.jpg)
When I first submitted Abby and Noah's story, the title was "Winner Takes All". The story is based on a game show, so the title was fitting. Unfortunately (or actually fortunately as it turned out) the title was already logged into the system at TWRP for another submission. Although titles can't be copyrighted, TWRP does make sure there are no duplicate titles on its 'shelves'. So when it came time to sign the contract, I had to come up with a new title. I tried something or other, which also happened to be taken. At that point, I think my editor suggested just using "Win a Wild Wedding Weekend", which was the actual name of the game show in the story. I suggested shortening it to simply Wild Wedding Weekend, and wa la...a title was born.
Looking back now I can't imagine the book with any other title. (But I suppose if "Winner Takes All" had been available I would feel the same about that...)
All of my books have a title even before I begin writing. I even imagine the cover and start playing around with a simple blurb. For me, it makes the story feel like a 'real' book even before the writing process begins. Like that goal setting technique of visualizing it into reality.
Other than Wild Wedding Weekend, all of my books' titles have remained the same from first draft to publication. Most of the time those titles come easily to me. I did dither a bit over my series. I wanted all three books to sound like a set, so I played around with the pattern of the wording until I found something that worked for each story but still sounded similar. And I did agonize a bit about the holiday spin-off series, but in the end I went with simple and to the point.
Sometimes I've picked titles, without meaning to, that are already in use, such as This Can't Be Love, which is a song. Who knew? I guess I should have done an internet search first. I get some interesting results back from my Google Alerts sometimes. Every time a celebrity gets married, I get lots of alerts about the shenanigans that went on at their weddings under the topic "Wild Wedding Weekend"! And this time of year, I'm always getting hits for "A Christmas to Remember" that have nothing to do with my story.
How do you come up with the titles to your stories? Are they there from the beginning or do they come to you as you write? Do you ever change the title partway through a project? Do you ever wish you would have, or are you satisfied with your titles? Even though I sometimes get odd responses from Google Alerts, given the chance, I don't think I'd change any of mine. They fit the stories too perfectly.
Until next time,
Happy Reading!
Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com
I've noticed that titles sometimes come from a phrase in a book.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a title I like for Stormy Hawkins. I have a tentative title of 'The Bride Wore Black' for my time travel. It's been used before, but so many titles have.
It seems like it truly is harder and harder to find a completely original title. Phrases from the story itself are great to use.
DeleteYou have a lot of great titles, Debra. Google give me plenty of 'His Leading Lady' alerts, but not for any other titles. Sometimes I know my title before I start, and the only one I had a real problem with was 'Her Only Option' - which I still don't like, but couldn't find anything else!
ReplyDeleteYep, sometimes the alerts just pull random words from the same article, even if they aren't strung together in the actual piece. It's so odd.
DeleteSometimes my titles come before the story, other times during the writing. Only one time could I not think of a title at all until way after the story was written.
ReplyDeleteI do like incorporating pieces of the story into the title if possible. Or sometimes I do it the other way around. I sneak the phrase into the story if I've already decided on the title. :)
DeleteMy titles usually come to me as I'm writing the book. Never, ever, before I start. And just occasionally I struggle at the end to find something suitable that hasn't been used before. But when you get that eureka moment it's all worth it.
ReplyDeleteI'm quite contrary. If I have a title I struggle with the story. If I have a story I struggle with the title. :(
ReplyDelete