shine along
To which I respond:
Titles don't come easily to me, and I'm the first to admit I don't think mine are as awesome as they could be. BUT. They have double meanings, and could even be construed as puns.
I love puns.
For example, Refuge is my paranormal. The story takes place near or in the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge. However, the main characters are also looking for someone to understand them (aren't we all) and see one another as a refuge from the craziness in their lives.
After the Fall is, literally, about what will happen after a girl and her best friend make decisions about college. But it's also about all kinds of falls, physical, metaphorical, or otherwise, as well as a recurring line in "Futures," a Zero 7 song that's weirdly appropriate: "Just let me know where we go after the fall."So that's my dubious advice. Pick a word that has a double meaning and milk it for all it's worth.
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My title isn't a double-entendre, but I agree that those types of titles are the ones I love thinking about after I read the book, figuring out all the different ways the title refers to the plot!
ReplyDeleteI tried the double-meaning thing, but what I chose was too cheesy. So I stuck with a line from my ms. Now it's titled, "SAW IT COMING."
ReplyDeleteI really like After the Fall. It sounds like it captures the many different aspects of your book perfectly.
ReplyDeleteI like the concept of double meaning titles, I just don't like the work I need to put into thinking about them. Is that bad?
ReplyDeleteI've always loved After the Fall as the title, and hello, I did not know you actually heard the Zero 7 song first! I thought it was a coincidence. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteAND I love Refuge. Your reasoning there seems similar to mine with Reliance. ONE WORD R TITLES FTW.
Best use of Dawson EVER. And I love your titles.
ReplyDeleteAFTER THE FALL is so perfect because of the double meaning.
ReplyDeleteOooo. Those are good titles. I also love double meanings.
ReplyDeleteThat freaking-out Dawson is appropriate for so many parts of the writing life.
ReplyDeleteI love your titles, especially Refuge. And finding out that it has a double meaning makes it even better.
LOVE double-entendres. And when you can find a GOOD one - awesome. I love your meanings behind your titles.
ReplyDeleteWow, that picture is exactly how I feel about titles... grrr. :D
ReplyDeletePuns FTW! :)
ReplyDeleteYes! Double meanings FTW!
ReplyDeleteI love Zero 7, but for some reason I'd never come across that song. It's gorgeous.
Your double meaning advice is great. I love AFTER THE FALL, and can totally see the double meanings there. Plus, it sounds like just the kind of book I'd pick up at the bookstore. :)
ReplyDeleteDouble meaning titles rock my socks. I suspected, but didn't know until this post, that Refuge was one of those titles. :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't gotten to the title writing stage yet...but I better get a brainstorming list going because it could take a while.
ReplyDeleteI also like double meanings. I think for SF/Fantasy it helps to have something in the title that indicates it--like "dragon" or a made up word like "The heir of Einarlyn."
I'm usually pretty terrible at coming up with titles too. But my WIP's title is a double-entendre! I was proud of myself for coming up with it and hope that if (when!) it gets published the title sticks. :)
ReplyDelete