(This thread is not yet titled)

The writing process, writing advice, and updates on your work in progress
heyimkt
Posts: 46
Joined: May 26th, 2010, 12:56 pm
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by heyimkt » August 19th, 2010, 2:03 pm

Oh my gosh, I never have titles while they're WIPs. I can't ever think of any! When I send it off to betas, we usually just call it the main character's name as a "nickname" (yeah, we're real creative). I'm horrible at thinking of titles. I wish I could come up with awesome ones! Grr. Now I'm feeling the need to find the perfect one for my WIP...

User avatar
J. T. SHEA
Moderator
Posts: 510
Joined: May 20th, 2010, 1:55 pm
Location: IRELAND
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by J. T. SHEA » August 19th, 2010, 3:40 pm

My 3 book steampunk YA series has nearly two hundred short named chapters of a little over a thousand words each. Like Quill's, my chapter titles roughly outline the story. I had little problem thinking up the two hundred chapter titles, with plenty to spare, but I have still not finalized the three book titles!

User avatar
RebeccaB
Posts: 37
Joined: July 11th, 2010, 1:15 am
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by RebeccaB » August 19th, 2010, 5:01 pm

I love the idea of chapter titles. Asthetically they are much nicer at the top of a page and gives the reader a tiny glimpse of what's coming.

User avatar
Heather B
Posts: 234
Joined: May 23rd, 2010, 7:56 pm
Location: Newcastle - the Australian one.
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by Heather B » August 19th, 2010, 11:05 pm

heyimkt wrote:Oh my gosh, I never have titles while they're WIPs. I can't ever think of any! When I send it off to betas, we usually just call it the main character's name as a "nickname" (yeah, we're real creative). I'm horrible at thinking of titles. I wish I could come up with awesome ones! Grr. Now I'm feeling the need to find the perfect one for my WIP...
Even when I have official titles I still call my books by the main characters name. It's a habit, and not really one I feel like losing.

RebeccaB, talk about pushy... Gesh!
Journey to the Cuckoo's Nest

http://heathermbryant.blogspot.com.au/

User avatar
RebeccaB
Posts: 37
Joined: July 11th, 2010, 1:15 am
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by RebeccaB » August 19th, 2010, 11:32 pm

U bet I'm pushy. I need your opinion and seeing as I have not had a chance to grab u with your hectic work life I will continue to resort to posting messages on here. Btw how often do u think a publisher changes your much loved title?

Aimée
Posts: 296
Joined: December 9th, 2009, 1:26 pm
Location: Michigan
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by Aimée » August 20th, 2010, 12:47 pm

Hey, you people that are great at coming up with titles, I could use some help. :)

fersnerfer
Posts: 52
Joined: August 11th, 2010, 9:36 pm
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by fersnerfer » August 20th, 2010, 1:49 pm

I title short stories only because I have to. I usually hate them and move on.

My WIP is in late revision and I think I have finally settled on a title after going through 3 or 4 possible ones from previous revisions.
-------------------------------------
http://marlanesque.wordpress.com/
Spoiler:
It turns out he really IS the killer!

johndavid
Posts: 29
Joined: July 26th, 2010, 11:19 pm
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by johndavid » August 20th, 2010, 2:18 pm

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!

User avatar
NHWriter
Posts: 22
Joined: December 17th, 2009, 12:31 pm
Location: Nashua, NH
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by NHWriter » August 20th, 2010, 4:01 pm

johndavid wrote:I was talking to a friend that is writing a book and he said he didn't have a title yet.

I couldn't understand that! I LOVE thinking of titles for my books. I have titles for books I haven't even started writing yet.

So... am I odd? Do you like thinking of titles or is it something you do not concern yourself with?

Me too! Though I find we're in the minority. Most people talk about how much they dread it or how it's the very last thing they do. It's the very first thing I do. I can't write without a title. It may change later, but I have to have a title if I'm going to work on it.

One of the Mad Ones
Posts: 77
Joined: July 14th, 2010, 12:54 am
Location: southern New Mexico... almost old Mexico
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by One of the Mad Ones » August 20th, 2010, 4:41 pm

What about thoughts on titles that come from the book? (Someone just mentioned this.) I find it really hard to title a story or novel anything but a phrase or line from within the work, but I know this irritates some people. They get to the phrase in the story and it pulls them out.

I also refer to my stories, even when they're titled, as brief descriptors: The Foot Story, The Cat Story, The Carnival Story....

stephmcgee
Posts: 210
Joined: August 16th, 2010, 12:44 pm
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by stephmcgee » August 20th, 2010, 4:44 pm

I can't say that it bugs me to have a title that's something from the book, because I honestly can't remember ever noticing it in the course of reading.

johndavid
Posts: 29
Joined: July 26th, 2010, 11:19 pm
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by johndavid » August 20th, 2010, 6:02 pm

The title from a line in the book reminds me of music.

Some songs are titled right from the lyrics in the song. That is all some groups do. Some groups (Pink Floyd immediately comes to mind) hardly ever title their songs from the lyrics. Most people think Pink Floyd has a song called 'Dark SIde of the Moon' because that is in the song and it is the name of the album. In fact that song is actually titled 'Brain Damage'.

CourtneyLeigh
Posts: 7
Joined: August 21st, 2010, 2:00 am
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by CourtneyLeigh » August 21st, 2010, 2:05 am

Titles are fun, but I don't like to force them. I like to casually think about possible titles, maybe try one on for a while, see how it feels in my mind. If I start to get nervous about not having a title, it just ends up getting harder and harder to think of anything good. Also, as a personal preference, I like having titles that appear in the text somewhere. I don't know why I like it. I just do, so that helps when coming up with titles. Because I can go back to what I've written and pick out some parts that I feel resonate throughout the whole text. Sometimes I find a little golden nugget of a title.

[edit] Cool. Five people before me just said the same thing. I feel really cool now.

User avatar
J. T. SHEA
Moderator
Posts: 510
Joined: May 20th, 2010, 1:55 pm
Location: IRELAND
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by J. T. SHEA » August 21st, 2010, 11:37 am

What about BUY THIS BOOK OR ELSE!

elfspirit
Posts: 68
Joined: December 8th, 2009, 4:03 pm
Contact:

Re: (This thread is not yet titled)

Post by elfspirit » August 21st, 2010, 12:17 pm

I find coming up with a title much more difficult than writing the book. For me, the best way is to forget about it and let it sneak up on me.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests