![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
order of events
Jan. 10th, 2022 11:20 pmTo write a story, you need the first ideas, enough to go on (varies from writer to writer), and then the first draft, and then any revisions, and then and only then do you really need to worry about sticking a name and cover on it. I was mentally calling A Diabolical Bargain by its working title of Nick Briarwood (I generally call them by the main character's name) up until less than a month before release, when someone suggested it.
Meanwhile a story, at least outlined, but barely into the first draft, is pothering about its title. Starting with The Princess Wakes From The Curse but eventually changing to The Enchanted Princess Wakes, which is still a bit long and possibly awkward on the cover.
sigh
Meanwhile a story, at least outlined, but barely into the first draft, is pothering about its title. Starting with The Princess Wakes From The Curse but eventually changing to The Enchanted Princess Wakes, which is still a bit long and possibly awkward on the cover.
sigh
Fairy tales have it easy. You can title one of the "Iron Hans" even if he's a bit character for the bulk of the tale. Or "The Daughter of the Skies" even though she appears only at the very end.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
titles and other adventures
Dec. 5th, 2020 11:00 pmIt's not wise to worry about titles too early.
For one thing, you might end up with a situation where you write a story to a title and then discover it no longer fit.
( Read more... )
For one thing, you might end up with a situation where you write a story to a title and then discover it no longer fit.
( Read more... )
fairy tale sequels
Oct. 22nd, 2020 11:40 pmsigh
No sooner than I have two outlines ready to run in November for NaNoWriMo (in case the first one is merely a too-short novella), than two more wander by.
One of them with a title like a horror story, and the other like a comic piece. I think both of them will need retitling. But at least I haven't written the story to the title only to find it doesn't fit.
No sooner than I have two outlines ready to run in November for NaNoWriMo (in case the first one is merely a too-short novella), than two more wander by.
One of them with a title like a horror story, and the other like a comic piece. I think both of them will need retitling. But at least I haven't written the story to the title only to find it doesn't fit.
titles, series, patterns
Oct. 10th, 2019 08:13 pmWhen naming the books in a series, a certain pattern is useful. It makes them look like they have some kind of relationship to each other.
But not too much of a pattern. Because if you write, "The Red Dragon," "The Blue Unicorn," "The Green Centaur," you have kinda locked yourself in.
So -- naturally I have a series that thinks it's not just "Participle Noun" but "Participle Gold." Even two stories will set a pattern there.
sigh
But not too much of a pattern. Because if you write, "The Red Dragon," "The Blue Unicorn," "The Green Centaur," you have kinda locked yourself in.
So -- naturally I have a series that thinks it's not just "Participle Noun" but "Participle Gold." Even two stories will set a pattern there.
sigh
entitlement
Jun. 9th, 2015 10:23 pmSometimes you get a title early, sometimes you get a title very late indeed. . . .
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
titles, titles. . . and other stuff
Jan. 28th, 2015 09:32 pmTitles range all over the place. Sometimes, the title comes first and inspires the story, which may even, after it's done, still fit the title. Sometimes the title suggests itself along the way. And sometimes the story is ready to go except for the title itself.
And so a question. (No, on reflection, two questions. The other one's about a cover.)
( Read more... )
And so a question. (No, on reflection, two questions. The other one's about a cover.)
( Read more... )
I forgot about titles when discussing it last.
The first point about titles is you aren't illustrating them, but the story. I wrestled with it -- and won quite a few times.
( Read more... )
The first point about titles is you aren't illustrating them, but the story. I wrestled with it -- and won quite a few times.
( Read more... )
mirth and mischief
May. 16th, 2014 11:41 pmWas thinking about Goodreads's April's Fool thing -- the claim to have discovered a lost manuscript Mirth and Mischief by Jane Austen.
Mulling the title. How to do Jane Austenish novel by that title -- only with fairies or something because that's what my muse likes.
( Read more... )
Mulling the title. How to do Jane Austenish novel by that title -- only with fairies or something because that's what my muse likes.
( Read more... )
Entitlement: What Makes For A Good Title?
Feb. 20th, 2012 08:39 pmA topic near and dear to my heart, since the novel I think is ready to go out doesn't have a title I'm really happy with.
It needs to be striking. It needs to be evocative. It needs to fit on a book cover, for novels, which is why you have a lot more leeway on the short stories for length on short stories. Subtitles can be nice for clarification, especially if the name is more evocations. Then, there's a certain tendency of self-publishing amateurs to go for subtitles, and often extended ones, so there's a certain danger of not appearing professional. They also may make the reader not pick it up, because of wanting a self-contained work -- or waiting for the rest to be released.
( Read more... )
It needs to be striking. It needs to be evocative. It needs to fit on a book cover, for novels, which is why you have a lot more leeway on the short stories for length on short stories. Subtitles can be nice for clarification, especially if the name is more evocations. Then, there's a certain tendency of self-publishing amateurs to go for subtitles, and often extended ones, so there's a certain danger of not appearing professional. They also may make the reader not pick it up, because of wanting a self-contained work -- or waiting for the rest to be released.
( Read more... )
a title trick
May. 19th, 2010 02:47 pmSometimes a title suggests its own story. Which means that generating titles can be a good trigger. Of course, then you have to generate them. . . .
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
the trouble with titles
Apr. 18th, 2010 07:40 pmSometimes, of course, they are no trouble at all. You knocks off the story, a perfect phrase presents itself, you stick it on the story before throwing it to the slush pile.
Sometimes. . . .
( Read more... )
Sometimes. . . .
( Read more... )
