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

[Kathyis6incheshigh]

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?

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

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.

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

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?

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.

wrecked

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

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

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!

Or a topical one - "Northern Rock Crash"

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......

a quote from the book often serves a great title.

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

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

Kathy - the book is the thing. If they love it they'll work with you to find a better title.
But for now:

Do you have chapters? Do any of your chapter titles lend themselves to being the book title?

Any song titles which are appropriate?

Or call it something connected more with the theme and the characters' emotional journey than with the "setting"?

You don't have a hidden hatchway, an invisible monster and another community on the other side of the island, do you?

Thanks UQD.

No hidden hatchway or invisible monster. Also no retired pirate in a houseboat, no footprint in the sand and no tipping the black spot. It's very original, you see

Chapter headings aren't much help as they're just where the action takes place (Marina, On board yacht, etc).

Song titles good idea - I've been through sea shanties and not found anything but pop songs might be more in touch with the zeitgeist. [tries and fails to think of anything other than I Am Sailing] Will work on that.

Bundle - that was the first thing I thought of!

I would buy a book called wrecked definately!

Pinch an appropriate one of Amazon.
Editor will say, 'This is fantastic here is your huge enormous advance there is just one thing do you mind if we change the title to Harry Potter and the Ocean of Doom?"

And then you just have to agree.

how about "the Forgotten"?

What about a nonsense word based on a real word that describes the situation.

..just because life moves on and people might have stopped looking for them..

or if there's a particular view, colour that is predominant on that island you could turn that into the title..

Tropical theme?

"Macarooned on Coconut Island"

LMAO Slowreader!!!!

Does anyone like 'Oceanspace'?
captures the vastness of the sea, y'see....
It also makes it sound like a fantasy novel, which it's not, but it's for teenagers and all they seem to be reading atm is fantasy novels

'Wrecked' is more dynamic than 'The Shipwreck' but I just can't get over the irrelevant double meaning. Mind you that might be a good thing....it could pick up another market....

"Going Bananas?"

Right I'll get me coat. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Maroon(ed) 5?!?! Sorry probably not helpful, but it made me laugh.