Titles: Long and short of it

Can't Catch A Break · Aug 6, 2006

I've been told that some of my titles are tongue twisters but I think they're unique.

How do you guys proceed?

At the moment, I am torn between two titles:

1)A Sinner's Prayer

2) Breach of Faith: Requiem for Temptation

ChaosTitan · Aug 6, 2006

A Sinner's Prayer is easier to read and much more eye-catching. You want potential agents or editors to notice the title, not spend five minutes wondering what it means (which is what I did with option 2).

Titles tend to change by point of publication anyway, so don't sweat too much over your working title.

DeborahM · Aug 6, 2006

What Choaostitan said.

I like Sinner's Prayer myself. However did you consider dropping the colon and making Requiem for Temptation a whole new title?

brianm · Aug 6, 2006

The first one indicates what the story may be about and has a nice ring to it. The second one is confusing. A requiem is a mass for the dead... very solemn... I immediately think of Verdi's Requiem. So I read it like this... "Breach of Faith: A Mass for the Dead for Temptation." It doesn't make sense to me...

KAM · Aug 6, 2006

Another vote for Sinner's Prayer - much catchier than the second!

expatbrat · Aug 7, 2006

I like Sinners Prayer - count my vote.

NightWynde · Aug 7, 2006

Count me in for "Sinner's Prayer."

As for my own titles, a lot of time I'll just call it whatever comes to mind and is easy enough to read. I don't worry about it too much, 'cause chances are it'll get changed.

That being said, I've just recently changed a title from "13, Maybe More" to "Key Witness" because the former title no longer fit.

Can't Catch A Break · Aug 7, 2006

Thanks for the input.

I've simply been fixating on the word "Requiem".

citymouse · Aug 7, 2006

What's wrong with Sinner's Requiem?

Thomma Lyn · Aug 7, 2006

I like Sinner's Prayer, too - but Sinner's Prayer better than A Sinner's Prayer. Where possible, I like getting rid of "a" and "the" in a title when they're the first word in the title.

Another possibility: Requiem for a Sinner.

PattiTheWicked · Aug 7, 2006

Titles are weird. I always start out with one in mind, and by the time I'm done it's morphed into something completely different. I've been working on a story that originally was rather serious and dark, called "Sympathy". It's completely different now, the tone has changed, it's funny as hell, and it's become "The Devil Went Down to Cleveland."

howiehok · Aug 7, 2006

Sinner's Prayer For me - I like it.

Angelinity · Aug 7, 2006

Without knowing the book, I like the ring of 'Breach of Faith' - i like short, monosyllabic words, especially in a title; too me it sounds commanding, astute this way.

'Sinner's Prayer' has a sing-song quality to it, sounds sorta tentative.

...my two cents.

Writing Jedi · Aug 7, 2006

If I saw those two books on the shelf, I would pick up "A Sinner's Prayer" for sure.

Soccer Mom · Aug 7, 2006

I's be more likely to grab up A Sinner's Prayer. But the above are correct. Publishers change the title all the time. Don't sweat it too much.

Kate Thornton · Aug 7, 2006

NightWynde said:
That being said, I've just recently changed a title from "13, Maybe More" to "Key Witness" because the former title no longer fit.

I had to laugh when I read this, NightWynde - I had a story published in Woman's World (they are known for chaning story titles) and they changed my title from "Terrible Twos" to "Key Witness"!!! (It was about a toddler.)

And I too vote for "Sinner's Prayer"

Snitchcat · Aug 7, 2006

If it was a vote between "Sinner's Prayer" and "Requiem for a Temptation", I'd go for the former (minus the 'A').

From a marketing perspective, "Sinner's Prayer" is short, snappy and intrigues. It also promises an interesting read, and twists/turns that "Requiem for a Temptation" doesn't imply.

IMO the first indicates excitement, the second asks for solemnity, maybe even a church setting. IOW, for me, I'd find "Sinner's Prayer" a curiosity, and "Requiem for a Temptation" a bore. (^_^)

cree · Aug 7, 2006

Sinner's Prayer. But like someone else pointed out, the publisher may work you over to change it -- mine did, and the title we ended up with wasn't even in the same ballpark as my original. It's fine though, but I spent so long working my title it was like: Whoops! Oh well, move on.

blackbird · Aug 7, 2006

I like "Requem for Temptation" alone. It's intriguing and just cryptic enough to make me wonder what the book is about. "A Sinner's Prayer" seems too cliche'-ish to me, and I don't like being hit over the head with the religious theme. I would rather discover that as I become involved with the story.

