I definitely agree that a good title can make or break a fic. Not always, but something that's eye-catching and clever almost always makes me want to read a fic. Similarly, cliched titles turn me off, as does "Untitled" (unless it's a drabble, then it can be excused), as do titles in languages that are unfamiliar. Generally, titling fics in other languages (if the fic is in English) is a big no-no for me... if only because it's a slight eye sore and pronunciation is always an issue.
Personally, I agonize over titles, even the subtitles of each chapter of my WIPs (which I always title). A fic title says a lot about the content and style, often, which makes it important to get right. In fact, I may have gotten wrong on my first fic (my WIP), which irks me slightly - it started out as a humor fic and has an appropraite title for such... but then it developed into a angsty/funny WIP and the title may put people off, I think.
You've raised an interesting issue, though. I'm glad to see it, as it has me thinking.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2004-07-17 12:40 pm (UTC)Personally, I agonize over titles, even the subtitles of each chapter of my WIPs (which I always title). A fic title says a lot about the content and style, often, which makes it important to get right. In fact, I may have gotten wrong on my first fic (my WIP), which irks me slightly - it started out as a humor fic and has an appropraite title for such... but then it developed into a angsty/funny WIP and the title may put people off, I think.
You've raised an interesting issue, though. I'm glad to see it, as it has me thinking.