Help me pick a good title

[regularguy13]

Hello, We all want our stories read. We know a good title can attract readers. I'm struggling with coming up with one I'm that i find satisfactory.

Would you click on a story titled?

"Little things matter" - the main female character is short. I had thought I'd include many references in the story to "doing the little things", pay attention to little details", etc... but the story didn't go that way.

"Channeling Jane Eyre" or "Channeling Charlotte Bronte" - is it too pretentious? would the average reader recognize the names? or do i have too low of an opinion of the readers

"She gives him a card, and then her heart" - that is accurate. She handed him a Valentine Day's card

"Life & Love in a Suburban High School" - this too is accurate. Sounds like a documentary.

Currently, I'm leaning toward "Channeling Jane Eyre"

Thanks, r

 

[Carnevil9]

"Channeling Jane Eyre" sounds kind of pretentious to me. I'd probably give it a pass.

The best titles raise questions in the would-be reader's mind. "What could he possibly mean by that?" sort of questions. They should also hint at the theme of the story, but preferably not give away the actual plot.

For your story, I'd probably go with something along the lines of "When Less is More" or something along those lines. "When a Little is a Lot." Or maybe even "Small Packages," which can be taken several ways. Hmmm, on re-reading your OP, it sounds like you dropped the short girl angle. So maybe none of these.

If the theme of Valentine's Day is important to the story, I'd go with "VD Is For Lovers."

 

[NotWise]

Hello, We all want our stories read. We know a good title can attract readers. I'm struggling with coming up with one I'm that i find satisfactory.

Would you click on a story titled?

"Little things matter" - the main female character is short. I had thought I'd include many references in the story to "doing the little things", pay attention to little details", etc... but the story didn't go that way.

"Channeling Jane Eyre" or "Channeling Charlotte Bronte" - is it too pretentious? would the average reader recognize the names? or do i have too low of an opinion of the readers

"She gives him a card, and then her heart" - that is accurate. She handed him a Valentine Day's card

"Life & Love in a Suburban High School" - this too is accurate. Sounds like a documentary.

Currently, I'm leaning toward "Channeling Jane Eyre"

Thanks, r

Might depend on the category you're posting too. I expect most romance readers will get Eyre/Bronte but I don't think the reference will do you much good outside that category--not because the readers won't get it, but because it may not be a positive association.

If it isn't in Romance then a sexier title might get you more attention.

 

[RejectReality]

Your choice of title goes over my head, so it wouldn't attract my attention at all.

"Little Things Matter" is the most catchy to my eye, but if it didn't work out that the story comes back to that theme frequently, the simple height of the main character doesn't really validate it.

"She gives him a card, and then her heart" is too long for a title by my taste. I also think it's too long for a title period. I haven't had to worry about it in a long while, but I'm fairly certain I remember the number of allowed characters being 32.

It is, however, a catchy description line for a romance story. Since it hits a major plot point, I would seriously consider using it as the description. If my memory serves me, the allowed length for description is 64 characters.

Hello, We all want our stories read. We know a good title can attract readers. I'm struggling with coming up with one I'm that i find satisfactory.

Would you click on a story titled?

"Little things matter" - the main female character is short. I had thought I'd include many references in the story to "doing the little things", pay attention to little details", etc... but the story didn't go that way.

"Channeling Jane Eyre" or "Channeling Charlotte Bronte" - is it too pretentious? would the average reader recognize the names? or do i have too low of an opinion of the readers

"She gives him a card, and then her heart" - that is accurate. She handed him a Valentine Day's card

"Life & Love in a Suburban High School" - this too is accurate. Sounds like a documentary.

Currently, I'm leaning toward "Channeling Jane Eyre"

Thanks, r

 

[oggbashan]

Read this good How-To advice from Whispersecret:

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

 

[Alice_Rosaleen]

Perhaps Eyre on the side of caution and brainstorm a few more ideas until you find something that strikes the balance between catchy and gimicky. I do like the idea of little things coming in small packages, if you want to play up that aspect of your character. Or if you're trying to give more of an Austen in Suburbia kind of thing, maybe you could try a blend of modern and 19th century language?

 

[SimonDoom]

Opinions on this subject differ, but I'm strongly of the view, based on my experience, that story titles are very important if you want to attract readers of this site to view and read your story. And to my mind, that's what you should be trying to do.

This is an erotic website. Ideally, the title should be erotically suggestive, in some way. It should tip off something about the story in an appealing way, it should "sound good", and it should be suggestive, or fit within, the category in which you've posted it.

Without knowing more about your story -- category, subject matter, key character and plot elements -- it's impossible to give you worthwhile advice about what the title should be.

