Question for the writers out there

[simplyn2deep]

I have this fic that gnawing at my brain and I'm itching to work on it, but I have this weird...thing...where I can't work on a fic before I know certain things about it - characters, the BIG problem, overall flow, ending...TITLE.

And that's where I'm stuck. The title.

I think I have pretty much this entire story figured out, but the darn title. and leaving it as Untitled H50 AU Restaurant isn't an option. Like...at all. THIS NEEDS TO HAVE A TITLE. By May 1st.

Normally when I come up with a title, I use the line from a song that's the overall inspiration for the piece, or a line from the fic that's been simplified...but in this particular case, I don't think I can do that. And I'm not too fond of random titles that have nothing to do with the story either.

So my question to you fic writers is: HOW DO YOU COME UP WITH TITLES?



This entry was originally posted at http://simplyn2deep.dreamwidth.org/2975.html. You can comment here or there. Sometimes I lock entries. no biggie. add me as a friend if you want to see.
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Comments

[kristen999.livejournal.com]

Either I have one in mind from the start, or I don't name the story until it is done. I usually think of a title last because I don't fully realize the themes and tones until the whole thing is complete. I always like the title to have meaning.

The coda that I've been working on for over a month is just called 2x10 coda on my HD :-P

[simplyn2deep.livejournal.com]

I think I might end up having to wait until I'm done with it to give it a title - if I can put aside the fact that it doesn't have a title and work on it so that eventually it CAN have a title.

I also thought the title being random and then working in some sort of meaning to the story so that it fits, but I don't think I want to go that route with this.

[sgflutegirl.livejournal.com]

Titles suck... or I suck at titles. Not sure which one is more accurate.

Most of my titles have to do with the main subject or the prompt, if there is one. When that fails, I try to use a sentence or phrase from the fic. A few times, since I pretty much only write H50 fics, I'll take the prompt or subject matter and see if there is a Hawaiian translation for it and use that (Maka'u kuhewa - panic; Aloha Au Ia 'Oe - I love you). I have used a few song titles, like Burning For You (h/c burn fic) and Hard Habit to Break (Habit fic).

I almost always wait till I'm done writing it.

[simplyn2deep.livejournal.com]

now that I have a working title I can get down to actually writing. That's something I've wanted to do since I got the idea for this fic.

[geminilove-ca.livejournal.com]

It depends. If I'm doing a series, I may have a title in mind before I start.

For instance, I have my series (SPN) called "Ashes". But each story is a section of a quote that says basically, "Out of the ashes of the past, we shall rise and be set free." So the first three stories (which was intended to be a trilogy) are:

Out of Ashes
We Shall Rise
Be Set Free

Which makes *sense*, because the first story is about creating a turning point and leaving a past behind, the second is what becomes of that turning point, and the third is (although sad) setting free of the main character.

Sadly, the 4th story, a far later almost-epilogue, couldn't quite fit into the quote, so it's called "Maia's Song", which doesn't fit the story in any way except that the main character/driving force of the plot happens to be named Maia.



Other times, I will not name a fic until later, even completed, based on the themes or something that pops into my head when I was writing it.

"Kinda Like a Kiss" came from a line of dialogue, and I loved it because it referenced the two characters' lives. The flip-side story, "Knight in Tarnished Armor" came from a thought the character had when I wrote the same experience from her POV. She saw the other character and thought he was like an old knight, but not in shining armor. His was battle-scarred and tarnished, the way a true knight would live. The sequel, which ended up giving the series its title, was/is "Prodigal Girl", which I found amusing as a riff off the Buffy ep title "Prophecy Girl", and the parable of the prodigal son.


Sometimes, titles change. I have a working title and I get to the end and realize it just doesn't fit the tone of the finished product.

So, don't sweat the title at this point, I guess is what I'm saying....

[simplyn2deep.livejournal.com]

the lack of a title, even a working one, was keeping me from actually writing.

luckily something JUST came to me - thanks to a movie/book

I might change my mind, but at least NOW I'll be able to work on it.

[simplyn2deep.livejournal.com]

something JUST came to me - thanks to a movie/book

I might change my mind, but at least NOW I'll be able to work on it since it has a (working) title.

[finduilas-clln.livejournal.com]

I hate picking titles. I can never find a right one. Usually my fic is completely done and ready to post and I still haven't found a title. I usually look up song lyrics and try to find something. But I'm never quite satisfied with my titles. I always think they kinda suck. :(

[simplyn2deep.livejournal.com]

I usually never have problems with titles, but for this fic, it wasn't coming to me and I'd been working on it for a few weeks. Luckily tho I came up with one. I'm listing it as a working title, but the more I think about it and work on the fic, the more it's looking like it'll be the real title for it

[finduilas-clln.livejournal.com]

That's great! I'm glad you found a title. :)