How to Find a Title For Your Story

by Cora

I've found out that it's often difficult to find a title for your story, so here's what I think about when I'm trying come up with one- I hope it helps! If you have any tips of your own, just post them on here. :)



1. First, write the story! Sometimes, a title just comes when you're not even asking for it.
(If you can't think of anything after you've written the story, or if you just want a temporary title, try taking a look below for ideas.)

2. Think about the facts: What's the main character like? Does he/she have a problem? What's the point of the whole book? What does the main character try to accomplish in the course of the story? Does the plan come together, or fall through?

3. Use the conflict in the story or the peak/highest point in the story.

4. Look at other books you've read for inspiration. Why did you decide to read it, if you hadn't heard about it from anyone else before? How does the title connect to the story? Maybe you can make similar ties for your book.

5. Use a metaphor or simile to describe something that's going on in the main character's life.
What symbolism do you use in the book?

6. What's the theme of the book? The genre? Try to get something that's unique enough that it's interesting and intriguing and not the title of hundreds of other books, but make sure that it's not too cliché and not too abstract that no one will know what you're talking about. Also, try not to give too much away about the story- maybe you can include something that happens, but disguise it. For example, if your main character, Caroline, dies at the end of the book and then comes back to life somehow as a ghost or another paranormal- you get the idea- don't call it "The Life, Death, and Re-incarceration of Caroline." Instead, you could call it "Past the Veil and Back Again," the veil representing death, or something like that.



Above all, have fun with it, and be patient. Keep looking- you'll find the perfect one sooner or later, and most likely, you'll know when it's the One you're going to use. Good luck! :)