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Original poster

Writers please help me - I can't think of a good title!

64 replies

Kathyis6incheshigh · 18/09/2007 11:21

OK so I have been working like a maniac and have nearly finished my second draft. Several friends have read my first three chapters and the alterations I need to make as a result of that are manageable.

But my title is utter shit.

I have surfed the net, trawled through dictionaries of quotations and read relevant poetry, come up with something reasonable only to find it had already been used a million times before.

My question is: would I be stupid to try to get an agent if I don't have an eye-catching title? Or wouldn't it matter given that all the how-to-write books say that publishers often change titles anyway?

And does anyone have any good tips on how to think of one?

OP posts:
Original poster
Kathyis6incheshigh · 18/09/2007 12:16

FMV that is a sensible idea I hadn't thought of. Thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kathyis6incheshigh · 18/09/2007 12:15

ROFL! I will have to move the island from the southern to the northern hemisphere to call it that, though

OP posts:
filthymindedvixen · 18/09/2007 12:15

a quote from the book often serves a great title.

NoNameToday · 18/09/2007 12:13

How about

No Title Today

Sorry , it was too tempting and I couldnt resist.

I soul searched for a trendy applicable MN nickname without success, hence......

MrsMarvel · 18/09/2007 12:12

Or a topical one - "Northern Rock Crash"

Original poster
Kathyis6incheshigh · 18/09/2007 12:03

Thank you all.

It started off being 'The Island' as a working title, then it became 'The Shipwreck', which is what it says on my draft, but I'm worried that's just too flat. (Any views on this?)

Island doesn't have a name as no-one lives on it, hence the problem for my poor characters

PMSL @ Missed the Boat and Missed the Boat Again. Or, Wrecked and Wrecked Again.

My reader friends have failed to come up with a title, useless creatures that they are. DH is rereading Conrad to try to help but he hasn't actually read my story as he's scared of saying the wrong thing.

MrsMarvel, I do think there is something in what you say - giving it a title the target market will like, even if it's not quite perfect. Apart from anything else it will show the agents I know the market.

I have written reams and reams of rubbish in my life and never had trouble with a title before. And countless snappily titled 'novels' that never got past page 27. Oh the irony!

OP posts:
MrsMarvel · 18/09/2007 11:51

bundle

How about "Missed the Boat" the sequel could be "Missed the Boat Again"

Bink · 18/09/2007 11:47

What about your reader friends?

I've always found titles suggested themselves (not that I've ever written a Real Book, you clever person - but for short things etc.) - and I can do the same hearing-the-suggestion-thing with other people's writing too.

So ask them?

Bundle · 18/09/2007 11:46

wrecked

MrsMarvel · 18/09/2007 11:46

I hate to be cynical, but I suggest going for the market. Who do you think will enjoy your book? Give them the title that they would be drawn to.

NKF · 18/09/2007 11:42

Good title best option. If you really can't think of something good then how about keeping it simple. Name of main character? Name of island?

stepfordwife · 18/09/2007 11:39

close eyes and think, really think, abot yr book (well done for getting it written, btw). what phrase or word leaps ot at yo..

hope this helps..that's if yo can read it as soe of y letters aren't working..well, that's y excse anyway

Original poster
Kathyis6incheshigh · 18/09/2007 11:29

Briefly, it's about two families shipwrecked on a desert island. But tbh I would have thought it would be quite hard to come up with a title without knowing quite a lot about it, and I'm not sure I ought to be putting too much detail about it on the internet at this stage.
Otherwise I would definitely try to harness the Power of Mumsnet to actually think of the title As it is I'm hoping more for advice about how to think of one myself.

OP posts:
Sunshinemummy · 18/09/2007 11:22

What's the book about and what titles have you discarded? Maybe someone here could come up with a good one?