I need to know whether or not I should use one of these titles. It's a poetry collection. When the Fist Turns into Squares When the Fist Turns to Squares (P.S.: You can ask me what it is about if you like if you are wondering what the title means)
Should you use it? Not sure... what's a fist have to do with a square? Doesn't make any sense on the surface, but that's poetry sometimes. But upon first glance, I wouldn't say either title is particularly grabbing.
Sorry, but I'd agree with @Homer Potvin stated . . . BTW, use neither title . . . . need more information to get ideas for another
For the exercise of getting us forum members to help you craft a title, yes, it would be a good idea to tell us what this is supposed to mean. However, AS a title, I don't think it works. It doesn't evoke anything at all. And of course you won't get a chance to explain what the title means to potential readers, if they aren't motivated to pick the book up. A fist and a square don't ordinarily have anything to do with each other. The Green Pickle Weeps For the Bedsheet. The Hair Follicle Cooks the Brick Wall. And etc. These kinds of 'intriguing' titles just make most people want to walk quickly past, because the two nouns are not linked in any way in the real world, and their connection within the title conjures up no meaningful pictures. You need to provide some kind of link that makes some kind of sense, if you want to entice your readers to look into your book. We can help you with that, if you let us in on what this IS actually all about. (Without plopping your entire plot onto us. ) What is the connection between fist and square that you want to establish? What kind of square? What kind of fist?
When you square up you are putting your hands into a fist so therefore fist=square, that's what I was trying to express in the title. I learned that from my bro.
Well if that's what it means then you aren't turning a fist into a square, but turning a flat hand into a square fist. Hand Squared would be slightly better, but still not interesting because nobody knows what it means. Also, how does one fist turn into 'squares'. The S on the end makes it plural. There's only one hand, so it's only one square, right? Maybe a little better to have a title like Folded Hands, with a picture of a pair of hands praying and another hand in a fist. But folded hand still doesn't make people think fist. I think you;re going for too vague of a metaphor here. Maybe Squared Hands, with a picture of two fists aimed against each other. They're 'squaring off' against each other, so it at least suggests a phrase people are familiar with.
I originally was going to suggest changing it to "Fists turn into Squares" but any variation of that doesn't seem to get much support. Based on your description, you could still try a clever, but maybe slightly less obtuse title like "Four Square for Bozos" Get it?
How about something mundane, like "Make a Fist?" Or something with that notion in it. At least people know what making a fist is. Or "Square Off" with the picture of a couple of fists on the cover?
I think your bro' taught you incorrectly. The expression "square up" comes from boxing, but it has nothing to do with making your hands into square fists -- fists aren't square. The expression refers to standing up squarely in front of your opponent and assuming a fighting position. https://www.dictionary.com/e/slang/square-up/ https://www.boxingscene.com/forums/boxing-forums/non-stop-boxing/588273-why-do-boxers-square-up-so-much-these-days https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/square%20up
Is this also the title of one of your poems? If you can posts that poem and one of the other typical ones, maybe someone can give some other suggestions.
Ok I see what you mean but still I thought he was saying that. Perhaps a title change will have to do. I didn't want to call it Square Up because that is what Blackpink's EP is called.
Trust me, in most English-speaking countries, readers will associate 'Square Up' with boxing or basketball. Most probably don't even know who Blackpink is.
Square OFF however, has a different connotation: "Squaring up" has the connotation of settling a debt, or paying somebody what is owed. "I'll square up with you later," meaning if you pay the bill now, I'll give the money back to you once I have the correct change.
