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necessarian) wrote2018-01-01 07:08 pm
necessarian) wrote2018-01-01 07:08 pm
Entry tags:
[Archiving] On Titles
Originally posted: 7.3.'16
well, since @aroceu (incidentally, the first suggestion when i type @) did this, i’m doing it too! i’m using my own titles as examples… any excuse to talk about my process. also, i hope this post and aro’s post can inspire anyone with title block!
i’ll also start with when i title. titles happen one of two ways with me: either they’re the first thing i think of, or the last. some stories, i’ve had the title in mind for months before i actually start writing. others, i’m posting on ao3 and go, oh, shit, isn’t this meant to have a title? in the first case, it’s easy. in the second case, i end up bouncing possibilities off friends until they’re sick of me. but seriously, don’t be afraid to ask your friends with help for titles! a third party will always be less biased and give you a clear opinion.
now, onto what sort of titles. like aro did, i’m dividing this up into categories.
1. song lyric titles
i know a lot of people aren’t fond of this, but for me it’s a very personal way to express the tone of a fic. my fandom roots are intertwined with bandom because i’m a huge music nerd, so using a song lyric title, for me, shows that the fic is connected to my fandom experience on multiple levels. it’s a way of saying, yes, this is derivative content! yes, i’m proud of that!
like i said, i don’t just choose based on nice lyrics (although sometimes it’s tempting–”soulmate, dry your eyes” is from “sleeping with ghosts” by placebo which has nothing to do with the fic except that it’s a soulmate AU.) in general, i like to make sure the song i pick has a mood that matches my fic. for example, “slow down, you’re taking me over” is from “the drowners” by suede, a song with a strong sense of youth, inexperience, and the rush of emotion, which matches the awkward teenage vibe in the fic. for a more simple case: “like a film without sound” is from vitamin c’s “graduation,” and the fic is about, well, graduation. also, it’s the sequel to “slow down,” so it feels nice to keep a theme within the titles.
my favourite example from among my fic is “there’s a chance we could make it,” which is from “i believe in a thing called love” by the darkness. it’s a tongue-in-cheek song (for real, if you haven’t heard it, listen to it, it’s an experience), to go along with the fact that the fic is satirical in nature and not meant to be taken seriously. but it sounds fake-deep, which i like. there’s something about lower-case song lyric titles that give a very off-beat literary feel to a fic. yes, i know i’m very pretentious about it. no, i don’t care. neither should you, by the way–there’s nothing wrong with being pretentious about titles. be as fake-deep as your heart desires.
2. quotes and common phrases
although some things are thought of as clichés, never underestimate the power of using a phrase that everyone knows in conveying the meaning of a story. i often try to incorporate a double meaning if i use a common phrase as a title. “by any other name” has a scene that focuses on names, but it’s also about the easy transition from a friendship to a romance, where much of what changes is simply what they call it. “it never rains, but it pours” features a rainstorm, as well as the metaphorical opening of some emotional floodgates.
sometimes it’s more literal. my biggest example is (pride goeth) “Before Destruction,” where i’ve related the theme of pride (it’s a pride & prejudice AU) to the hint of some darker emotional consequences. there’s also “Curiosity Kills,” which is about cats, and “Unlucky Thirteen,” which takes place on the 13th of august.
as for quotes, i’m putting these two in the same category because a quote is also an instant signifier of the theme of a story, and it’s recognisable to those in the know. “Too Wise to Woo Peaceably” is a quote from much ado about nothing (again, it’s an AU) and gives you a hint that there’s going to be some snarky flirting going on. “she could almost be a knight” is something jaime thinks about brienne, so you know right away that their relationship with each other and with knighthood is going to be explored.
3. puns
as i’m predominantly a humour writer, it’s nice to let that spill out into the title and summary section of the story, to grab attention. this sort of goes hand-in-hand with the previous category, because puns work best if they’re based on phrases that are commonly known. so, i’ve got “Mutually Assured Distraction” (mutually assured destruction) and “Mission Improbable” (mission impossible), which give you a hint of the theme, but more importantly (to me) tell you right away that you’re about to read something funny.