I'd leave "Jane Eyre" out of the title unless the term is used in an ironic, erotic way. "Jane Eyre" is not erotic, at least to most people. It conjures up an image of stuffy 19th-century customs and sexual repression. Now if it was something like Jane Eyre: Governess Goes Wild, that would be different.

As I say, some people will disagree. Some authors strive for something more artistic. My view is that you have a very limited number of ways to get eyeballs on your story on this site, and you should do what you can to snare them. Once they're on the first page of your story, you can let the art take over.

So, to sum up:

1. The title should describe or suggest, preferably in a playful or erotic way, a key erotic element of the story.

2. The title should incorporate a word, or variant of it, that is popular in the category. Search category tags to find out what these words are.

3. Pay attention to rhythm and rhyme. Make it catchy. Make it sound good. Things like a pleasing meter or the use of alliteration (so long as it's not unintentionally comical) make a difference.

I'll give you an example: my story Late Night on the Loveseat with Mom.

It's a fairly conventional 2 1/2 page mom-son incest story playing on the well-worn plot idea of mom and son being pushed up together on a seat, with things happening from there. The basic plot idea has been done a gazillion times on this site. It has a score of 4.64 -- good, but not even in the top 250 of incest stories published in the last year on Literotica.

I published it in May and it's had over 322,000 views in 7 months. It's number 5 on the 12-month "most read" top list and it will be number 1 in March unless Silkstockslover's Sister in Law Slut catches it (it probably will, alas, and part of the reason for her story's success is its title, which perfectly embodies my three principles). My story has been voted on 3474 times and favorited 555 times. And I've only been on this site for a year. I don't have 1000s of followers like some (Silkstockingslover, for example) do.

I'm convinced the key to my story's high views is its title. Here's why:

The phrases/words "Late Night" and "Loveseat" and "Mom" basically tell you what the story is about. Truth in advertising.

The story has the word "Mom" in it. This is the single most valuable word to have in a Literotica story title -- unless, of course, there are no moms in it, in which case the story might still get a lot of views but will get 1 bombs from angry, disappointed Oedipal trolls as well. It's one of the most popular incest/taboo story tags, too.

The title has, I think, a good rhythm, with "Late Night" and "Loveseat" working as two trochaic feet (i.e., two-syllable phrases with the accent on the first syllable) that mirror each other and set up a flowing rhythm.

The title ends abruptly and decisively with the word "mom" -- a solid one-syllable beat that follows and concludes the two-syllable phrases Late Night and Loveseat.

The word "mom" therefore serves three useful functions in the title: it's a nice conclusion to the rhythm, it conveys the key erotic/subject matter element of the story, and it offers a hint of irony and surprise at the end, because moms typically are not who you end up with on loveseats late at night (that's my experience, at least -- yours may be different).

"Late Night" and "Loveseat" are alliterative.

The article cited by Oggbashan has lots of good advice, too.

All of this may or may not apply to your story, and you may or may not have similar things you want to accomplish with your story title. But those are my two cents.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Opinion, because moms typically are not who you end up with on loveseats late at night

Except on Literotica, where, as you have established, it's the most common trope of all...

 

[regularguy13]

more info

Thanks everyone for your input.

Some want more info saying the title should reflect the story (What a concept). I understand that and will supply it, but i also was looking for you first impression "I'd read that" vs. "I'd pass" just based on the title.

This story is for the Valentine's Day contest. I'll probably put it in the First time category. The sex isn't wild enough for Erotic Coupling. There's no anal, incest, bdsm,.....

The setting is High School. Someone loses their virginity. The main characters are in the same English class. They like English writers. The Bronte sisters come up and play an important role, but so do other ideas. It's a 'boy meets girl, girl doesn't like boy, but comes around story'.

I suspected Jane Eyre and Bronte references were going to be a problem

I glanced at the First time tags. Big ones are - High school, virgin, losing virginity, 18, blond, BJ, lesbian and seduction. I can work with that:

"18 year-old Virgin, Blond, High School non-lesbian, gives BJ, is seduced, and loses virginity" HA!

Or I could make some changes to the story and go with "Small Things Matter"

 

[Kantarii]

“Little things that matter”, to me, translates into “What really matters the most” in my opinion. I would probably read something titled as such

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

Opinions on this subject differ, but I'm strongly of the view, based on my experience, that story titles are very important

And I am of the opposite opinion. Sure, you write a title 'Shit sucker of Arkansas' about an erotic coupling in Paris, you're not going to get many reads. But really, anything close is okay. Key 'important' features, IMHO:

1. Rating

2. Description (the tag line you offer)

3. Tags

4. Title

I remain unconvinced that title is the make-or-break, and Literotica does not like duplicates posted under different names to allow data collection of this issue. Now, if you are talking commercial (Like bookstore) then it is a different story.

