When it comes to titles, I can assure you I’ve had a tough time.
Back in the beginning Duty & Death’s title was entirely different (I think this is the fourth title it’s had), but then again, back in the beginning, it was one book, not five.
Up until a few months ago, it was only four. When I split D&D in half I suddenly realized that I would have to find a new title for the second half… my initial thought was “Crap.” But that’s no good for a title.
I had a few thoughts for the (now) third book, but they definitely wouldn’t work - very specific to that novel – drat, no cannibalizing. The potential title came to me as I was working through revisions last week.
“Living With the Enemy”
Granted, this is just a working title and is subject to change, but what do you think?
My second novel was a bit easier to title. Typical, isn’t it? The works that I’m not as proud of/don’t intend to pursue publication on at the present are the ones with easy titles. Don’t get me wrong, the original title was “The Demon Soul,” but then I found out that it was already the title of a novelized adaptation of WoW. Don’t get me wrong. I used to play an MMO, there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not the connotation that I am going for. So it changed to Forfeit Souls. I think it was a change for the better.
My third novel didn’t have a title for the longest time it wasn’t until a major revelation with the plot that I realized the perfect type of title for it and it became “For the Birds” however, this didn’t last and it’s now “Magic is for the Birds”. Once again, this is a novel with a wonderful name that I don’t want to pursue first. (love the genre, I just can’t see myself going anywhere with it.)
My current WIP has two titles. The one that is like my friend Greta’s name for her fish – Fish – and the one I made up before I’d locked down most of the plot – so it doesn’t make sence.
Most of the time I call it “Space Opera” and worry about what I’ll actually call it once it’s finished and I have the energy to think of something clever. Occasionally though, I still call it by its original title. “The Nine Lies of Calliope Druthers” this however brings to mind the novel, “The Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch” and it’s really not a novel that I want associated with mine. They’re too different.