of course, not all puns are funny. “imperfect, tense” is a play on words (based on the grammatical construction, the imperfect tense) and speaks to the tentative mood of the story. in this case it was also one of the following:
4. title drops
for a very long time, i thought it was super corny to read a fic and, halfway through, there’s the title staring you in the face. but the fact of the matter is, it’s not corny. it’s actually quite powerful, just as skillful repetition of a word can emphasise its importance. “imperfect, tense” is linked to a scene in the fic where they’re studying english grammar, but the fact that it’s shared with the title makes it clear that the theme has nothing to do with grammar, everything to do with insecurity.
one of my first title drops was “eight hours in a metal box with wings,” which is a funny case, because i thought of the title before i realised it would make no sense if i didn’t use it as a line in the story (the full line is “eight hours in a metal box with wings flying over the Pacific Ocean”). this is because it’s a humourous title (see also: explaining simple things in an excessive amount of words to create humourous dissonance), so i didn’t want it to come out of nowhere just in case it fell flat when contextualised with the rest of the fic. i was probably overthinking this. still. the biggest effort looks like no effort at all, right?
5. nice words
sometimes a title doesn’t need to carry too much weight, it just needs to be pretty. these are the short titles, the punchy one-word numbers that draw your attention with their simplicity. so for example, i’ve got “Coincidence,” which i paired with a simple dictionary definition as the summary. because it’s a fairly full-on story, it doesn’t need a strong title–however, i do happen to think that it’s a word with a particularly special sound to it, which is why it stuck. in this case, the title is working as more of a cherry atop a cake than the full icing. there’s also “soar,” which is a very lovely word, and tells you all you need to know about emotional breadth and atmosphere of the story.
other times, this sort of title manifests itself as a phrase with a good ring to it. i have a very sad fic called “blue and white, and black,” which is a very stark combination of words and punctuation that tells you there’s going to be a twist in the tail of this story. i also have the hopeful “feels like the real thing,” and the picturesque “Sight Unseen.” if you’re stringing nice words together, let them set the feeling.
6. the literal interpretation
of course, not every fic needs a beautiful title. sometimes you just want people to know what’s in the fic, and that’s fine too. i have fics like “Wingman” and “Saturday Night Sendai,” which are exactly what they say on the tin. i have fics featuring texting called “To and From” and “texting (with a capital S)”. both of these titles let you know what to expect. for an AU i wrote where stannis baratheon is father ted, i called it “Father Stannis.” simple.
7. experimental titles
and then, there’s the not-so-literal interpretation. let me just start off by saying that i have a thing for punctuation. so the more i can play around with it in my titles, the better. i have a fic called “[obnxious clucking noises]” which is actually a title drop, but adding in the brackets instantly gives it this experimental quality, which i’d say adds a little edge to it, kicks it off the path a bit. for one untitled promptfic which i crossposted to ao3, i didn’t want to give it a title, so i named it after its central theme: “(untitled: strength)”. just framing it in that way makes it feel a little unusual, even though there’s nothing unusual about the fic.
in a lot of cases, though, i do use experimental titles for experimental fics. i have a chatfic called “(5)”, which is simply because it’s a group chat with 5 members. i have one experimental fic where there is no dialogue until the very end, which is simply titled “( )”. did i mention i really like punctuation. (i also like experimental summaries. but that’s another post.)
8. storybook titles
i’ve saved my favourite for last. something i really love to do is give my fic titles a little bit of… well, i’d almost call it innocence, the sort of charm that a children’s storybook title brings out. i’ve got stories called “The Accidental Renaissance of Zacharias Smith” and “The Fine Art of Being Invisible,” which both read a little twee, even though the fics themselves certainly aren’t. i can’t really articulate why i love this so much. it’s just fun!
(aside: aro mentioned not liking character names in titles. this is a point where we differ. although, if i use character names, it’s generally for humourous effect. “wear your love like it’s made of hate” was nearly called “Yahaba Shigeru’s Bus Disaster.”)
in a similar vein, i like titles that sound a bit like they could be on the front of a pamphlet or instruction manual. for example, my fics “How (Not) To Share A Bathroom” and “101 Uses for Cornstarch (Culinary or Otherwise)” were both titles that came from brainstorming sessions with friends, actually, and i love the way they look and sound. they’ve got brackets, humour, instruction manual vibes… truly the perfect titles.
