Titles & descriptions

[SolarRay]

I recently had a discussion with another author about title and description choices and the resulting impact on attention from readers. I'm curious if anyone has thoughts on this, since neither of us had given it any deep thought before.

Do you try to be clever? Direct? Do you write them creatively, or strategically like tags? Have some approaches worked better than others? What is your/do you have a strategy with a title compared to a description line? Certainly, do-what-you-feel-like is a valid approach, but I'm wondering what bits of wisdom are out there in terms of snagging reads with the first thing that can potentially hook a reader.

 

[oggbashan]

This old How-To by Whispersecret is a good discussion on the topic:

https://www.literotica.com/s/how-to-get-people-to-read-your-story

 

[SimonDoom]

I recently had a discussion with another author about title and description choices and the resulting impact on attention from readers. I'm curious if anyone has thoughts on this, since neither of us had given it any deep thought before.

Do you try to be clever? Direct? Do you write them creatively, or strategically like tags? Have some approaches worked better than others? What is your/do you have a strategy with a title compared to a description line? Certainly, do-what-you-feel-like is a valid approach, but I'm wondering what bits of wisdom are out there in terms of snagging reads with the first thing that can potentially hook a reader.

I believe it matters a lot, in terms of getting views for your story. That is my personal experience.

Some people see the title choice as an important and integral creative part of the story. I don't. I see titles, tags, taglines, and categories as tools that this site offers to connect you to its readers. My philosophy is that you should write the story the way you want to, according to your own personal goals, but use tags, tagline, title, and category choice to maximize the number of eyeballs that get on your story. This way you maximize the chance of connecting with people who will enjoy your stories.

With titles, I believe in the direct approach. Plenty of other people will tell you they choice titles for creative reasons and that their story did fine, and they're right, but to maximize your chances, pick a title that conveys the subject matter of the story and, just as important, conveys or suggests the specific kink that your readers are looking for.

If you write a mom-son incest story, for example, I think it's a near must that the story title should have "mom" or "mother" in it. Heck, I wrote a story where the word "mom" appears twice in the title, and it seems to have worked.

If it's an exhibitionist story, the title should say something about showing off, or being nude, or have the word "exhibitionist" in it, or have some other word in it that suggests showing off.

I wrote a story with the word "bikini" in the title. It doesn't have a great score -- no red H -- but it's received lots of views, and I think that's because the word "bikini" is titillating for readers looking for an exhibitionist story.

The tagline should add description, to make it clearer to the reader what your story is about, or offer a teaser that will titillate the reader.

Incorporate tag words in your title and/or tagline. Look up the taglists and you'll see which tags are searched most often. This gives you a clue what readers of certain categories are looking for. Make the job easy for them.

You have to think in terms of your readers -- those people out there who don't know it yet but who would just love to read one of your stories. When they visit Literotica, they have thousands of stories to choose from. Even if they go to a category hub the choices are seemingly limitless. Craft your title and tagline to give them a reason to choose your story over the others.

Read your title to yourself aloud. Does it sound good? Does it play on words? Is it alliterative? Does it have a good rhythm? These things matter too.

One thing to add (I just read the article that oggbashan linked to): it also matters what sort of story you are going to write. If it's a simple stroke story, then definitely go for the obvious. But there are, believe it or not, plenty of sophisticated readers here, looking for something more, and they might appreciate a title that shows more care and creativity.

Think about who the readers are.

Good luck!

 

[Kantarii]

When I choose a title for my stories, I try to keep it simple and give a general theme to the storyline and, at the same time, use something catchy (ie. A Slut’s Triangle, My Brother’s Ghost, Best Friends Forever, etc.) . Three is such a perfect number and for the most part, my titles are three words. As for the chapter descriptions, they are a bit different. I try to summarize the events that happen within. I assume most authors do the same. Kant

 

[Alice_Rosaleen]

When I wrote my April Fools' story, I was inspired by a Jethro Tull song called Velvet Green. I was going to call it "August's Rare Delight" with "May be April's Fool" as the tagline (pretty much direct quotes). Before I submitted, though, I decided to brainstorm the title to make it catchier. I wrote down the four main "players" in order of appearance and realized there was a ring to it when spoken aloud-"Angel, Devil, Phantom, Fool". The other words I wrote down during that session were "Wicked Games" and "The Divine Comedy" based on the subject matter and allusions to Paradiso.
And the rest is her-story!

Belated PS in case you're interested
I was going to name my last story Second Chance for thematic reasons (character's last name was Chance) but thankfully found out like that day there was already a series by that name so I kept the working title.
The first Java applets I wrote all started with "Public Static Void" (Main, which is why I thought of the main hums in the beginning) and I thought that'd be a cool bar name in a Shadowrun rpg. So I finally got the opportunity to stick it in a story.

