I'm staring at a dry-erase board that is scribbled with all the words I can think of to describe my urban fantasy WIP, which is currently in the first round of revisions. I've thrown in character traits, setting details, themes and tone in the hopes that something will finally click with me on what the heck I'm going to call this labor of love.
Yes, folks, I'll admit it: I have no idea how to pick a title for my novel. There's probably many reasons for it, including the fact that it's my first completed project and I'm putting a lot of pressure on myself to come up with the perfect title. Maybe I just need more time to let my subconscious muse work some magic. All I know is that I'm good and ready to name this baby, but so far nothing seems right. So, it's time to ask all of you writers out there for some advice:
Anyone have any tips or tricks to help me out? How do you create your book titles?
Cheers!
Ella
10 comments:
I spend time flipping through my copy of Rodale's Synonym Finder looking for words that trigger a strong response for me. It's amazing what you can find in that book!
I come up with a list of possible titles and then my editor, agent, and I work from there to find one that resonates with all three of us.
I'm having a similar struggle. While I know what to call my first book, I don't know what to title my series as a whole, so that people can know each book is part of "????" series. It's so frustrating.
Alexis - A synonym finder is a great idea! I'm sure an extra pair of eyes is very helpful too - I'll have to get my writing group involved when I come up with a few possibilities. Thanks for the tips.
E.B. - Yes, I'm also pondering a series name at the same time I'm struggling with the first book's title. I considered calling it The Sibyl Chronicles, because the MC is a modern incarnation of an ancient sibyl. However, I'd like the option to write stories from the perspective of other characters in the series, ala Kelley Armstrong's Otherworld books.
So, I'm still noodling that one out too, LOL. Good luck coming up with a great series name!
Once I've brainstormed a word base, I look for those that convey action, not necessarily verbs, but those that give some sense of the action that happens in the book. If I don't like those, then my second choice is to convey a strong emotion.
I struggled with the title for my second book, but like you, I wrote down words that were descriptive of the book and put them together in different arrangements and finally came up with something. The thesaurus really helps! But a cliche or a twist on a cliche makes a great title, or a play on words. I'm reading Julie James' book, Practice Makes Perfect, about two lawyers (of the opposite sex) up for partner in the law firm, so the title is, well, perfect. Kristan Higgins book titles are always good. She uses ordinary phrases. Since your WIP is an urban fantasy, I think a new twist on a common phrase might work. Just a thought, since I have no idea what the story is. ( :
Marsha - I will definitely keep action and emotions in mind. You have some great book titles, so I'd love to hit the same notes with mine :)
Rebecca - It's totally a trend to use puns and twists on common phrases for UF titles. I think it's a combination of branding and also wanting something catchy that readers will want to check out. Thanks for the example and input!
Oh gosh, I always struggle with this! I'm having a particularly hard time right now because I've gone on with a working title just so I had something to call it when talking about it, and now that has skewed my feelings about the story so that it's extra hard coming up with something else to call it. Titles. Less words than a tweet!
My first book, an urban fantasy, was published a little over a month ago. I had trouble with the title until one of the characters said something to the protagonist that rang my bell, "I can change any time the moon is gibbous and waxing." The editor asked later asked if I'd consider shortening it, but backed down when I told her to search my very common name, then search Gibbous Moon. So my novel was published as "When the Moon Is Gibbous and Waxing," just as I wished. I love the poetic image and the rhythm of the phrase, and I have two more novels planned with titles that fit this pattern.
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