RTW -- Picking Titles

Road Trip Wednesday is a "Blog Carnival," where YA Highway's contributors post a weekly writing- or reading-related question and answer it on our own blogs. You can hop from destination to destination and get everybody's unique take on the topic.

This Week's Topic:
How do you pick your titles?

I don't really have a secret for picking titles. Basically my method is to wait until something pops into my head that sounds good to me. Sometimes that title might not even really fit the book or feel exactly right, but to me it's just a working title until I think of something better.

Burning Bridges
was the first thing to pop into my head when I started the first draft and needed something to name the folder. I don't know why it popped into my head because I don't really see a connection between the book and the title, but it's stuck through every one of the three drafts. Lately I've been toying with the idea of changing it to Once Bitten, Twice Shy because that saying fits both main characters rather well. The only problem is the "bitten" part keeps making me think of vampire novels.

Cardinal Three, my new WIP, is named because the three genes that are considered to be the worst to have are called the "Cardinal Three." It seemed like an appropriate name to me when I decided it needed a new working title.

The main thing to remember with working titles is they can always be changed and they more than likely will be several times. So don't stress too much over picking the "perfect" title or become too attached when you do have one. At least not until that title is embossed onto the cover of a book.

Comments

Aleeza said…
i agree with you--no point in stressing over titles, a lot of the times they change often before publication. also, i quite like your titles. they sound interesting--esp. burning bridges!
also, so cool that im your 100th follower! nice to 'meet you'! :)
My titles just pop into my head, too. I think stressing about them before you write is pointless because there are so many opportunities for inspiration in the story.

Oh, and I love the title Cardinal Three!
Unknown said…
I love your titles. I agree there's no point in stressing out over titles. A lot of the time my titles change several times during the writing process (I mainly need a title for my the purpose of my writing group), I've even had to change my title because a book with the exact same title is coming out this year.
Leila Austin said…
I especially like Cardinal Three :-)

And very true that it's not worth stressing over titles! I often find that the less I stress, the easier it is to think of something.
Cardinal Three is a particularly intriguing title - I dig it! :)
Kate Hart said…
Good point about using the word "bitten," and that the title will probably change anyway.

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