Weekend Writing: Brainstorming the Perfect Title

(photo/Now Novel)

One of the things I struggle with most in my writing is choosing the perfect title for a poem or story. The title has to be "just right" and there isn't an exact formula for thinking of the best title for your work. I wish there was a formula; that would make my life so much easier.

But, there isn't, so we'll have to work with what we have: our imaginations. No one can come up with the title for your writing. That's your job. Just like business owners have to think of a clever name for their business and brand, you have to think of the perfect title for your work.

A title sells your story, poem, play, etc. It's the first thing people read and it often gives them the first impression of what they can expect. You've heard of how people judge a book by its cover. Well, what's always on the cover? The title of the work.

Let's break it down into categories. Hopefully this will help make things a little easier for you as you brainstorm ideas.

1. Character-driven Stories 

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte
(photo/amazon.com).

Character-driven stories have a leading protagonist who works with the theme of the story. The best titles for these types of stories are very simple and are either named after the protagonist or the theme in the story.

For example, let's look at some of the best titles for this category:

• Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (theme) 
• Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (protagonist's name)
• Carrie by Stephen King (protagonist's name)
• Atonement by Ian McEwan (theme)
• The Book Thief  by Marcus Zusak (protagonist) 
• Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte (protagonist's name)

There are so many possibilities in choosing the title for a character-driven story. What themes do you explore? What is your protagonist's name? Could his/her name be "good enough" to stand alone as the title of the piece, like Jane Eyre? Is it a memorable name? Or, does your protagonist discover something in the story and that could work for the title? 

Think about these questions as you brainstorm ideas for your title. 

2. Plot-driven Stories 

There are some stories that rely heavily on action and the plot to drive the story forward. Is there maybe an unusual setting for the story that could work for the title? Is there a group of people your protagonist encounters that drive the plot? Is there a major event that the story centers on? What about an important object? 

"Jurassic Park" by Michael Crichton
(photo/Goodreads).

Plot-driven stories offer so many possibilities for your title, which is why it's often difficult to come up with the perfect title for your work. Let's look at some of the best titles for this category: 

• The Giver by Lois Lowry (secondary character)
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo (secondary character)
• The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien (a group of people)
• Uglies by Scott Westerfield (a group of people) 
• Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton (setting)
• Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson (setting)
• In the Unlikely Event by Judy Blume (event-based) 
• Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkien (event-based) 

There are many other ways to title your work, either by thinking of a meaningful phrase that signifies your work or choosing an object that is important to the plot. What element in your plot is the most important? If you can answer that question, then maybe that can become the title. 

3. Poetry 

Finally, I'm here to provide tips for thinking of titles for your poetry. Maybe you're not a fiction writer and you're saying, "It's hard to come up with the title for a poem, too!" Oh, yes, I know. Trust me, I'm aware of that struggle. I've experienced that struggle! 

Just like the title of a book sells it to its readers, the title of a poem also has to be perfect. It has to intrigue readers by foreshadowing what readers can expect the poem is about, but it shouldn't give it away. Leave some mystery for your readers to discover as they read the poem. 

Let's look at some of the best poems with effective titles: 

"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost
(photo/Tes).

• "Daddy" by Sylvia Plath (short and sweet, but focuses on an absent addressee) 
• "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost (event-based and setting-based) 
• "O Captain! My Captain!" by Walt Whitman (again, focuses on an absent addressee) 
• "Because I could not stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson (plot-based and thematic interest) 
• "Let America be America Again" by Langston Hughes (thematic interest) 

And there are so many more poems that have effective titles. The title is almost part of the poem; it should always work with it, not against it. 

Some of my favorite titles of poems I have written are "Night Swim" (event-based); "Midnight in Amish Country" (setting-based); and, "Ballroom Gaze" (event-based and setting-based). These are short and sweet titles but they also work with the poem. I hope this provides some help with brainstorming the best titles for your work. 

---

Titles are hard to write, but here's one rule: save it for the end. You shouldn't write the title when you're drafting a story or poem. You never know what might change, according to the plot, characters, or thematic interests. That's why I write the titles after I'm finished drafting. 

Titles may be difficult, but in the end, it's so rewarding. Once you have the perfect title, you know you're finished with the piece. It's the icing on the cake. 

Good luck! 

Write on. 

-KJL-