Friday, November 30, 2012

Insert Title Here



            NaNo nerds, it’s time for a special bulletin. So get out your secret decoder rings and get ready for that all important message. Are you almost done with your new MS? She’s a sleek and beautiful little thing, but until she’s named, she has no identity.

            Freaking out yet?

            No worries. Just breathe deep into that brown paper bag and check your pulse.

            Okay, you ready? Good.

            Here are a few simple ways to help you name your novel.

1.    Stick to the nouns. In other words, think about a person, place, or thing in the story that fully embodies it. This is probably the easiest and most used way of coming up with a title. Two great examples are City of Bones and Hunger Games. Also JK Rowling used the ever living crap out of this.

2.    Find your chorus. Ever notice in a lot of popular music that one word or phrase in the chorus is the title of the song? Same works with books. Best example of this is Wicked Lovely.

3.    Brainstorm. There is a lot out on the web when it comes to this method. Best piece of advice with this is to answer one question: What do I want the reader to think about when they read the title?

That’s all there is to it. Well there is one small thing left.

Once you have your title idea, think of a way to embellish it (or strip it down depending on the style of story) and get creative. Remember to have fun with it. If you do, it’ll show. And that’s when you’re title will become intriguing enough to spark some interest when the agent reads the query letter.

       Anyone have any other suggestions when it comes to naming the story? Have any awful memories about constantly changing it? Feel free to let us know.

        Auzy

5 comments:

  1. Great suggestions! Titles can be such a bear. Sometimes, there's a phrase that just sticks as the working title, and then halfway through I decide I can't stand it, and as long as the thing has no name, it feels just a little ambiguous and unreachable.

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  2. Hi, I am a new follower. Thanks for the tips. I am writing a mystery/suspense and my title is something I once heard a lawyer say in court (I am a lawyer). The phrase was odd, but fitting to his plight and it just stuck with me. It didn't fit for the first book I wrote (end stage of revisions), but it has been in my head for several months and it kept shouting at me while I was writing my NaNo manuscript.

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    1. Welcome to the Rejects Melissa. Hope you find all our post both entertaining and helpful. Glad my titling suggestions could help in any way.

      Auzy

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  3. Yay for the tips. I'm still ditzin' around with titles for LAST year's NaNo WIP.

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    1. Let me know if I can help name them in any way.

      Auzy

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