The art of Titles

Warspite · Post by **Warspite** » 2003-02-19 01:54pm

How do you come up with a title for a story?

Me, I hold on until the whole story is finished, before even thinking about it.
In the meantime, while I'm writing, I just give it the most bland names, like A1, or XY, just so I don't become too attached at a certain name, until it is completely finished.

Kelly Antilles · Post by **Kelly Antilles** » 2003-02-19 02:07pm

Most of the time, yes, my stories do not have titles until they are finished or most of the way finished. although, if I have an idea of where it's going, I can sometimes come up with a title.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2003-02-19 02:13pm

I usually come up with the title first or early on while I'm writing the story.

Painted Skies was titled I think about a day before I actually started writing it.

I came up with the title for my Evangelion fanfic pretty much first thing, and I tried several variations until I found something I thought was appropriately Eva-ish:
Neon Genesis Evangelion
The End of Evangelion
Final: From Her Heart

Which reminds me that I need to get off my ass and start working on it again...

Maybe I need more motivation.

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2003-02-19 02:45pm

I don't.

If your having trouble, then just wait till you've got about half way through (or at least know where it's going) and then decide.

Post by **Dalton** » 2003-02-19 02:59pm

I titled my stories before I wrote them. I did spend some time thinking about them...

For those who don't know I have a stalled series of writings called Blaze of Glory, Honor Bound and Courage Unbroken...and I'm not sure the story's going where I want it to go. I've thought about restarting several times or just finishing it...

Utsanomiko · Post by **Utsanomiko** » 2003-02-19 03:00pm

I come up with the titles for my game designs using the same process all games get their names: The Dart Board Method.

Nothing beats a random variation of Verb + Noun, while the subtitle is Adjetive + Noun, it's almost like madlibs. Watch:

Burning Steel: Silent Visions

That one took about 10 seconds to come up with, or 7-8 shots on the proverbial Dart board.

Post by **Dalton** » 2003-02-19 05:32pm

Good way to come up with band names too Uts

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2003-02-19 05:37pm

Titles are tricky, usually I have a title right away but sometimes they change or evolve as I start thinking more about the story. Oringinally my new fic was going to be called Armageddon by Starlight, but I settled on the Twilight War as it was much better and fit the two universes better.

But usually I want to have the title before I write a word. It helps me focus and tells me what the story should be about.

Utsanomiko · Post by **Utsanomiko** » 2003-02-19 07:35pm

Dalton wrote:Good way to come up with band names too Uts

I prefer Strong Bad's method.

Limozeen!!

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2003-02-19 07:49pm

I usually associate it with the actual storyline like Banks does. For me, an unfinished armageddon story which was a remake of WotW was called "The Beginning of the End", then there was a Tenchi crossover called "At the End of Light".

Strangely, I can think of a title or premise by getting inspiration from music, reading or TV and then build from there, but I'm a bugger for completing stories or screenplays.

Keevan_Colton · Post by **Keevan_Colton** » 2003-02-19 07:50pm

Mine relate to whatever the snippet is about.....I tend mostly to write scenes....usually for some specific purpose or event.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-02-19 07:51pm

I try to come up with a single word, or a phrase if the single word doesn't work, that best fits the strongest theme or image of the story.

Isolder74 · Post by **Isolder74** » 2003-02-23 10:45pm

Coming up with a title can be hard. For my story, I decided to name it after the starfighter flown by the principle characters. Story names should invite interest so they need to be considered carefully.

Exonerate · Post by **Exonerate** » 2003-02-24 12:42am

Word's synonym function is your best friend.

Alferd Packer · Post by **Alferd Packer** » 2003-02-24 03:20am

I've actually never successfully titled anything bigger than a chapter. I'm having a hell of time figuring out what to title my current story, but I imagine the perfect title will come to me during an exam or something.

Captain Cyran · Post by **Captain Cyran** » 2003-02-24 04:09pm

I come up with titles by just continually going through different names, some good, most bad, until I find one that fits the storyline I'm planning to go with perfectly.

Hotfoot · Post by **Hotfoot** » 2003-02-24 09:50pm

When I come up with a title is always different. I think about what I want to write, and pick a title that I feel matches the work appropriately. I seriously dislike titles that telegraph suprises in the story, especially ones that telegraph the endings. In my opinion, a title should entice a reader to read the work, giving them a taste of the theme, the style, and so on. Of course, I also like to include little jokes with the titles, things that the reader won't understand until they're partway through the story, so that they read part of the story with one impression of the title in his or her mind, then hit the joke (or tie-in), have a moment of revelation, and then continue reading with renewed appreciation.

Titles that have spoiled the endings/plot twists of a story:

Deus Ex
Indepence War 2: Edge of Chaos

Both enjoyable stories despite this, but nevertheless I would have enjoyed them much more had they been just a touch more creative with the titles.

Post by **haas mark** » 2003-02-25 04:12pm

When I know what I'm doing with it, a title comes. As for poems, title come, titles go.. I don't always title them.