The Fight for the Title (see #4)
Originally published at spitkitten dot com. You can comment here or there.
I’ve moaned and groaned about titles here many times, and since the insomnia fairy holds me firmly in her grasp tonight, I figured I’d share what was recently generously shared with me by a few fellow Codexians: an article they published in the November 2004 issue of the SF & Fantasy Workshop newsletter (which I believe is now defunct).
Whereas it has not turned me into an awesome titler of things instantly, it has given me a great “cheat” sheet I can look to for inspiration, and I have very grateful to have it.
I reproduce it here, hopefully, with permission.
SOME WAYS TO COMPOSE A TITLE
by Eric James Stone, Alethea Kontis, Douglas Cohen and John Brown
1. Person. It could be an actual name (EMMA, JANE EYRE), a nickname, a title or position (SPEAKER FOR THE DEAD, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO), or a description (THE TIME TRAVELER’S WIFE, THE LAST JUROR, THE THREE MUSKETEERS). The person in question should probably be either the protagonist or the antagonist, although if the person has great “off-stage” importance it can still work (REBECCA.)
2. Place. It can be a specific place name (MANSFIELD PARK, MAIN STREET, CETAGANDA), more generic (ISLAND, NEUTRON STAR) or a description (THE TWO TOWERS, THE RESTAURANT AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE.)
3. Thing. (THE SWORD, THE PERFECT STORM)
4. Event or action. (THE TRIAL, THE RETURN OF THE KING, KILL BILL)
5. Date, time or period. (1984, 1632, SEVEN DAYS IN MAY, TWILIGHT)
6. Number or measurement (FAHRENHEIT 451)
7. The Ludlum Method. Follow the pattern used for most Robert Ludlum books: The [Name] [Noun]. (THE BOURNE IDENTITY, THE DA VINCI CODE) [I'm not saying Ludlum wrote THE DA VINCI CODE, I'm saying it follows the pattern.]
8. Blank and Blank. (ROMEO AND JULIET, WAR AND PEACE, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA)
9. Blank of/from/to/on/in/for/other-preposition Blank. (A STORM OF SWORDS, THE DEED OF PAKSENARRION, NIGHT OF MADNESS)
10. Blank’s Blank. (HART’S HOPE, ENDER’S GAME, EXILE’S VALOR)
11. Quotations or literary allusions, whether well-known or obscure. (SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES, TO SAIL BEYOND THE SUNSET, STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND)
12. Plays on words or cliches. (SLEEPING DOGS, MONDAY MOURNING, OPEN RANGE)
13. Professional or other jargon. (PRESUMED INNOCENT, ABSENCE OF MALICE, BROKEN ARROW)
14. A word or phrase from your own piece. (CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY; HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS; ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT IN CHROME)
15. A word or phrase from a particular historical period. (BUFFALO SOLDIERS)
16. The/A/An Man/Woman/Boy/Girl/Other Who/That Blank. (THE MAN WHO SOLD THE MOON, THE GIRL WHO LOVED TOM GORDON, THE SHIP WHO SANG, A SHIP THAT BENDS)
17. The thematic title. (LOVE, SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION)