Titles are NOT important

[Minion Ripley]

I know some writers may feel that titles have a deep connection to the piece of work - and admittedly sometimes do - I personally have to agree with you on your point. More often than not, they seem more like an accessory, just a label to go by so as not to get the story mixed up with something else or an attention-catching line for potential readers to grab hold of.

For me, I usually find that I won't come upon a good, or even relatively good, title for some time. Instead, I just slap on a series of related, semi-poetic words or a sort of "theme" word and call it good until I either come up with something better or someone recommends a different title for me. Once I have actually worked more on the story and know what it's about, I may come up with a nicer title for it then. Sometimes this moment comes towards the middle of the story, sometimes it doesn't come until the end, and sometimes it doesn't come at all, and I end up just shrugging my shoulders and going, "Meh. Oh well." If an editor or whoever it is that's helping me with my writing comes up with something less ridiculous than what I've already got, then I'm game.

All in all, I suppose I'm not too attached to titles for the most part. If I find the first one I came up with to be dull or cheesy, or if someone else thought so, I would try to improve it, even if it meant drastically changing it. Titles can help a piece of writing, but they can also hinder it, too.

And, don't worry; I don't think your first topic is a stupid one. It seems like quite a few writers obsess about what to title their stories, so I can sympathize when you wonder what they see in them. =)

[PrettyPriestess]

Titles aren't a big thing until the end, and then it's like naming a child. That story will be referred to with that title for the rest of its existence. You don't want people making fun of it, and you don't want it to sound weak or silly.

But, the OP is right. The story is going to change, evolve, etc. I tend to refer to my stories by what fandom they're in, or what characters they feature. Right now? I'm working with Deuce and Choru. I'll get a title later, when the story has earned it.

[twilek_jedi]

Until I finish something I usually call a book by the main's name.
At the moment I'm working on 'Alexander Anderson' for example.
I'm not even sure if I'm keeping the name, yet, considering how sketchy it is at the moment, but I just kind of liked the rhyming.

[Trampoline Heart]

Disagreed, mon ami!

I always create my titles beforehand. I never pen one single word of a story until I have my title fixed in my head. For me, I need the name to lead me into the words ...without it I have no direction. The title just means so much! Without a title - and a good one - I feel that a story is somewhat meaningless. A title makes so much of the story, in my opinion.

[AlanivAsthore]

Usually I don't have a problem coming up with titles. Before I start writing I usually have at least a working title that feels natural. A lot of the time my titles are based on my origional concept for the story. However, I can understand the frustration of having no clue what to call your story. I have been working on a longer work of fiction for four years and one of the most annoying things about it is that I cannot seem to come up with a good title. In fact, I was so frustrated with it that in May I renamed it The Crap Story with the Crap Title and ignored it for a month and a half. I think that in some cases a title is a good way to define a story and can serve as a focus as to where the story is head plot wise.

[cherokee1211]

This may be off topic..But...
I write my titles when I'm first writing the book/story, otherwise I get a bit off track... sweatdrop

[monkeyluv4ever]

I would come up with a title that gets peoples attention, a title that makes people wanna pay attention to ur writing. I think it would be neat to draw people to ur story from title, a lot of people don't like reading and could really like ur story

[The Prince of Horror]

Zechs Merquise

Until your done writing. A title is a mere label for the story. Until it's done, you don't know what you are titling. It's going to change.

So many stress over it. I understand why. They want it now so they can call it by it's true name, but it's true name doesn't exist yet. I call my stories by whatever the thought was to write it was. School, Torture, Bunnies. Just something to label it until I'm done. Then I spend my time coming up with a title.

Discuss:
Titles and you.
How you feel about titles: before, during, and after writing.
Why my first topic on gaia ever is a stupid one.

OMG someone who understands. I tried making a title before i got done with my story and it had NOTHING to do with it.

listen to me when i say that it is a bad idea to put a title before you write a book/story.

But you can make up a list of random titles that might be put in play in a later book



The Prince of Horror

[MyMiracle__xx]

I like titling it at the beginning, just so I have something to refer to it as and I'm not walking around talking about 'that one story I'm writing'. I'm calling my current novel-in-the-making "The Sixteenth Autumn", but, chances are, that won't stick.

[MyEccentricSelf]

I disagree with the statement that a title is just a label before the story is finished.
The title of a story can also be the main idea of a story. So before you start to write, and you have a title you will have some sort of idea of what your story will be about. Your title is the main idea.

[scitama]

Oh God...titles can drive me nuts! I don't think I knew the actually title I wanted for my writing until 3/4 of it was done....and even now I still wonder. What I find just as bad are Chapter Titles! Usually I just toss in whatever title comes to mind and change it later if I feel the need sweatdrop

[Styx_Knight]

Yeah, all I do is come up with a name holder title so I don't accidentally mix up stories as I'm writing on sheets of paper, unless I think of a really cool title first though.

[Coffeetailor]

I generally first create a literal title if it's a fanfiction (usually just what the crossover is), or a descriptive one for original pieces. Often they'll have elements directly from something in the beginning of the story. For example, one of the working titles for one story was 'A flute and a sandwich' because two of the early character meetings involved one busking and another buying a sandwich at a cafe. It's only later that I find one that's more symbolic of the story in general.

[JimmyTheGearGolem]

- Never judge a book by its cover -
Meaning the title is nothing compared to the real story inside