Nathan Bransford - The Forums

johndavid wrote:Aimee...


Go through your finished book and try to find a line that would work for the title (even if it's only used once). Even one or two words can work.

As a quick example Sinclair used the term 'the jungle' once in his book with the same title.

Your title is probably inside your book, you just have to go searching for it!

This is actually what I do. One of my characters said a line once that was very intriguing. It was a temporary title, but I grew out of it. I think that's a really cool thing, like when you go to see a movie and the character says the name of the movie some time. It has a cool effect. I'll have to go searching again, thanks!

I agonize over titles. I was trained as a journalist a million years ago and titles were not part of our writing assignments. Editors wrote the titles and I was more than happy to let them. For the last two short story titles I had to come up with, I ended up stealing one from a Bible quote-And Ye Shall Eat the Fat of the Land and the other one was a take off on a Christmas movie-Home for the Horrordays.

I have a natural gift for thinking of titles, thank God. I don't know what it's like to agonize over them. If I run into someone who can't think of one, I can usually come up with a killer title, which makes me feel good inside. Sometimes, I think of a better title than an author has come up with, which is also great. There, I don't hoard it all for myself.

Wow its not just me!
I love making up titles too.
Usaully before i develop the plot/write a lot i give the booka title i also enjoy naming chapter titles

Title first with me. No title, no focus, the story could wander off in any direction. With a title, the characters and I are on the same page.

I'm definitely a titler.

I've already titled my next four ideas:
Songs for the Day After
How I Spent New Years with the Mob
The Man Who Killed God
The Machiavellian Debate


It's fun and helps with my theme for the book. Though, I reserve the right to change the title at any point.

I have a buddy and all of his WIPs are titled Bumblebees Are Impossible.

Someone will change your title in the course of it's publishing. So I don't worry too much on titles. That's why I call one "The Chasing Series" and the other "The Eden Underground Series". I also have other books I haven't written, which aren't titled, because a title is like a commitment. It's like naming a child. You've just given it a life and a name. You're stuck with it.

It now lives.

I like thinking of titles too. Sometimes having a key word or phrase linked to the project can help you to make associations and think of new ideas based on imagery that the title evokes.

I usually write my whole piece once than pick a line out of the book and make it the first title. Then I start my revisions and think of other titles. Finally I'll end up with about 10 possible titles and ask other's opinions and take it from there. Even then I sometimes change it again. Even my current WIP has went through several title changes. LOL, I do the same with my poetry.