Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Do You Have Trouble With Your Titles?


A title is one of the first chances you have to intrigue a reader – as well as a potential agent or publisher. An alluring title could make the difference between reaching the hands of a literary agent or sitting in the slush pile for another few months.

For me, a book cover is what catches my eye first (I won’t lie, especially if it’s a shiny book cover), but an evocative title is what makes me actually pick a book up. Here are some of my personal favorites off the top of my head:

The Forest of Hands and Teeth
City of Bones
The Looking Glass Wars
Hush, Hush
13 Reasons Why
The Girl of Fire and Thorns
The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer
Under the Never Sky
Jessica's Guide to Dating on the Dark Side
Some Girls Are
Stolen
Shiver
Possession (paired with the cover was incredibly brilliant)
Need
Boneshaker

Each of the aforementioned either convinced me to pick the book up instantly, or remained imprinted in my brain so that I remembered the title and sought it out later.

So how the heck do you create a title like that?

I start thinking of a title as soon as I’ve solidified the premise of my manuscript, and I begin smashing words together after I’ve jotted a rough outline. I do this because, as I write, the title evolves with my writing (often dramatically, since I rarely find a winner within the first few tries). If I have some sort of rough idea to start, then I have something to work with as I go along, and then I don’t reach the end of a manuscript and think, “…..How do title?”

Start with anything but “untitled”. Don’t cheat yourself out of the chance to get your first words or ideas down, just like with anything you write. Slap words onto paper or a document, even if you cringe and writhe in agony. Getting over this initial hump will help you tremendously, and as you oh-so contentedly go on about writing (if only it were that easy), give yourself opportunities at certain points to rethink your title with these questions:

Does it give hint to what the story is about?

Does it sound like how my story is written?

Does it give a sense of atmosphere?

Does it create a question in which a potential reader will need to answer?

For example, one of my most favorite titles is “The Forest of Hands and Teeth”. This was a book I did not pick up right away, but I couldn’t shake the title out of my brain and ended up reading it a couple years later (yes, a couple YEARS later). This title is amazing in that it inspires imagery, atmosphere, and mood all in six words. It makes us readers ask, “What IS the forest of hands and teeth and why don’t I know about it? What goes on in there and how do the people survive it?”

If horror or dystopian isn’t your cup of soy, then how about “The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer”? I wanted to know who Mara was, and I wanted to know what had happened to her, and what was happening to her. I had the sense of a character unraveling, and I needed to know why. I picked this one up almost right away.

When I think up a title, I don’t stop reimagining it until I’m satisfied long after I settled on it. Epiphanies hit me and I’ll think “I’ve got it this time!” – but then the next day my palm hits my forehead and I’m like, “What was I high on?”

Also, do your title thinking in your best thinking times. For me, it’s while driving and, er…in the shower. Don’t judge me. It’s at these moments that my brain is distracted just enough that I’m not trying too hard to think, and ideas have the most freedom to wriggle into my brain.

If you’re frustrated, or if nothing’s happening as you try to structure your title, you’re thinking much too hard. Loosen up, go for a walk, listen to music, vacuum the house, brush all your cats. Distract yourself. Keep yourself from thinking too hard. Magic often happens when you least expect it.

5 comments:

  1. When it comes to picking up a book, I too tend to be distracted by the cover... Only then will I actually decide to look at the back (or the flap like the beautiful hardcovers make you do :3) and decide whether or not to buy it, then start noticing the title... I'm horrible, I know....

    But either way this post helps, I have been having the hardest time finding titles for my book. My sister even made fun of one of my titles... I was like thanks. I don't think it sounds too bad, since I personally think it matches my storyline, but according to her it sounds like a ronchie romance novel... which btw it isn't... T.T

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    1. Family can be the toughest critics, seriously, no pleasing 'em. But hey! You should tell me when we get back to class! You're all signed up for novel, right???

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    2. No... I couldn't get in... Then I ended up with a class at the same time as novel... T.T

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    3. Aw! Really?? Man, there were 30 spots open in novel, too, like a regular-sized class instead of a mini-class. Victoria has a class at the same time too, what's yours? (I'll rofl so hard if it's the same class.)

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  2. Really? Awe man.. 'm so ticked! I really wanted to take it too. But whenever I tried adding it said the class was full... :(
    But it's okay I also love painting so I'm taking painting with Professor Clapp. :)

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