Dubbing your works: how to come up with a title

goldenquince · Jul 7, 2008

I'm curious as to how people dream up their novel titles...personally, I SUCK at christening my works. My present WIP has no name...I've written about 10k words, have mapped out the major events, fleshed out the main characters, but nothing seems to fit.

Suggestions?

Danger Jane · Jul 7, 2008

Mine tend to come to me in a moment of insight. This link from SWFA.org has some very useful info:

The Theory and Practice of Titles

Think about your themes. Is there one that really carries the rest, that could make a good title? For instance, a major theme of my current story is forgiveness/renewal. Title? "Anew". The next story in the works deals with codependence versus independence. Title? "The Free".

Keep in mind that an agent or editor might well want that title you slaved over changed. So don't slave.

darrtwish · Jul 7, 2008

Usually I come up with my titles from a phrase--like two or three words that are particularly catchy, and kind of stick out in my mind. Other times they'll just come to me out of the blue.

Mr. Fix · Jul 7, 2008

In a word... fake it!

My Titles sometimes start my writing. Seriously, I have entire story concepts from just thinking up a cleaver title. (I don't know how I'll handle a publisher that wants to change a title on a story like that.) But usually I make the title revolve around the basic plot. I think this helps the reader pick up the book in the first place. Take Tom Clancey's 'Clear and Present Danger' as an example. But I also take the title from a key scene or event that takes place in the story. Or I toss twenty titles into a hat...

It's just a title, I'd work on the story, a title will come to you.

Good Luck!

blacbird · Jul 7, 2008

Some things I've written were generated off an idea for a title. Others I usually find some appropriate phrase or concept from within the story itself. If you're only 10K along on a proposed novel-length work, I would call it something like The Dog Ate My Homework for now, and not worry further until later on. Chances are something better will cross your path on the journey.

caw

Makai_Lightning · Jul 7, 2008

I hate titleing. I'm not good at it, and while I'm writing it's a waste of my creative energy. I end up changeing titles constantly. When I do pick ones I stick with, I pick them from a scene, thing, element, or symbol that is in some way important to the story, possibly a phrase.

But if anyone has a magic solution for comeing up with catchy titles, let me know. I'm looking to re-title some of my things again.

t0neg0d · Jul 7, 2008

The Title Faerie[SUP](tm)[/SUP] brings me mine. I have nothing to do with the process at all.

scheherazade · Jul 7, 2008

I'm not great with titles either. So when I had to come up with my last one, I used a technique I learned in copywriting class to come up with ad slogans. Essentially I did a lot of brainstorming and word-webbing. Basically, what are the important themes of the story? What are some other words that can describe those same ideas, what are some twists, jokes or cliches involving those words, etc. You can also play around with the character's name, famous expressions (nursery rhymes, cliches, ad slogans, poems and lyrics, etc) that involve a name or word or concept in your story. Are there any expressions or lines in the story that might make a good title? Is there an object, goal, or destination in the story that could work as a title?

kuwisdelu · Jul 7, 2008

Honestly, I have no idea.

Clair Dickson · Jul 7, 2008

I'm not really good with titles, either. My novel was nearly complete before I finally hit on a title. (My beta made sure to tease me at every opportunity for my great working title of "Bo Novel #1".)

Oddly enough, more often than not, a title will appear when the story is ready. Most times that I struggle with finding a good title, once I do a rewrite or change something that doens't quite work (yea for betas), then the title falls into place. It's almost like this subconscious thing where my brain knows the story isn't DONE yet...

The more I write, the more I've learned to trust my muse. Even if she does have this habit of skipping off for long lunches or weekends in Hawaii without notice. Stupid muse.

Linda Adams · Jul 7, 2008

I had fun with the title my current WIP. After I came up with the hook, which involved paparrazzi and magic (being an urban fantasy), I realized that the title needed to convey both those elements. So I thought of the nicknames the tabs give to celebrities--K-Fed, Jo-Lo--and came up with one that became the title.

hammerklavier · Jul 7, 2008

Tell us what it's about and we'll name it, some people here really enjoy naming other people's books

ynoirb · Jul 7, 2008

I can often come up with a title before the story - not this time though. At the moment it's called Homer Scream, because when I start thinking about it I hear Homer Simpson scream in my head.

julief · Jul 7, 2008

I'll play around with several and ask for suggestions and opinions from betas.

