How I write my novels - Titles

How I Write My Novels ~ Titles 1

Introduction2

When writing a novel there are many methods in which one can take in writing and setting out you novel.3

One of the first (Major) decisions many writers come across is choosing a title, not just any title however.4

For a writer, a title that will stick in the mind of not only the writer, but the reader is what the writer should be aiming for.5

Writers should be aiming for a title to be remembered, not only for its name, but for its purpose and how it holds its place in complimenting and carrying the plot and characters involved in the novel from beginning to end.6

Examples of titles & the meaning behind them.7

For example: below are three titles, using different methods to compliment their plots and characters:8

The Apparition Man: The story the apparition man revolves around two teens (Reidy Hope & Christopher Chadstone- Harvey) who both deal with ghost of the past in their journey through the story, an apparition being a vision or a ghost. Which both teens see and deal with at the crossing of the parallel universe.9

The name suits the novels purpose well because it gives a mysterious insight into the story before it has even began thus leaving the reader questioning throughout the novel as clues are given. What the apparition really is?10

Stop A Bullet: With inspiration from music (Stop A Bullet – by Black Light Burns) Stop A Bullet was created.11

The line (You can’t stop a bullet) Play’s a major role in the novel, as there are many situations in the novel where there Taint cannot protect himself or others, not only from weapons, but from the most dangerous of men.12

The title is most intriguing. Not only having one meaning behind it, but many hidden meanings that can be interpreted however the reader sees it. Some may say that the title is strictly speaking about the death involved in the novel, while some may look deeper and see that there is a lot more behind the bullet.13

Trans-Jenna: Being a play on words from the word Transgender, as the novel deals with many issues relating to homosexuality, abandonment, sexual orientation and gender orientation. In the first novel we meet Jacks Aunts Boyfriend who believes him-self to be a woman. The story also revolves around Jack’s reaction to his confusion with his gender and sexual identity.14

Going over these three examples, some of the methods used are: metaphors, lyrics, play on words and symbols.15

Ideas on how to choose your title16

For some choosing a title comes easily, but for others however choosing a title is a tedious and painful task.17

Some methods I have used that many already published authors have used and continue to are:18

Lyrics: Lyrics have inspired many Authors and writers in finding the perfect title for their novel. 19

In my example I chose (Stop A Bullet – Black Light Burns).20

This device is great for finding a title for your novel as it goes also with another great tip, (making a soundtrack for your novel). 21

You can use words, lines, change lyrics add words formulate sentences, paragraphs and pages all the while listening to music that suits the theme of your novel.22

Literature: Books & Magazines are also a great place for finding titles. 23

Magazines: are full of catchy and spicy titles written to be sold to the reader. Finding a title may be as easy as browsing a few different magazines to find words or phrases that catch your eye and ignite your senses. 24

Books: such as poetry & quotation books are excellent for finding titles to suit any theme. There are a wide selection of quotation and poetry books on most popular subjects, romance and heartbreak being among the most popular. 25

The internet: In this generation the writer is an abundance with resources available online. 26

The internet is a writer’s playground where the stopping the imagination and inspiration.27

Below are some examples of how to get title ideas by using the internet.28

Forums: There are many forums available where writers ask other fellow writers to contribute their own ideas for title, not only for novels, but for short stories, poetry, essays and lyrics too. 29

Picture prompts: this is as easy as jumping on ‘Google’ and typing in themes that your novel may be about. 30

An example might be that you are writing about vampires. You would simply type in vampires into the search engine and there are literally hundreds of images to boost your inspiration and too give you ideas for your novels title. 31

Along with ‘Google,’ ‘Flicker & Photobucket’ are two great image engines for inspiration.32

Generators: Online there are now generators made for helping writers randomly select names for anything from words and species to character names and yes, titles. By searching ‘title generator’ or ‘novel title generator’ into your search engine you can browse many sites which offer a vast array of options for titles.33

Free word association : Otherwise knowing as ‘brainstorming’ or ‘free writing,’ is the act of writing the first thing that comes to your mind when you associate with a chosen word or words.34

A common way to do this is to get a sheet of paper, writing the word in the middle and setting a time limit for you to write down everything and anything (however stupid it might seem) onto the paper in the time limit you have chosen.35

For example:36

If my word was holiday, some words I could associate with holiday are – picnic, swimming, sailing, beaches, sunsets, massage, palm trees, caravan, and so forth.37

Again the idea is to write whatever comes to you mind first (without thinking about it or questioning) what you write down.38

When the time limit is up look at the words on your page and find associations within the group of words you have written.39

You can then take individual words from your list and brainstorm them.40

For example: Massage – erotica, relaxing, sensual, oil, candles, fingers, stroking, caressing.41

Continue this until you are satisfied with your brainstorm and then you are ready to string words along to formulate a title.42

For Example:43

(A Sensual Sunset,) which could be used for a romance title.44

The five senses interacting with life: Lastly a rather strange, but obvious tool in searching for a title is to use the five senses. 45

• See46

• feel47

• Hear48

• Smell 49

• Taste50

By using these senses you can use free-word association to jot down anything that you hear, see, smell, taste and feel that could further your inspiration in finding the perfect title for you novel. 51

Afterword52

I have dabbled and used all of these methods when searching and finding the perfect title for my novels. 53

I can only offer you these suggestions in hopes that my suggestions will be of some help to you as the writer: Whatever level of writing you may be at. 54

Finally I would like to conclude by reassuring, that a title does not always have to chosen before the story is written. Some writers like to leave the title till they have finished the novel, deciding only after the entire novel is written to choose a suitable title for their novel.55

It is wise to remember that no one writer is ever the same and that every person will have their own methods of writing.56