Hope you get over your writers block soon, here’s a question. The titles for your fics are beautifulll, how do you come up with them? That’s something I always hate to think about
Hi! Thanks for saying so, means a lot, and yup, I'm feeling pretty motivated after writing this lmao 💕
kinds of titles and how to
Titles are hard to do. Period. My title game now I'm in a new fandom/platform is the worst to date. I once sat down pre-AO3 and made 16 titles and they're pretty lovely. Anyway, always remember this: Look at other titles for inspiration or find inspiration instead. That's all you'll need to know, so I'll share some titles along the way to give you some inspo.
First thing you need to do is know what makes a title. Titles are always from a Motif (a recurring theme), a line, a character, a question, the goal from the work. It's a must that you're comfortable with and like your title, because that will always be with you.
Another thing is I look at other titles so I can make up my own. Finding inspiration is always key. Titles from media/books I look up to are: Sense and Sensibility; Great Expectations; The Town That Dreaded Sundown; The Old Man With A Gun. Getting inspired by your own titles are always a must too, because it gives you that boost of confidence, like, "I made this one great title so I can definitely make more!" I'll give you some ideas from mine and ways I made them, so some tips and tricks for you! But, and this is addressed to everyone, please don't copy them! They are my wips and my work, don't take them away from me!
Latin or other languages: Stella & Cera; Carpe Noctem; Apotelesma; Malacia; Eros.
Might I suggest looking up Latin phrases? This gives your work a fancy name, sure, but this works even better if it's in the work itself. For example, I used Stella & Cera because the work is Icarus inspired. Stella means Sun and Cera means wax, which aligns the myth pretty right. I used Carpe Noctem because the setting was nighttime and the characters were taking a chance, hence, Seize the Night. You can definitely use any other language, but it's best if you pour yourself into research so you won't use a foreign word mistakenly.
Dark adjectives or verbs: What Alexander Killed; What Killed Sam?; Killing Kennedy; To Kill A Masochist; The Synthesia Project; Justice For Maria; Bury Me Here.
Don't use this kind of title if no one is going to die, but you could use it in a metaphorical sense. Did you kill their mentality or an Identity? Go ahead then! I use this kind because it really just sets the record straight, and it definitely adds tension and stakes at first glance. It sends questions and goals all in one, and it definitely catches your eye, doesn't it? You'll feel afraid of it, definitely, but again, it's either because the work is a murder mystery, thriller, or horror, which this kind should fall into.
Names: The Missing Letters Between Sergeant James Barnes and Detective Samuel Wilson; Victorina Gavin; Mirage Of John; Reaching Elizabeth; Jan; The Other Half of Eliza; francis, love me; The Waiter.
This kind of title gives you a lot of freedom because it gives the readers the names of the characters in the work at first hand! It's best paired with adjectives (Reaching Elizabeth), statements or dialogue (francis, love me), or it could be a standalone (Victorina Gavin). If you're using this kind for a fandom where everyone knows the character, then you shouldn't use the standalone name. Maybe use an adjective or noun; use it freely but not insultingly or degradingly.
Places: Find Me In San Francisco; In The Hangar; Alexandria & Berlin; Two Rooms; Kingdom of Filasa; Nevis to Geneva.
This! I always have a soft spot for these kinds of titles, sue me. If you're going to use these kinds of titles, make sure there's a notable setting in the work itself and if it's an important place. You can use it with nouns/verbs (Find Me In San Francisco) or you can make connections with it (Nevis to Geneva). I only ever use this kind as a last resort, only because I have a favorite kind of title lmao since some of my works don't have notable places except for setting. There should be emotional attachment, I think, if you use this. For example, Nevis To Geneva is about Soulmates from different countries— continents even —attached by a string. Kingdom Of Filasa on the other hand, wherein the kingdom itself is a major plot point in the work.
Statements/Poetic/Metaphor/Motif: The Study In Belief; life & liberty; Angels In Moonlight; Bouquet Of Lovers; No Name; We Almost Became When; Liberty Wears A Green Gown; It Rains On April 10th.
This is my type, for sure. This kind works best if your work is poetic or emotional, but even if it isn't, it really pulls readers in. I know I will be. Some of these have double meaning, but they're mostly there for poetic reasons or just plain right off the bat. Angels In Moonlight: summoning an angel at midnight. We Almost Became When: "almost" is a Motif (recurring theme) in the work. Bouquet Of Lovers: the number of flowers in your hair is the amount of Soulmates you have. This kind of title comes to you at the last minute or before you're going to bed, there's no in between.
Double meaning: No xio us To xic; State Of Stone; please. touch. me; Defective.
These are fun because you can reveal the actual meaning in the work, for example: No xio us To xic is from Noxious Toxic, explaining that the MC hasn't gotten over his past toxic relationships, giving him an obscured idea of love. State Of Stone is actually set in a museum, and in some point in the work, they're asking for help, hence State of Stone, SOS. Defective on the other hand is about how a detective's career crashed when she wasn't able to cover up the rumors of her current case.
Lines and Dialogue: to bleed on paper is to create; Death To The Ending; believe not, dad; hurt not, love; my achilles & patroclus; offering love until it hurt.
This became my go to when I joined AO3, just because it's easier, which it is! You're just taking your favorite line from any place of the work and slap it on as a title. Note: Make sure it doesn't spoil the story! This works perfectly if there's a line regarding the whole plot or simply summarizes the work (believe not, dad). Offering love until it hurt was a line that inspired the whole work actually, and was able to summarize the MC's goals and beliefs in one go.
If all else fails, slap a song title on it (If you're doing fics!). I literally do not realize some titles are song titles with how good it is, and if you're wondering, song titles are valid. Shut up, I love you, even if you say you can't title. Somedays I wish I could just do that.
Hope this helps 💖 there are definitely more kinds of titles, but these are mostly the basics!
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