How do YOU come up with titles for your stories?

[Yuzure]

Queeny

stare
Titles are based on a person/place/plot/word/idea/object/thing within the story that has a main focus. It's really not that hard. Plus it doesn't have to be dymanic in anyway just keep it to the point, awright?!

Thank you. So should it be based on the person, the place, the plot, the word, the idea, the object, or the thing?

Sometimes, stories don't lend themselves well to the "This is the Main Theme" categorization. I know that for at least one of my stories, if I titled it after the main themes that I could see, the plot twist in that story would have been given away.

Also, sometimes there really isn't a real theme apart from "Adventure". And that's it. Everything else is either minor or subject to change as the story goes on.

I feel that for some people (myself included), titles are difficult because we lack the "ear" for titles that others have. If you do have it, it must seem incomprehensible that others don't have the knack, and vice versa. (This also applies to summaries.)

[Zephy lee]

mine are usually taken from well known phrases/ sayings/facts that have been played around with a bit, such as

a dance with death
the object called money

[Queeny]

Yuzure

Queeny

stare
Titles are based on a person/place/plot/word/idea/object/thing within the story that has a main focus. It's really not that hard. Plus it doesn't have to be dymanic in anyway just keep it to the point, awright?!

Thank you. So should it be based on the person, the place, the plot, the word, the idea, the object, or the thing?

Sometimes, stories don't lend themselves well to the "This is the Main Theme" categorization. I know that for at least one of my stories, if I titled it after the main themes that I could see, the plot twist in that story would have been given away.

Also, sometimes there really isn't a real theme apart from "Adventure". And that's it. Everything else is either minor or subject to change as the story goes on.

I feel that for some people (myself included), titles are difficult because we lack the "ear" for titles that others have. If you do have it, it must seem incomprehensible that others don't have the knack, and vice versa. (This also applies to summaries.)

Just trying to help...
Lets see... Here's a few titles I have "Against their will" pretty obvious what that might be about. "Fools on an illusion" Nice and to the point to the story. "D.A.D" Has a meaning within the story but is only highlight at the very end of the story and "Eye's don't lie" Two characters with problems realate to the eye and they are in huge trouble with the law.

All I'm trying to say is once you get into the book the title should pop out at you. At the start of writing don't worry about a title, get the plot, characters etc going and it should show its self to you.

Peace I'm out, whee

Mind you I say the title of a book and was much intrigue. T'was called "The know" There was something about it that was unusual to me eek

[Missie DuCaine]

Usually, the title is one of the first things that comes to me, but sometimes it changes by the end, and it's usually taken from some theme or phrase in the story.

Last year's NaNo novel, however, was all based off one phrase. I wanted to write a novel with the title Upon a Painted Ocean...so I did. And it worked, really well.

My novel right now has a working title of "The Seventh Brother", but my unofficial editor ((and fellow Gaian, wai!)) suggests I might want to change it, so I'm considering "The Once and Future Sons", but I dunno. ((Yes, there are Aurthurian themes. Why do you ask?))

I've also got a series, that goes with the uber-cheesy linked titles.... sweatdrop
1. Hinterlands
2. Paradise Now
3. Chasing Paradise
4. Paradise Lost
5. Paradise Found

And I know "Paradise Lost" has already been used.....but technically the title is Vengence Marked: Chasing Paradise cause those are subtitles. The real title of the series is Vengence Marked. So yes, it is odd.

sweatdrop

[ogdred]

Step one: Write manuescript
Step two: Turn manuescript upside down
Step three: Read manuescript backwards from page end to page one.

Don't think about the words that are actually written, just string together letters in you're head. Sometimes this actually works. Usually not, but it's fun anyway.

Unless a title comes to me right away, I try not to dwell on it. If it's to be published, marketing will just change the title anyway.

[Acchan]

ogdred

Step one: Write manuescript
Step two: Turn manuescript upside down
Step three: Read manuescript backwards from page end to page one.

Don't think about the words that are actually written, just string together letters in you're head. Sometimes this actually works. Usually not, but it's fun anyway.

Unless a title comes to me right away, I try not to dwell on it. If it's to be published, marketing will just change the title anyway.

Marketing people change the title of books? Sucky... sweatdrop

[Grammar Freak]

the tiddle is the last thing I add to my story. Most times I will have two or three working tiddles, so I can call it something in my notes. Since my stories tend to go thorgh four or five verisons before they're done, this method works quite well.

[Borg1of5]

Acchan

No, seriously. I've like only come up with a title once for a story I did and that's cause I had a website with the exact same name at the moment which the story was a bit of an explination for.

find something in the story that catches attention and sparks some interest...my book is called the third fate and you dont figure out why until the very last chapter of the book....but it all makes sense when you find out what it means

[[Coffee]and[Cigarettes]]

There's a line in the story thats catchy....or a word....or something like that.

[Raven moonwalker]

usually when I start a story, I have to have some name for it, or else I won't be able to save it in a word doc... So I usually use the first thing that comes to my head. And in most cases, this ends up being my title ^_^

But quite a lot, I seem to change the title in the middle of the story, when I realize that the title I have, just isn't catchy enough. I like to use something that draws someones attention in, and gets them to pick up the book or what not.

In case of a mystery, I like to through in something, that gives you a clue to the answer of the book. Quite vague actually, you think it's something else, until the real answer jumps out at you. Like one book I started a while back Soul of a Panther.
and other's just have to have to do with the whole story. I dont really like useing nouns *shouders* the name thing is SO over used.

one story that I started, I actually came up with the name before I even had the basic idea for the story... I have no idea what sparked my creation of it in the first place, and when I told some people that I was thinking about changing the name, they really didn't want me to.
It's Fate Has Whiskers.
If that doesn't grab someone's curiousity, I dont know what will...

[Nubecula]

One thing you might try... is there a recurring element in the story? Like the main character is obsessed with Muffins or something, and it can be called The Muffin Conspiracy, you'll drive the readers crazy trying to figure out why the main character is talking about, eating, or baking various kinds of muffins at various points in the story, when really, the story has a completely different point--the main character just really likes muffins.

((muffins!!))