*** bonus ***
sometimes, the title will inspire the fic. in the case of “wear your love like it’s made of hate,” it’s a song lyric title, and the line “wear your eyes as dark as night, paint your face with what you like” inspired the copious use of eyeliner in the story. another one is “The Moment You Fell In Love,” which was verbatim the fanweek prompt. so i just ran with it and wrote a second-person meet-ugly, even though it was intended to be like, the moment you the reader fell in love with the ship. don’t be afraid to let the wand choose the wizard, so to speak!
i’ll also start with when i title. titles happen one of two ways with me: either they’re the first thing i think of, or the last. some stories, i’ve had the title in mind for months before i actually start writing. others, i’m posting on ao3 and go, oh, shit, isn’t this meant to have a title? in the first case, it’s easy. in the second case, i end up bouncing possibilities off friends until they’re sick of me. but seriously, don’t be afraid to ask your friends with help for titles! a third party will always be less biased and give you a clear opinion.
now, onto what sort of titles. like aro did, i’m dividing this up into categories.
1. song lyric titles
i know a lot of people aren’t fond of this, but for me it’s a very personal way to express the tone of a fic. my fandom roots are intertwined with bandom because i’m a huge music nerd, so using a song lyric title, for me, shows that the fic is connected to my fandom experience on multiple levels. it’s a way of saying, yes, this is derivative content! yes, i’m proud of that!
like i said, i don’t just choose based on nice lyrics (although sometimes it’s tempting–”soulmate, dry your eyes” is from “sleeping with ghosts” by placebo which has nothing to do with the fic except that it’s a soulmate AU.) in general, i like to make sure the song i pick has a mood that matches my fic. for example, “slow down, you’re taking me over” is from “the drowners” by suede, a song with a strong sense of youth, inexperience, and the rush of emotion, which matches the awkward teenage vibe in the fic. for a more simple case: “like a film without sound” is from vitamin c’s “graduation,” and the fic is about, well, graduation. also, it’s the sequel to “slow down,” so it feels nice to keep a theme within the titles.
my favourite example from among my fic is “there’s a chance we could make it,” which is from “i believe in a thing called love” by the darkness. it’s a tongue-in-cheek song (for real, if you haven’t heard it, listen to it, it’s an experience), to go along with the fact that the fic is satirical in nature and not meant to be taken seriously. but it sounds fake-deep, which i like. there’s something about lower-case song lyric titles that give a very off-beat literary feel to a fic. yes, i know i’m very pretentious about it. no, i don’t care. neither should you, by the way–there’s nothing wrong with being pretentious about titles. be as fake-deep as your heart desires.
2. quotes and common phrases
although some things are thought of as clichés, never underestimate the power of using a phrase that everyone knows in conveying the meaning of a story. i often try to incorporate a double meaning if i use a common phrase as a title. “by any other name” has a scene that focuses on names, but it’s also about the easy transition from a friendship to a romance, where much of what changes is simply what they call it. “it never rains, but it pours” features a rainstorm, as well as the metaphorical opening of some emotional floodgates.
sometimes it’s more literal. my biggest example is (pride goeth) “Before Destruction,” where i’ve related the theme of pride (it’s a pride & prejudice AU) to the hint of some darker emotional consequences. there’s also “Curiosity Kills,” which is about cats, and “Unlucky Thirteen,” which takes place on the 13th of august.
as for quotes, i’m putting these two in the same category because a quote is also an instant signifier of the theme of a story, and it’s recognisable to those in the know. “Too Wise to Woo Peaceably” is a quote from much ado about nothing (again, it’s an AU) and gives you a hint that there’s going to be some snarky flirting going on. “she could almost be a knight” is something jaime thinks about brienne, so you know right away that their relationship with each other and with knighthood is going to be explored.
3. puns
as i’m predominantly a humour writer, it’s nice to let that spill out into the title and summary section of the story, to grab attention. this sort of goes hand-in-hand with the previous category, because puns work best if they’re based on phrases that are commonly known. so, i’ve got “Mutually Assured Distraction” (mutually assured destruction) and “Mission Improbable” (mission impossible), which give you a hint of the theme, but more importantly (to me) tell you right away that you’re about to read something funny.
of course, not all puns are funny. “imperfect, tense” is a play on words (based on the grammatical construction, the imperfect tense) and speaks to the tentative mood of the story. in this case it was also one of the following:
4. title drops
for a very long time, i thought it was super corny to read a fic and, halfway through, there’s the title staring you in the face. but the fact of the matter is, it’s not corny. it’s actually quite powerful, just as skillful repetition of a word can emphasise its importance. “imperfect, tense” is linked to a scene in the fic where they’re studying english grammar, but the fact that it’s shared with the title makes it clear that the theme has nothing to do with grammar, everything to do with insecurity.
one of my first title drops was “eight hours in a metal box with wings,” which is a funny case, because i thought of the title before i realised it would make no sense if i didn’t use it as a line in the story (the full line is “eight hours in a metal box with wings flying over the Pacific Ocean”). this is because it’s a humourous title (see also: explaining simple things in an excessive amount of words to create humourous dissonance), so i didn’t want it to come out of nowhere just in case it fell flat when contextualised with the rest of the fic. i was probably overthinking this. still. the biggest effort looks like no effort at all, right?