I mean seriously, 'Mittens' by FeatherWatt is currently rated an 4.88 (76 comments 376,806 views 428 favorites) on this site. Any idea what it is about? Guess what category?

 

[SimonDoom]

And I am of the opposite opinion. Sure, you write a title 'Shit sucker of Arkansas' about an erotic coupling in Paris, you're not going to get many reads. But really, anything close is okay. Key 'important' features, IMHO:

1. Rating

2. Description (the tag line you offer)

3. Tags

4. Title

I remain unconvinced that title is the make-or-break, and Literotica does not like duplicates posted under different names to allow data collection of this issue. Now, if you are talking commercial (Like bookstore) then it is a different story.

I mean seriously, 'Mittens' by FeatherWatt is currently rated an 4.88 (76 comments 376,806 views 428 favorites) on this site. Any idea what it is about? Guess what category?

You are absolutely correct that it's not the only important factor; it's true as well that there are many popular stories with titles that don't conform to my formula. There are other ways to achieve a high rating.

In the case of Mittens, for example, it has a 4.88 score going for it. That's extremely high. It's the fifth highest rated Lesbian Sex story of all time on Literotica. That puts it near the top of the all time lesbian sex toplist, which gives it permanent exposure and ensures it will get a lot of votes forever. It was published over four years ago, so it's had time to rack up votes. It also has an intriguing and wacky tagline. AND it won a contest, which is based on scores, not views. So it has a lot going for it. But all things being equal, a good title can make a big difference.

 

[SimonDoom]

Except on Literotica, where, as you have established, it's the most common trope of all...

I assume that's mostly just in people's imaginations, among even the most avid fans of stories of this type, but perhaps I shouldn't assume.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I assume that's mostly just in people's imaginations, among even the most avid fans of stories of this type, but perhaps I shouldn't assume.

I'd certainly like to hope so. Until I came to Lit, I had zero idea so many people had a thing for bopping their mom. Certainly never on my radar, that's for sure. Now, a sexy hot older sister, that's something I can wrap my head around. But me mum? That's just... I mean, she's me mum, for goddsake!

 

[RejectReality]

1. Rating

2. Description (the tag line you offer)

3. Tags

4. Title

The description is only available in a few places your story can be listed. Far less than half. The tags are only available on the story itself, and at the end.

People may search via tags, but according to Alexa, less than 25% of Literotica visitors go to that subdomain. That means the other 75% are using the assorted lists.

The only two things that are available absolutely everywhere your story can possibly be listed are the title and your pen name. Even the rating ( and H ) isn't available everywhere.

Have no clue how you can value a title less than anything ( aside from possibly the rating ) under those circumstances.

 

[SimonDoom]

I'd certainly like to hope so. Until I came to Lit, I had zero idea so many people had a thing for bopping their mom. Certainly never on my radar, that's for sure. Now, a sexy hot older sister, that's something I can wrap my head around. But me mum? That's just... I mean, she's me mum, for goddsake!

I agree! It never occurred to me that this was a big thing until I started reading stories here, and, in particular, until as an author I came to realize these stories get more readers than any others.

I find the whole concept of eroticism and taboo interesting in a general way, and this particular taboo is stronger than just about any other. Incest necessarily creates dramatic conflict and tension. That's why I see it as interesting to write these stories, not because they tie into anything that in the real world gets my rocks off.

 

[oggbashan]

...

I remain unconvinced that title is the make-or-break, and Literotica does not like duplicates posted under different names to allow data collection of this issue. Now, if you are talking commercial (Like bookstore) then it is a different story.

...

Titles are important for a reader deciding whether to LOOK at a story. Beyond that? If the first paragraph doesn't fit with the expectation given by the title? A back-click is a likely result.

As for Lit not liking duplicate titles? There are hundreds of duplicate titles if not thousands. Part of the url will show as /storytitle-19 if it is the 19th time the title has been used on Literotica.

Most of my titles are unique on Literotica. One reason is that I do a story search for the title I'm thinking of using before deciding what the title should be.

But no one else has used 'Getting Nude with Chairman Mao' as a title. Why not?

 

[Hypoxia]

I've not submitted anything new for awhile (that may change) but my backlist is still read, especially those in my A TASTE OF INCEST collection. Some stories there are connected, some are series, but most are standalones. And they gather interest BECAUSE the word INCEST is in the title. Titles containing MOM or DAD or SISTER get more reads, votes, and faves.