 

[Hypoxia]

Pander to grab eyeballs. My A TASTE OF INCEST story cycle invites the pervs. MOTHER or MOM or DADDY! in a title grabs pervs. LEATHER / VINYL, MANDINGO, COWBOY / COWGIRL, STUD, ORGY / FUCKFEST / GANGBANG, BUTTS, BANANA, etc. score the fetishists. My BRIDE OF KONG has its own audience.

Guilty admission: Except for some A TASTE OF INCEST tales, none of my highest-ranked stories use those tricks. But my most-viewed stories do.

 

[TeflonGuy]

When I wrote my April Fools' story, I was inspired by a Jethro Tull song called Velvet Green. I was going to call it "August's Rare Delight" with "May be April's Fool" as the tagline (pretty much direct quotes). Before I submitted, though, I decided to brainstorm the title to make it catchier. I wrote down the four main "players" in order of appearance and realized there was a ring to it when spoken aloud-"Angel, Devil, Phantom, Fool". The other words I wrote down during that session were "Wicked Games" and "The Divine Comedy" based on the subject matter and allusions to Paradiso.
And the rest is her-story!

[

Jethro Tull? I haven't heard that name in eons!

Thank you so much! I'll be youtubing later for sure.

 

[SolarRay]

This is why I love AH... You guys are so helpful.

This old How-To by Whispersecret is a good discussion on the topic:

https://www.literotica.com/s/how-to-get-people-to-read-your-story

Thanks Ogg! I just read it and found some great points.

I believe it matters a lot, in terms of getting views for your story. That is my personal experience.

SD: This analysis has been really helpful and has given me a lot to think about. Much appreciated!

When I choose a title for my stories, I try to keep it simple and give a general theme to the storyline and, at the same time, use something catchy

Yes, thanks Kant. I see your point about being catchy. Looking back on some of my previous titles I can definitely see that in the ones that may have worked best. Agreed on your point about chapter descriptions.

When I wrote my April Fools' story, I was inspired by a Jethro Tull song called Velvet Green.

Oh, that's interesting. I definitely remember being intrigued by your title on that one (and subsequently LOVED the story btw). It's interesting to see how you got there.

Pander to grab eyeballs.

I think what I'll do is sit down and think of the kinds of triggers I might use working within my typical categories (E&V, GS). That might be some useful practice for the eyeball-pandering strategy.

Thanky you everyone!

 

[oggbashan]

Another piece of advice:

Before you submit your story, check for similar titled stories through the Story Search.

It might help you to decide whether your title is frequently used or unique. It can also show whether a particular title gets better view numbers than others.

So far no one else has used my story title - Getting Nude with Chairman Mao.

I wonder why not?

 

[Hypoxia]

I think what I'll do is sit down and think of the kinds of triggers I might use working within my typical categories (E&V, GS). That might be some useful practice for the eyeball-pandering strategy.

I've not done E&V but if by GS you mean Group then all sorts of triggers come to mind. DRIVING THAT TRAIN or TRAIN WRECK or GANG'S ALL HERE or TEN'S COMPANY or TEAM SPIRIT or MADNESS OF CROWDS or DIRTY DOZEN or anything else suggesting plurals and you're welcome.

So far no one else has used my story title - Getting Nude with Chairman Mao.

I wonder why not?

I'm amazed that nobody in the outside world ever made this film, leaving me total ownership of Bride of Kong. I mean, there are filmic Brides of Frankenstein, Dracula, and even Godzilla... but not for Kong? Inconceivable! And yet it's so.

 

[KeithD]

I often try to have the title reflect the hook of the story (without giving it away immediately) and then having the title words given in the text at an "Oh, yeah" revelation point or two. I also like for the title to be catchy and evoke curiosity in the reader.

For instance, the key point of my recent series posted here "Pull of the Grove" is that the protagonist has gotten into a "not so good for him" grove of behavior that he keeps being drawn back into in a spiral downward. At certain points I index that another turn of that wheel has occurred by inserting the "pull of the grove" phrase. I thought the title would evoke curiosity as well.


The story I'm working on now has the title "Loose End." There will be enough of a hint in the second scene for the attentive reader to know what the story's dilemma is. (I like to drop enough hints for the reader to figure out the hook for themselves and to do that quick enough to stay with me on seeing how that's developed as the story works to a conclusion they were clever enough to see coming). By the resolution scene, pretty much every reader should be aware of the significance of the title to the story dilemma. And then the question becomes how the protagonist is going to believably survive it (or not).

I come out of journalism training, where the head is the most important element. In journalism, though, the head is supposed to be as revealing as possible, whereas in fiction I try to make it as evocative and curious as possible, while being revealing enough to bring out an "Oh, yeah, that's what that meant" by the end of the read.

I don't start writing a story without a title for it--although the title might change later.

I find the Literotica descriptors significantly limiting in what I want to give there.