5. nice words
sometimes a title doesn’t need to carry too much weight, it just needs to be pretty. these are the short titles, the punchy one-word numbers that draw your attention with their simplicity. so for example, i’ve got “Coincidence,” which i paired with a simple dictionary definition as the summary. because it’s a fairly full-on story, it doesn’t need a strong title–however, i do happen to think that it’s a word with a particularly special sound to it, which is why it stuck. in this case, the title is working as more of a cherry atop a cake than the full icing. there’s also “soar,” which is a very lovely word, and tells you all you need to know about emotional breadth and atmosphere of the story.
other times, this sort of title manifests itself as a phrase with a good ring to it. i have a very sad fic called “blue and white, and black,” which is a very stark combination of words and punctuation that tells you there’s going to be a twist in the tail of this story. i also have the hopeful “feels like the real thing,” and the picturesque “Sight Unseen.” if you’re stringing nice words together, let them set the feeling.
6. the literal interpretation
of course, not every fic needs a beautiful title. sometimes you just want people to know what’s in the fic, and that’s fine too. i have fics like “Wingman” and “Saturday Night Sendai,” which are exactly what they say on the tin. i have fics featuring texting called “To and From” and “texting (with a capital S)”. both of these titles let you know what to expect. for an AU i wrote where stannis baratheon is father ted, i called it “Father Stannis.” simple.
7. experimental titles
and then, there’s the not-so-literal interpretation. let me just start off by saying that i have a thing for punctuation. so the more i can play around with it in my titles, the better. i have a fic called “[obnxious clucking noises]” which is actually a title drop, but adding in the brackets instantly gives it this experimental quality, which i’d say adds a little edge to it, kicks it off the path a bit. for one untitled promptfic which i crossposted to ao3, i didn’t want to give it a title, so i named it after its central theme: “(untitled: strength)”. just framing it in that way makes it feel a little unusual, even though there’s nothing unusual about the fic.
in a lot of cases, though, i do use experimental titles for experimental fics. i have a chatfic called “(5)”, which is simply because it’s a group chat with 5 members. i have one experimental fic where there is no dialogue until the very end, which is simply titled “( )”. did i mention i really like punctuation. (i also like experimental summaries. but that’s another post.)
8. storybook titles
i’ve saved my favourite for last. something i really love to do is give my fic titles a little bit of… well, i’d almost call it innocence, the sort of charm that a children’s storybook title brings out. i’ve got stories called “The Accidental Renaissance of Zacharias Smith” and “The Fine Art of Being Invisible,” which both read a little twee, even though the fics themselves certainly aren’t. i can’t really articulate why i love this so much. it’s just fun!
(aside: aro mentioned not liking character names in titles. this is a point where we differ. although, if i use character names, it’s generally for humourous effect. “wear your love like it’s made of hate” was nearly called “Yahaba Shigeru’s Bus Disaster.”)
in a similar vein, i like titles that sound a bit like they could be on the front of a pamphlet or instruction manual. for example, my fics “How (Not) To Share A Bathroom” and “101 Uses for Cornstarch (Culinary or Otherwise)” were both titles that came from brainstorming sessions with friends, actually, and i love the way they look and sound. they’ve got brackets, humour, instruction manual vibes… truly the perfect titles.
*** bonus ***
sometimes, the title will inspire the fic. in the case of “wear your love like it’s made of hate,” it’s a song lyric title, and the line “wear your eyes as dark as night, paint your face with what you like” inspired the copious use of eyeliner in the story. another one is “The Moment You Fell In Love,” which was verbatim the fanweek prompt. so i just ran with it and wrote a second-person meet-ugly, even though it was intended to be like, the moment you the reader fell in love with the ship. don’t be afraid to let the wand choose the wizard, so to speak!