UrsusMinor · Aug 7, 2006

Something to consider is that there are already a number of other books, both fiction and nonfiction, entitled "Breach of Faith." So I'd have to agree with the majority opinion.

I would also have to agree that the working title may not matter that much. Consider the working and final titles below:

James Agee Three Tenant Families (Let Us Now Praise Famous Men)

Nelson Algren Somebody in Boots (A Walk on the Wild Side)

Jane Austen First Impressions (Pride and Prejudice)

Stephen Crane Private Fleming, His Various Battles (Red Badge of Courage)

Raymond Chandler The Second Murderer, Sweet Bells Jangle (Farewell, My Lovely)

William Faulkner Twilight (The Sound and the Fury)

F. Scott Fitzgerald Trimalchio in West Egg, Hurrah for the Red White and Blue, The High-bouncing Lover, Gold-hatted Gatsby (The Great Gatsby)

Ernest Hemingway As Others Are, They Who Get Shot, The World’s Room, An Italian Chronicle, The Sentimental Education of Frederick Henry (A Farewell to Arms)

And so on...

Sassenach · Aug 7, 2006

Spending too much time on a title is a waste of time. They're almost always changed by the publication.

Stop worrying about titles and focus on the writing.

byElizabeth · Aug 7, 2006

Sinner's Prayer sounds better than A Sinner's Prayer...it's more abrupt and has a better ring to it. The "A" for some reasons gives me the feeling that it's a Christian publication...maybe b/c it sound softer for some reason? Maybe I'm crazy!? What is the genre? I love titles...Sassenach is right not to spend too much time on it...but an agent will want to see something that has that "spark of recognition" on a query letter??? Right?

NightWynde · Aug 8, 2006

Kate Thornton said:
I had to laugh when I read this, NightWynde - I had a story published in Woman's World (they are known for chaning story titles) and they changed my title from "Terrible Twos" to "Key Witness"!!! (It was about a toddler.)

And I too vote for "Sinner's Prayer"

I'mgonnasue!I'mgonnasue!I'mgonnasue!I'mgonnasue!I'mgonnasue! They stole my title before I even thought of it! How dare they! :rant:

Oh, never mind, titles aren't copywrightable (sp?).

Either way, guess Women's World isn't a place I should submit this piece. Well, if they start accepting horror novels, I may reconsider, but until then... :ROFL:

stupidmansuit · Aug 9, 2006

Sinner's Prayer get my vote as well, and doing just "Requiem for Temptation" or "Brech of Faith" on their own, too.

Can't Catch A Break · Aug 9, 2006

I was crusin the mall and came across a book stand. This author had another working title of mine! I got pissy. I'm hesistant to still use the title.

I've met with Omar Tyree and he has absolute authority over his books, titles, etc. That's the kind of stroke I'm looking for. I'm this close to begging him to put in a good word for me, but I'm upset my plans to shadow him fell through.

I know I shouldn't spend a lot of time worrying about the title, but the aforementioned does set the tone of the book. This book is religious but it's more in the vein of beliefs being challenged through lies, sex, athiesm and sexual orientation. It's far from a hymm.

Titles: Long and short of it

Can't Catch A Break

ChaosTitan

Around

DeborahM

I need espresso & chocolate!

brianm

Brian Boru

KAM

expatbrat

Look what we made:

NightWynde

Can't Catch A Break

citymouse

fantasy dweller

Thomma Lyn

Cat Wrangler

PattiTheWicked

Unleashing Hell.

howiehok

Angelinity

absent

Writing Jedi

Soccer Mom

Crypto-fascist

Kate Thornton

Still Happy to be Here. Or Anywhere

Snitchcat

Dragon-kitty.

cree

blackbird

UrsusMinor

Sassenach

5 W's & an H

byElizabeth

Writer Unscripted

NightWynde

stupidmansuit

Can't Catch A Break