Picking a title

[designatedvictim]

I'm just wondering how people pick their titles and if they remain the same while developing the story.

I have a 21K-word WIP that I started a week ago that has gone through several title already.

Arizona Visit
Arizona Memories
Arizona Bound

(Three guesses on where the story takes place. Anyone?)

The premise is a very recent college grad goes to visit his sister and her roommate in the American Southwest for a month before he starts his first after-graduation job.

The first title is simply declarative.

The second (because I realize that my existing titles give little away and don't help sell the story) was meant to evoke the passage of time and imply good memories.

The third is one that I like, but around here, it might mislead you into thinking it's BDSM. (It's not. It's T/I, although the jury's still out on whether it goes full-I.)

That makes it feel like bait & switch, but I like it.

I know some people can pick a title at the start and run with it to the end.

Some people have their titles evolve during the writing process (as mine are wont to do).

Other people have the final title emerge from some aspect of the finished story, a phrase, a figure of speech used by a character or something describing some event, that emerges from the page and says 'Here I am! The title you've been looking for!'

I'm just wondering how much work people put into titles.

 

[MrPixel]

Hot and Bothered in Arizona

 

[designatedvictim]

Hot and Bothered in Arizona

I can't believe I didn't go in that direction for a title.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I'm just wondering how much work people put into titles.

Paging @SimonDoom. Your services are required in the lobby.

Generally, my titles are something from within the story, less a sales pitch per se. They're more evocative than descriptive, which might go against the story, but I'm not too fussed about that.

Arizona something doesn't tell me much, unless it's her name, in which case I'm interested. But geography, not so much.

 

[YmaOHyd]

Hazing Arizona?

 

[designatedvictim]

Paging @SimonDoom. Your services are required in the lobby.

Generally, my titles are something from within the story, less a sales pitch per se. They're more evocative than descriptive, which might go against the story, but I'm not too fussed about that.

Arizona something doesn't tell me much, unless it's her name, in which case I'm interested. But geography, not so much.

I picked AZ because I've always wanted to go there and because I wanted somewhere warm enough to let my characters live in a 'clothing optional' environment.

IOW, a cheaptastic way to Free the Nipple with minimal wordage.

(This in a 21K-word WIP.)

 

[Writer61]

I prefer titles that give some sense of the story, without being explicit. However, stats suggest that a more direct approach is beneficial; most stories in my 'Adam in Public' series are Naked something. All have an H rating.

 

[Off_base]

Hazing Arizona?

Or Grazing Arizona

 

[SimonDoom]

Paging @SimonDoom. Your services are required in the lobby.

You rang?

I've said a lot on this subject. My general, but not universal, view, is that the title is a form of marketing, while the text is the art. The point of the title is to attract eyeballs to the story. That's not everybody's point. It doesn't have to be. But I assume when people ask these questions that they are asking what will attract attention rather than what will make the story look more artistic.

In doing this, always consider the category and the nature of the story.

None of the three titles proposed by the OP sounds interesting to me. None of them is kinky, although "Arizona Bound" suggests it might involve some BDSM. If it DOESN'T involve BDSM, and I clicked on it, I might be disappointed.

I like Mr. Pixel's idea much more than the three proposed titles.

If your goal is eyeballs, add "With Sister" to the end. Or "To Sister." When you are dealing with taboo/incest stories, unlike stories involving subtler and more realistic kinks, there's no point in being subtle.

What is the point of having "Arizona" in the title? How is the state crucial to the story? How is it kinky or erotic or interesting? If the story addresses what's interesting about the state, then OK. But if not, why bother?

Ask yourself, what is EROTICALLY interesting about the story? Go from there.

Also, "Arizona" is a bit generic. Too broad. It's a big state and not sufficiently suggestive or romantic. I'd probably go with something like "Summer in Sedona with my Sister."

I've written three brother-sister incest stories. All have the word "sister" or "sis" in the title. They average about 181,000 views each.

 

[designatedvictim]

Or Grazing Arizona

I had tried to work something out with 'Raising,' but got nothing.

I will say that the piece does involve b/g and g/g grazing because, well, threesome.

 

[Off_base]

I had tried to work something out with 'Raising,' but got nothing.

I will say that the piece does involve b/g and g/g grazing because, well, threesome.

That's where my thoughts were too, since you said T/I, but added almost I.

As an added note, raising Arizona is a classic!

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Word will use the first three or four words of a story as a default title the first time you save. I usually let the be the working title. I'll pick the final once the entire story is written, sometimes going through a few before the right one for the finished story reveals itself to me.

 

[designatedvictim]

Also, "Arizona" is a bit generic. Too broad. It's a big state and not sufficiently suggestive or romantic. I'd probably go with something like "Summer in Sedona with my Sister."

Yeah. Pretty sure I've read some of the posts on 'titles as advertising' and I already know I suck at it.

This suggestion just twists the knife.

I like it. A lot.

The only really 'Arizona'-thing they do (so far) is a trip to Meteor Crater and an overnight camp out on the way home, so they're not doing a four-hour-drive/four-hours-there/four-hours-home kind of day in Arizona in July.

I have them do an overnight campout so they can get outdoor-naked (sister rebelled a bit after college and went nudist, brother is still fairly reluctant to peel off with witnesses).

