Writing Blog

20220428 On Titles

April 28, 2022, 5:30pm

So, this question came up on a recent Discord discussion I had: How do you name your works?

You know, this is something I do struggle with at times.

The title tends to be the last thing I finalise when writing. I will give a piece of work a “working title” and then at the end give it a proper title. For example, my recent book Patch Of Green was called “Plant Story”, then “Australian Triffids” on the rewrite, before I went for the title it ended up with.

So, that doesn’t help how I come up with my titles.

First, I like my titles to be short, with 4 exceptions, which I’ll come to. While short titles do tend to be easier to forget, they also have a punchier feel. So my titles are short, sharp and shiny, and I try to keep them at no more than 4 words. I want them to relate to the story/poem, but not dominate the writing. There is a “but”, but I’ll come to that.

So, the 4 exceptions to short titles:
1) My fantasy stories set in the world known as the Secludos Ethos all have titles Something (or Someone) and Something (or Someone) Else. If it does not have this title format, then it is not a part of the Secludos world… and over 100 stories are. These are (a) the main antagonist and protagonist, or (b) a main character and an obstacle to be overcome, or (c) 2 protagonists. But the word count for titles therefore can be way beyond 4 words.
2) Humour stories or poems get a title that just fits, and that has been as long as 20 words. If the title can be a part of the humour, then all the better.
3) When I base a story on a song, then it is up to the song how long the title is. Pretty logical, really.
4) When I don’t give it its final title. And this is where my “but” from earlier comes in.

So, that “but”, and that number 4). Many stories I write are given new titles, either by the beta readers or by the editors/publishers. Corporal Works Without Mercy (coming in late US Fall, 2022 from Little Demon Books!) was originally named Demon’s Revenge. The beta reader said I should change the title because mine was too vague, and the one she recommended actually reflected the religious basis for the horror. I am not precious about titles. If some-one involved in a book thinks of a better title, then I will generally go with them and accept the new one.

So, when it comes to titling my works, I struggle. But I am also open to people giving me suggestions, so mine may well not stick.

Titles are important. I am just not good at them.

(Possibly not the sort of title I'm talking about...)