's a key word or something from the story that has both surface and deeper significance. One time, I just went with the MC's name, since the project was her story, ultimately about her growth and development. From the sounds of it, though, editors will likely change a title. I figure I just won't get too attached. As long as they'll publish my story and the title suits the project, I'll deal with it. Heh.

Mythical Tiger · Dec 25, 2008

I choose my titles by accident... And it's usually after I finish the book.

scribbler1382 · Dec 25, 2008

The best titles are the ones that seem to mean one thing when you start reading the book, but you realize when you've finished reading it that it either means something else entirely or it has a double meaning.

That said, as someone else pointed out, 9 times out of 10, especially for first timers, the title is going to be changed by the agent/editor/publisher, so don't sweat it.

Raphee · Dec 25, 2008

As I work on my WIP, I keep on noting ideas for titles in a separate word doc. One of them normally sticks, or helps generate a better title.

dancingandflying · Dec 25, 2008

I like choosing titles that remind me of titles of Dali's paintings: "Invisible Afghan with the Apparition on the Beach of the Face of Garcia Lorca in the Form of a Fruit Dish with Three Figs" (1938) or "Costume for a Nude with a Codfish Tail" (1941) or "The Harmony of Spheres" (1978). But, I'm just weird like that...

d&f.

Nakhlasmoke · Dec 25, 2008

Sometimes my titles come to me at the beginning of the book, and seem absolutely perfect, other times the title only falls into place when I've seen the book as a whole (that is, completed it).

I try not to stress too much over the titles while writing though.

Sean D. Schaffer · Dec 26, 2008

Horserider said:
I've finished my first book, but I'm having a little trouble coming up with a good title. So my question is, How did you find the title for your book?

...Snipped.

I usually choose a short title based on the overall theme of my work, but I don't usually find out what that theme is until the first draft is finished.

sadron · Dec 26, 2008

I haven't decided title yet but usually it comes along on middle of the story.

StevenJ · Dec 26, 2008

dancingandflying said:
I like choosing titles that remind me of titles of Dali's paintings: "Invisible Afghan with the Apparition on the Beach of the Face of Garcia Lorca in the Form of a Fruit Dish with Three Figs" (1938) or "Costume for a Nude with a Codfish Tail" (1941) or "The Harmony of Spheres" (1978). But, I'm just weird like that...

d&f.

That's funny, I used Magritte's titles for my chapter titles:

The Light-Breaker
The Scars of Memory
The Voice of the Air
Blood Will Tell
The Treachery of Images
Etc

Have you read 'Wicked Lady: Salvador Dali's Muse', d&f?

StevenJ · Dec 26, 2008

Back on-topic...

I have a different problem to most, it seems - I wanted to change the title of my novella, but the people I discussed this with all say I should stick with it.

scarletpeaches · Dec 26, 2008

Nine times out of ten I have the title before I even have the characters.

With my latest WIP, I tacked on a working title for the sake of having something to name the folder in My Documents, but I'd be willing to change it if something better came along.

A couple of my titles are all but set in stone; I don't think there are better (or should I say, more suitable) ones out there. Only one or two of my WIPs are like that, though.

Elidibus · Dec 26, 2008

Me personally, I usually use "Insert title here" as the title of a work before I start it. Generally, my titles appear in the middle or towards the end of my WIP. But, as of late, I seem to have title ideas just pop out at me. To give examples of the works in my sig...

In the Time of Angels: I actually really thought about this. I like reading books where, at the end, the title is used in a sentence by a main character. Just feels kinda nifty. So...that's how I got that one.

The Shapers: A random name I gave to these supposed people that can "shape" things like elements, souls, spirits and things. Pretty easy.

Peerless: This name IS my MC in this story. IMO, there is no better title for this work so no one better change it, dang it! Don't even suggest it!

Mumut · Dec 26, 2008

For my first book the title came to me almost immediately. It was a good one and works well. Unfortunately my Canadian publishers are going to have to change it. The second book was written before I thought of with a title and I had to work hard to come up with one. That title will be kept when published in Canada. Unfortunately I'm having the same trouble with the third book. I'm half way through and using a working title I don't really like.
Let's hope a good one pops up in my dreams one of these nights.

Linda Adams · Dec 26, 2008

Once I knew what the hook for the story, I knew what direction the title needed to be--in my case, a tabloid nickname like K-Fed. Since my book is also an urban fantasy, I also needed an element that also conveyed magic. I visited several tabloid Websites for inspriation, made a list of potential nicknames, found one, and that became the title.

tehuti88 · Dec 26, 2008

Titles that I need just seem to come to me. Granted, mine probably aren't the most fascinating titles in the world, but they work for me. *shrug* Since I write in series stories, the titles of previous works can help me come up with that of the current story ("Manitou Island," "Return To Manitou Island," "Escape From Manitou Island," and coming soon, "Beneath Manitou Island"!).

With shorter stories I often look at the main theme of the story ("Obsession," "Rebirth") or I might take a phrase or key concept from the story itself ("The Prize"). Or just title it after the main characters ("Two Brothers," "Winter Born").

I have other types of titles but like I said, they just come to me. I think the fact that I work with longer stories gives me lots of time to think up a title along the way.

I'm not writing for publication so changing a title to suit a publisher isn't an issue for me.

Don · Dec 26, 2008

My current WIP was titled 'A Cautionary Tale' until today, when I finally got rid of the generic for the name in my sig.

MDei · Dec 26, 2008

For my young adult romance, I had the title before I wrote one word. It just fit and I'll probably fight an agent if they tried to change it too (Maybe not if that the seal to a nice money making contract). As for my fantasy... I agonized or it :Headbang:

. I wrote my book and finally came up with a title, then when I got around to a query, I came up with another and then had to change a whole theme in my book! :rant:

I was like a mad woman when it came to my book. And then someone else had a problem with it and said what the hell! It's staying like it is right now.

How did I come up with it? I took all the main themes of my book ad listed them and chose the one that fit best for the book. Unknowingly, I chose the title for the rest of the series while doing it :e2woo:

.

RJK · Dec 26, 2008

The book I'm currently querying is entitled "Cuckoo". The antagonist finds women who are ovulating, rapes them and they have his children. If I ever get to the publishing stage I hope to be able to suggest the cover art:

A bird's eye view of a robin's nest. Two robin's eggs lie next to one hatched cuckoo egg. A human baby is superimposed inside the open shell of the cuckoo egg.

Snowstorm · Dec 26, 2008

My novel has a side issue based upon a federal law. I have an epigraph which includes a portion of that law. There is a phrase in that law. and that's what I used for my title.

How Did You Choose a Title?

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