What's a Good Story Title?

ray of light:

katastrophe;:

sometimes I get the title first.
before even having started writing.
wierd hey?

Sometimes, I get the title first.

And from the title, the whole story line just starts appearing.
( :

See...I usually get the title sometiem later...I was almost halfway through a story when i got a title...

I"m like that with chapter titles too......haha....I finish the chapter and I'm like "I'll call it this"

Fer Suuure Jenni:

Also, kind of stay clear of using titles of songs/song lyrics as titles- mainly cause alot of people already do this, making it confusing as to who wrote what story. But also because it shows that your lack originality if you can't make up a title.

I disagree. I don't mind when authors choose lyrics for their story titles, 'cause like a lot of people before me had said, sometimes they just fit and they can be a good inspiration. But I do mind when there are bunch of stories called Heaven help us or The Ghost of you.
And I absolutely hate it when authors don't capitalize the first letter in their story title. CAPITALIZATION MATTERS!!!!!!!!!!!

CosinusBeta:

I disagree. I don't mind when authors choose lyrics for their story titles, 'cause like a lot of people before me had said, sometimes they just fit and they can be a good inspiration. But I do mind when there are bunch of stories called Heaven help us or The Ghost of you.
And I absolutely hate it when authors don't capitalize the first letter in their story title. CAPITALIZATION MATTERS!!!!!!!!!!!

Exactly. If you do use a song lyric as your title, use one that isn't as well known. For example, instead of Mama, We All Go To Hell,use I'd Hate To See You Cry, which is from the same song, but is a much less common line. My story, Point Me Towards Tomorrow, is using a song lyric as the title, but unless you know What I Did For Love by heart, like I do, you would never guess it is.

xGhost In The Snowx:

ray of light:

katastrophe;:

sometimes I get the title first.
before even having started writing.
wierd hey?

Sometimes, I get the title first.

And from the title, the whole story line just starts appearing.
( :

See...I usually get the title sometiem later...I was almost halfway through a story when i got a title...

I"m like that with chapter titles too......haha....I finish the chapter and I'm like "I'll call it this"

The title thing happens to me...As a matter of fact, just did a few days ago.

CosinusBeta:

I disagree. I don't mind when authors choose lyrics for their story titles, 'cause like a lot of people before me had said, sometimes they just fit and they can be a good inspiration. But I do mind when there are bunch of stories called Heaven help us or The Ghost of you.
And I absolutely hate it when authors don't capitalize the first letter in their story title. CAPITALIZATION MATTERS!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with you. I'll often times use not so well known lyrics for chapter titles, or things like that. Most times, it just fits with the story and if you are basing a story that you're writing off of a particular song or album, sometimes it's handy to use so that you can tie it into the story much easier and serves are proper inspiration, like you said.

Although it is rather cliché when you see a bunch of stories with the same lyrics for titles, or things like that. Which is why using not so well known ones works.

I only use not well-known lyrics for my titles, or change them slightly so they fit the story more. For example, instead of using Under Pressure, I used Under The Pressure Of Love for my first story. Another thing I do is if I can't come up with a title, I listen to music and create a word document of all the titles I could possibly use for that story, then decide which one is the best.

I usually hear a line in the story and fall in love with it. And then, because that line is so amazing I choose to turn it into a story-title. I wrote one-shots mostly because I felt the need to use certain lyrics' lines as titles and because they gave me this huge inspiration.

Originality can be displayed in many ways, there is a lot more to a story than only a title, even though that single line is greatly important..

I agree with Serena when it comes to unknown lyrics' lines, those people won't recognize at first and are rare on these boards.

I just felt like adding a quick note...

The title is the first thing people are gonna see...If you want readers, you gotta catch the eyes of people. Like I just started a new story last night (not posted yet) called "But The Voices Told Me To" <---I'd see that and think "Wow that sounds like it would be an interesting story"

When i look through the stories, I look for a good title (I check the rating too....for some odd reason I don't read if they're rated G, I guess that's me though)

I'll admit...I have a story titled "Heaven Help Us" nto because it's a song title, but because the line just fits with my story...

I always try to put the title somewhere in the story....like this oen story I wrote 'Tell Me Will It All Be Okay?" I used the line in the last chapter....and I actually made myself cry........That story of mine was such a hit, people loved it, I'm still getting comments on it, people telling me they cried because it was "So sad, but such a good story"

I am getting so sick of stories with titles like:

"Cemetery Drive"
"Famous Last Words"

I AM SO SICK.
People, find creativity.
Like, your story won't stand out if you and 40 other people here have a story called, "Cemetery Drive"
It's redundant and stupid.