If your intent is to grab eyeballs, use hotwords (for that category) in the title. A Mature story called Old Friends With Benefits might do well. Would a BBC/InterRacial tale called N!GGERZ GOT ME! be too cynical?

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

As for Lit not liking duplicate titles? There are hundreds of duplicate titles if not thousands.

What I meant by duplicates is the same story with different titles, which would allow us to build up data on how important the title is.

 

[oggbashan]

What I meant by duplicates is the same story with different titles, which would allow us to build up data on how important the title is.

I did that - my error - with these two:

https://www.literotica.com/s/escaping-cybele

https://www.literotica.com/s/limit-of-authority

They are essentially the same story. I changed computers after posting Escaping Cybele and lost the final draft version. When I looked at incomplete stories I found an earlier draft, thought I hadn't posted it, slightly rewrote it and submitted it as Limit of Authority.

The statistics are:

Escaping Cybele - Posted 10 April 2014:

Rating 4.40; Votes 58; Views 13572; Comments 3

Limit of Authority - Posted 14 July 2014:

Rating 4.52; Votes 284; Views 17210; Comments 4

1 comment on each is from me, explaining the error I made.

Escaping Cybele was posted as an Earth Day Contest entry.

What does that prove? Perhaps that the second title was more attractive? I don't know. Make of it what you will.

 

[SimonDoom]

I did that - my error - with these two:

https://www.literotica.com/s/escaping-cybele

https://www.literotica.com/s/limit-of-authority

They are essentially the same story. I changed computers after posting Escaping Cybele and lost the final draft version. When I looked at incomplete stories I found an earlier draft, thought I hadn't posted it, slightly rewrote it and submitted it as Limit of Authority.

The statistics are:

Escaping Cybele - Posted 10 April 2014:

Rating 4.40; Votes 58; Views 13572; Comments 3

Limit of Authority - Posted 14 July 2014:

Rating 4.52; Votes 284; Views 17210; Comments 4

1 comment on each is from me, explaining the error I made.

Escaping Cybele was posted as an Earth Day Contest entry.

What does that prove? Perhaps that the second title was more attractive? I don't know. Make of it what you will.

You posted them in different categories, so it's difficult to assess what difference other factors may have made. Category makes a very big difference.

 

[oggbashan]

You posted them in different categories, so it's difficult to assess what difference other factors may have made. Category makes a very big difference.

The category Fetish is generally a low-scoring one. There is an obvious reason. Fetishes are personal. A story either is exactly right for the reader, or is not their fetish. If not? A lowish vote or a back-click is the likely response.

If the story is Femdom? That irritates so many readers who describe themselves as 'real men' that it is almost certain to get low votes and abusive comments. Yet some people like it as a fantasy or as consensual role play.

Readers of the Romance category seem to be far more tolerant than readers of Fetish.

But as I said above - I don't know what my nearly identical stories prove - if anything.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yes, Titles matter.

Case in point - a story in Mature with a subtitle "Amanda meets an older man" - straight to the point, a good number of views, high votes, solid score, unusually high number of comments, high number of faves. All good - a little success.

A month later, the follow-up, "Amanda and her men get together." Same category, one tenth the number of views, one of my lowest scores, a few faves, a few moaning comments which I deleted. A very ordinary result.

Conclusion: "...and her men..." plural, in the subtitle scared the 'men of Lit' right away.

Even the faintest suggestion there might be GM action (there was, a few paragraphs, a bit of touching, so what?), and they didn't even click into the story. I was amazed, to be honest, that such blatant homophobia is so strong with readers. No other explanation that I can see. All from three little words in the sub-title.

Still, the follow-up also received this comment, so hey, some part of my target audience was satisfied:

I liked part two very much. I adore stories that include men with men. Men like to read about, and watch, women together, don't they? I like to read about, and watch, men together. I can tell from your writing how much you love women - the way they look and taste and smell and walk and sit and kiss. I feel like that about some men - and some women.

 

[My I]

The Little Virgin That Could

 

[electric1]

Of the titles you offered, I would go with "Life & Love in a Suburban High School." It's the one that gives the strongest indication what the story is about. "Little Things Matter" could be a story about almost anything, so a reader has no reason to believe it's a story she's in the mood for.

Don't worry about it sounding like a documentary. It's on Literotica, so the erotic nature is expected, whether your title suggests it or not - the word "love" is enough to assure readers you're not deviating too far from those expectations. The word "Life," though, may worry readers that the story won't have enough focus on sex, so I would take it out. "High School Love" would be a fine title.