 

[lovecraft68]

Is the name of the state that important? I don't think readers care that much and nothing catchy or erotic about it.

I'd lose it.

If its a brother/sister with her roommate something simple but to the point and will draw the crowd could be

And sis makes three.

Not award winning, but it will work better than you think.

 

[lovecraft68]

You rang?

I've said a lot on this subject. My general, but not universal, view, is that the title is a form of marketing, while the text is the art. The point of the title is to attract eyeballs to the story. That's not everybody's point. It doesn't have to be. But I assume when people ask these questions that they are asking what will attract attention rather than what will make the story look more artistic.

In doing this, always consider the category and the nature of the story.

None of the three titles proposed by the OP sounds interesting to me. None of them is kinky, although "Arizona Bound" suggests it might involve some BDSM. If it DOESN'T involve BDSM, and I clicked on it, I might be disappointed.

I like Mr. Pixel's idea much more than the three proposed titles.

If your goal is eyeballs, add "With Sister" to the end. Or "To Sister." When you are dealing with taboo/incest stories, unlike stories involving subtler and more realistic kinks, there's no point in being subtle.

What is the point of having "Arizona" in the title? How is the state crucial to the story? How is it kinky or erotic or interesting? If the story addresses what's interesting about the state, then OK. But if not, why bother?

Ask yourself, what is EROTICALLY interesting about the story? Go from there.

Also, "Arizona" is a bit generic. Too broad. It's a big state and not sufficiently suggestive or romantic. I'd probably go with something like "Summer in Sedona with my Sister."

I've written three brother-sister incest stories. All have the word "sister" or "sis" in the title. They average about 181,000 views each.

I see your alliteration and will raise it.

Taboo Temptation in Tempe.

Tag Line:

He makes his sister dessert in the desert

 

[YmaOHyd]

I think you get more clicks with titles like The Time We Fucked Our Holes than cute or philosophical titles here. The People want Holes.

 

[IWroteThis]

Most of my original story ideas are just a key concept or scene, so I give it a working name based on that. Most of the time, that name sticks, or is just gently massaged. However, if I have a better name come to me while writing, I don't hesitate to change it.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Screwing Sister in Sedona?

 

[designatedvictim]

I think you get more clicks with titles like The Time We Fucked Our Holes than cute or philosophical titles here. The People want Holes.

That is depressingly cynical.

I say that because you're completely right.

 

[designatedvictim]

Is the name of the state that important? I don't think readers care that much and nothing catchy or erotic about it.

I'd lose it.

If its a brother/sister with her roommate something simple but to the point and will draw the crowd could be

And sis makes three.

Not award winning, but it will work better than you think.

No. The state name is hardly a requirement. I just liked the idea of using it to anchor it geographically.

I can't say I'm all that attached to it.

While you're right about And Sis Makes Three, I'd bet there are at least a score of stories with that name already.

 

[dirk2024]

I'm just wondering how people pick their titles and if they remain the same while developing the story.

My first title is essentially a placeholder. The title will likely several times as I write the story.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

That is depressingly cynical.

I say that because you're completely right.

Yeah, I know that it is true, and hate that it is true because I abhor the Porno Titles. I know avoiding them costs me views and readers but... its the principle of the thing.
My latest submission is "The Last Time I Felt Like This" which I love as a title... but probably hurts me here.

 

[SimonDoom]

That is depressingly cynical.

I say that because you're completely right.

No, that's not true.

I suggest that before people adopt opinions like these that they look at the actual data. Look at authors who have written very successful incest stories. Look at their stories and their titles. Lovecraft, who has weighed in here, is one of them. 8Letters has written many successful brother-sister stories. I think all or almost all of them have the word "sister" in them, but they don't feature sexually explicit terms.

Most of their story titles do NOT contain brazenly vulgar terms. The titles I suggested do not. They are direct, and descriptive, but they don't have to contain words like "holes" and "screw." That's a myth, and you can easily see that it's a myth if you look at the facts.

The most popular (most-viewed) brother sister story of recent years was Lovecraft's story The Model Sister. It's descriptive and to the point, because it's about a sister who models for her brother, but it's not vulgar.

Sure, there are some stories with titles like these, and some of them do well, but there's absolutely no need to get overly sexually explicit with your title if you want your story to do well.

There's no cause for cynicism or despair.

 

[SamanthaBehgs]

What does b/g stand for? Like, b seems to be brother. But g? Or is that boy/girl?

Either way - is there a way given the plot to play on the common phrase "it's a dry heat" while staying true to the contents?

 

[YmaOHyd]

No, that's not true.

I suggest that before people adopt opinions like these that they look at the actual data.

I mean the #4 most-read story ever is Sister Sucks Sleeping Sibling. The #5 is "Oh Mommy" I Groaned. #7 is Mom Takes a Ride. #12 is Wife is Taken and Fucked at a Party. #25 is Anna Succumbs to Neighbor's Cock. In the last 30 days, the #1 is Pill Induced Incest and the #2 is Lactation Train with Mom. No, you don't have to be vulgar in your title, but it is not an obstacle, and if your two choices are something clever and intellectual or When Harry Fucked Sally you should go with the second one.