On titling fics

[themostepotente]

I'm hard pressed to admit -- sometimes the title of a fic is the deciding factor on whether or not I read it.

Titles can be very eye catching, and sometimes I need that stimulus (can I call it this?) to attract my attention.

Witty, clever, thought provoking -- anything really. I just need to make that connection.

To me, there is nothing worse than a poorly titled fic. Does anyone else share these sentiments?

Do poor titles affect your judgement? Does the word 'Untitled' tend to turn you off?

How do you go about choosing an appropriate title for your fic? Song titles, catchy phrases?

What about sharing story titles with a well-known author? So many fics out there. It has to happen more often than not.

Share your thoughts, please :-)

--P

Comments

[mamaboid.livejournal.com]

Titling is a painful process forme. I want the title to express the mood of the story -- dark, nostalgic, impish, romantic, reflective, etc. etc. I also want it to pique the reader's interest. I'm even obsessive about my chapter titles, in the same way. I love any kind of wordplay, and when I can use that in a title I 'm a happy girl. I often use song titles or lyrics in my chapter titles, but for the title of the fic I will only do that if I pun it or change it some way.