I settled on my current WIP's easily within the first few chapters and I think it's the most appropriate and intriguing for this WIP.

It helps if you come up with a few sentences to describe it--helps to center on a theme

Clarec · Jul 7, 2008

I feel your pain, I don't have a clue how to do it. I wrote two novels before thinking of a title for both of them. They both hit me suddenly (inspiration from song lyrics actually and kicking ideas around from that) but i wouldn't worry too much about it as chances are an agent or editor would want to change it anyway.

I read somewhere (here, I think) not to get too attached to your titles which is a shame as now, after all that time, I like mine! LOL. Typical...

Clare

WannabeWriter · Jul 7, 2008

For the title of my WIP (whose title may or may not be used if it gets published), I came up with one that has multiple meanings, including a surface meaning related to the plot and a deeper meaning related to bigger issues. It's not always easy, but if you can find a title that does that for your story, write it down.

Paichka · Jul 7, 2008

I stole the title for my WIP from the historical event from which I cribbed the climactic scene.

Seriously. "Bal des Ardents" is the French version -- what's in my sig is what my novel is currently called. I imagine my editor/agent will come up with something more...ehm...wieldy.

Bayley · Jul 8, 2008

The titles I come up with are usually terrible, but they have something to do with the plot. I wouldn't use them when querying, but as I have four novels on the go, it helps me remember which WIP is which.

Shweta · Jul 8, 2008

I struggle a lot over titles. One of the best things about writing a novel instead of short stories is that I only need one title for a long time!

Having read the SFWA link (which is lovely), I think I normally do "Gobbet titles" for short stories, though these sometimes end up looking like something else. My WIP is currently called Midsummer Snow, which I think is a theme title, though it's also a curse, an event nobody wants, within the story world.

I don't know if it's any good, as titles go. I just have a sense that that's the (literal and symbolic) thematic thread. :Shrug:

JimmyB27 · Jul 8, 2008

I thought you were going to be talking about overwriting the dialogue with bad american accents, like in all the old Bruce Lee films.

But titles, yeah I suck at those too. I've only ever come up with one I'm happy with - Fall To Grace, for my vigilante novel idea.
Other than that, the filenames for all of my other novels in progress are just the name of the MC as a placeholder. I'm a slow writer anyway, so I reckon I have a while before I need to worry about this.

Diana W. · Jul 8, 2008

Don't worry about it just yet. 10,000 words? You just got started!

To be honest I was the same about my novel. I had a basic working title for it though I knew I wasn't going to use that as the official title. The idea for my novel just popped into my head only a month ago. For four months I fretted about what I was going to call it then all of a sudden it was just there. Just let it go, turn it over to your subconscious and see what happens. It worked for me!

tehuti88 · Jul 8, 2008

I usually have the title down before writing. I write serials, so often the titles refer to the entire series (for example, my current serials all feature the location, "Manitou Island," in the title).

I often use phrases that have some relation to the plot and such, or one-word titles with the same purpose, but none of my titles seem terribly evocative or "out there," they're just titles that I hope are interesting enough. It's something I don't really take much notice of while doing it so without running down a list of all the titles of all my works, I can't really explain a process for titling things. It just happens.

Maybe you should finish the story, then seek through it for a short phrase that sums up the basic idea of the plot?

dwellerofthedeep · Jul 8, 2008

While I generally have a title in mind while I am writing anything, the most recent novel I finished has what I think is a rather dull moniker. I'm trying to think of some way to improve it, but I don't know if I'm just looking for an excuse not to submit it already or not.

Lady Cat · Jul 8, 2008

I hate trying to come up with titles.

I usually have a working title for whatever piece I'm working on, and then I cross my fingers, gather good luck charms and pray to the muses that I'll come up with an awesome title by the time I'm done.

Sadly, this does not seem to be working.

dwellerofthedeep · Jul 8, 2008

You know, when I come up with a good title I usually find it by muttering a lot of words under my breath as I go through my day.

Dubbing your works: how to come up with a title

Fixed on the future...

Love Addict

Human

Revolutionize the World

A dark core to every cloud

Soldier, Storyteller

It was a dark and stormy night

Mmm. Unexplained bacon.

Hardly here

The BIC-Believer

Happiness is underrated

gone

Hoopy frood

I'm evolving

Mackinac Island Fanatic

Electric Alien Fish Machine

Electric Alien Fish Machine