Book and Chapter Titles

Current Week's Word Count: 6,648
The White Lilac Total: 53,900 of 90,000
Favorite Book of the Month: Sent By: Margaret Peterson Haddix


I love creating stories, but I come very close to hating the creation of titles. My aversion to titles leads me to call my chapters by thrilling names like, "Chapter One," or "Chapter Twenty-two." I normally follow a sequential pattern, but it could be fun to start a book with the last chapter number and work back to one. So when I move onto naming the actual written manuscript I have nothing to base my ideas off of. Most of the "working" titles I come up with are more for me to know what I want to do with the story. Like, The CEO Killer, The Kingdomless King or The Plane Ride Home. (Not Actual Titles. Titles have been changed to protect the innocent.) Perhaps I should try using a word aside from 'the' to begin the creative process.

I have been blessed because when I sit down to write each day the empty page does not fill me with dread. But when I sit down with a pen and paper preparing to title my new work to death, I stare and stare at that page. Then I start dropping phrases like those above until I have used every creative atom in my brain at least once, some more than once. When I am too tired to think of anything else, I hold a democratic vote and give myself unlimited ballots. (And yes, most of my elections are fixed. It works better this way.) For tie-breakers I ask family members and writer friends. With the new title sworn in, I hold my breath and wonder when my creative atoms will be recovered enough for another brain storm.

If there is a system for creating exciting titles I would love to know it. As you can see from my current work-in-progress title I am still growing in the title creation process. Let me assure you, this title is much better than what I used to call it when it was only an idea. I shudder when I remember it. Until the day when perfect titles blossom on my page, full of mystery, adventure and magnetism, I will struggle through the empty page and corrupt election system.

Question: How do you come up with titles?

The Beginning

The time has come for me to step away from Internet surfing and into the world of blogging. I must admit I have spent the last two weeks wondering about what I should say, or even if I had enough to say. Which is odd, now that I am looking at it. I write books and I am concerned about finding enough to say in a blog. Ironic, huh.

I am a writer of young adult and children's fiction. Although I have many different genre ideas, most of them are in the genre of fantasy or science fiction (when I am feeling particularly left-brained). I would rather spend months, years, creating my own worlds than research real life. Somehow, I get the feeling my priorities make me work harder, but when my calculator grows arms and legs and begins to dance on my desk, it is more entertaining.

I love having an imagination. It keeps my life from becoming boring. Of course, there are sometimes when I wish there was an on/off switch, like when my taxi driver pulled into a dark alley and left me alone in the car. Then when he returned, followed by another man, a million scenarios flooded my mind--most followed by "and I am going to die"--not one of these scenarios had anything to do with him asking for directions. And I was really betting on the alley being a disguised mothership.

Final Question: Have you ever been in a situation that seemed like it could be bad at the time?

Current Week's Word Count: 3,133 (And it's only Tuesday.)
Favorite Book of the Month: Sent By: Margaret Peterson Haddix