I have decided to expand my series with a second series... This current one is 'The Fire Series' and all the titles are fire related... The second series will be either water, Earth, or wind. I can't quite think which one would be easier to figure out...LOL

But titles are important; they need to lure the reader into the story and if your title s stupid or uncreative then you won't get anyone reading it

sampalletband:

I have decided to expand my series with a second series... This current one is 'The Fire Series' and all the titles are fire related... The second series will be either water, Earth, or wind. I can't quite think which one would be easier to figure out...LOL

But titles are important; they need to lure the reader into the story and if your title s stupid or uncreative then you won't get anyone reading it

[random] You'r gonna have another series? *has a Disney World moment* This is like the best day of my life. [/random]

ha_ha_you're_screwed:

sampalletband:

I have decided to expand my series with a second series... This current one is 'The Fire Series' and all the titles are fire related... The second series will be either water, Earth, or wind. I can't quite think which one would be easier to figure out...LOL

But titles are important; they need to lure the reader into the story and if your title s stupid or uncreative then you won't get anyone reading it

[random] You'r gonna have another series? *has a Disney World moment* This is like the best day of my life. [/random]

[random] yea... it will continue the life of the children. The 5th installment 'Rekindle' will skip ahead about 12 years from the end of 'Kiss the Flame'. The second series will fill in the gaps and continue on... focusing on the children. I'm leaning toward 'The Water Series'. Then it could possibly go further with a third series and so on... I dunno... it's between me and my Muse :tehe:
[/random]

sampalletband:

ha_ha_you're_screwed:

sampalletband:

I have decided to expand my series with a second series... This current one is 'The Fire Series' and all the titles are fire related... The second series will be either water, Earth, or wind. I can't quite think which one would be easier to figure out...LOL

But titles are important; they need to lure the reader into the story and if your title s stupid or uncreative then you won't get anyone reading it

[random] You'r gonna have another series? *has a Disney World moment* This is like the best day of my life. [/random]

[random] yea... it will continue the life of the children. The 5th installment 'Rekindle' will skip ahead about 12 years from the end of 'Kiss the Flame'. The second series will fill in the gaps and continue on... focusing on the children. I'm leaning toward 'The Water Series'. Then it could possibly go further with a third series and so on... I dunno... it's between me and my Muse :tehe:
[/random]

[random] I hope you know that you just made my day. [/random]

I think I just gave out a spoiler about 'Rekindle'

:tehe:

sampalletband:

I think I just gave out a spolier about 'Renkindle'

:tehe:

I won't say anything... but it is kinda on the thread- oh well. :tehe:

Sara:

I am getting so sick of stories with titles like:

"Cemetery Drive"
"Famous Last Words"

I AM SO SICK.
People, find creativity.
Like, your story won't stand out if you and 40 other people here have a story called, "Cemetery Drive"
It's redundant and stupid.

Yeah....I agree.....

even though I have a story called "Heaven Help Us" And another called "The Sharpest Lives" (I had a hard time coming up with a title...cause I didn't wanna call it "Vampires will never hurt you" )

^That's another one....too many stories called Vampires WIll Never Hurt You.........X_X

That's why it's good to not post right away........I don't........A word of advice, don't jump into titles right away.....Maybe type a little bit of the story and see where it's going....

There are a few titles that piss me off SO much:

Only of You
Ghost of You
No One Knows
Misery
2,000 Light Years Away

There's more but I can't think right now...

Princess.:

There are a few titles that piss me off SO much:

Only of You
Ghost of You
No One Knows
Misery
2,000 Light Years Away

There's more but I can't think right now...

Hey! the person I'm writing with chose the name of the title to be Misery. That hurt dude. Anywho, I hate the titles:

2,000 Lightyears Away
Christie Road
Ghost of You
Vampires Will Never Hurt You

Ones that piss me off are

Vampires will never hurt you
singing songs hat make you slit your wrists
ghost of you
i'm not okay

there's more....i'm just too sick to think right now... haha

I agree with those who say it's okay to have song lyrics as a title. Though, I also agree that it's better if it's a lesser known lyric. In my story And I Stumble the title is from the song I am using in the story, "Everytime I Look For You" by Blink-182. It's not obvious though. I didn't even use the whole line: 'And I stumble as this whole thing runs aground.'.
Also, with some of druscilla's videos/stories. It just works as the title. I can't think of a better title for Dont't Bother, Angel then that. It just works.

The obvious lines though or frequently used song titles do get annoying.