Novel Coming up with a novel title?

Simply - I don't. I just write the story the best I can and if I have to, I give it a title but more likely, just leave that to the publisher.

 

If you've named the organisation after a historical group, you can't really get away from that connotation. If it's not appropriate you might have to change it....

Oh, jeeez... me too!

 

1. Egypt

Um... yeah I guess I can't say it's wrong, but... not very imaginative, hehe

2. After Exodus

This exact same title actually keeps going round and round in my head, blocking out all other potential titles, but the problem is: I don't like it! Similarly 'Post Exodus' or 'Aftermath of Exodus' or anything suggesting we're dealing with the period just after the Exodus occurred just seems... anti climactic. I think that's the main problem with any 'After [insert interesting event that people have heard of]' title. It sounds like you've come late to the party and are reporting on the clean up operation. No one is interested in that.

3. Passover Leftovers

This one made me chuckle!

4. It Didn't End At the Red Sea

Oh no, it certainly did not - in fact that's where my story begins (the prologue is my Egyptian general [antag] returning to Egypt as the sole survivor of the red sea). I've also toyed with a play on words around the red sea - Rivers of Blood, Blood in the Sand, Tides of Blood...

5. Hitting the Hittites

That one was another LOL

6. Smiting for Fun and Profit

Ok, now you're just getting silly...

Well, you can ask....

 

Ok.... maybe I have an idea after all.

What about: The 11th Plague

?

Plague of Vengeance?

A Plague on Both Your Houses?

Plagued by Exodus???

 

Seriously, either would be fine.

 

Argh, I always have the exact same problem. My all-time favourite personal flops contain the "names of my main characters" -type of titles as well as a couple of cheesy names AND the "jeskjfksjflk" -type of titles. It's not looking good for me... XD

 

Don't sweat it. If you haven;t come up with a great title by the time your manuscript is ready to submit, just go with a "good" title. The publisher may come up with a title reecommendation if the story itself is publishable. Title choice is a marketing choice, so the publisher may want to step in anyway. It is part of the packaging/branding for the product.

 

True, I just don't know what to do about it. The slang term is one of those "double puns" but surprisely accurate in describing his/their occupation. I think the issue surrounds an author's egotistic view that everyone will understand his witty exclamation.

Having said that, the final question is, "Will anyone want to read this?"

After all, people do judge a book by its cover. That, and how many vampires show up by the end of chapter-one.

 

You may have hit the nail on the head there... could this be a case of needing to murder your darlings? It may be the wittiest, most fantastically appropriate name for your character's company, but if it doesn't have the desired impact on the reader... it's an author's vanity issue. Ultimately the decision may be taken out of your hands if it ever gets to an editor or publisher. Author's personal wimsy means nothing to them

Exactly, which goes back to Coggie's comment about the title being part of the marketing package. Authors are usually the least adept at marketing their creations, because they are too personally involved with them.

 

Nakhti, I took your advice to heart. I just posted a thread about what I am really writing about, no more muddy answers and cloudy epithets. Thank you, you helped me.

 

I'm glad I helped

 

I'm working on a fantasy/kind of scifi story about a war between three countries and a runaway asset who poses a huge threat to her native country. At first the runaway was the point of view character, but I rewrote it from the viewpoint of her little sister, who has been just fine living out of the spotlight until her big sis suddenly vanishes as the war breaks out and she becomes wanted by just about everyone it seems.

Anyway, I thought of the main characters as chess pieces and decided to label them. For this story, the MC seemed more like a pawn than anything else, so for now I'm calling it Underdog. In theory, I'll have three stories from the viewpoints of three different characters, each being a different chess piece. Is it cheesy? Of course. But who doesn't like a little cheese now and then?

 

I have this same problem - I'm horrible with titles. My current project is supposed to be at least semi-serious, but it's saved on my computer as "gayliens."

Oh well. It'll come to me eventually. Probably.

 

I've been having the same trouble lately. I've been working on a idea that involves demons, a family, and a mans road to redemption but it gets cut short when the demons that tore his family apart end up almost killing him. But instead of dying, He becomes a warrior for god's army. Again, This might sound stupid to some of you guys but I've been kinking out all the details and I think I have a pretty good solid story here.

 

Ahahaha, this is in no way helpful, but I would read the s**t out of a book called "Gayliens"