How original are your story titles?

[oggbashan]

If you look at a list of an author's stories, the link to the story includes the title.

If it is a chaptered story then the title will end ch-01, 02 etc.

But if it is a stand alone story, it might end in a number if there are several stories with that title on Literotica. Many of my titles are unique with apparently no other stories on Literotica with that title e.g. Hedgehog Feud.

But for some, other people used that title before me. My poem 'Absence' is Absence-06. My much maligned story 'Trapped' is Trapped-07. My record is 'Photo Shoot' at Photo Shoot-23. That I might expect.

But 'Sunday Morning' is Sunday Morning-14. I would have thought that others would have used the story title 'Virgin's Sister' but either I was the first, or the only author to use it.

It might be an interesting exercise to read all the stories that share titles with mine.

Are your titles original? Or what is the highest number you have recorded?

Is it important to have a unique title? I know that the title is important, but is individuality more important than using trigger words such as 'breast', 'sister' or 'virgin'?

 

[glynndah]

All of mine are unique. For some reason, other writers don't seem to find "Firefox, a Chainsaw and a Pig" or "Shopping for Sex Toys at Walmart" as erotic as I do.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

Mine are unique, partly because I have weird titles, but partly because I check to see if the title has been used in the past before I use it.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Mine are unique, partly because I have weird titles, but partly because I check to see if the title has been used in the past before I use it.

I started trying to make unique titles about seventeen stories in.

Alone at the End of the World
Eyes Like Winona
Stars, Sulfur, and the Taste of Ash
The Goats

etc.

 

[glynndah]

I try never to start a title with "THE" since all those are alphabetized together.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

All of mine are unique. For some reason, other writers don't seem to find "Firefox, a Chainsaw and a Pig" or "Shopping for Sex Toys at Walmart" as erotic as I do.

For the past few years, ever since I read Shopping for Sex Toys at Walmart, I can't walk into that damn store without snickering.

 

[FallingToFly]

I don't have any numbered stories, apart from my chaptered stuff. Then again, my titles are usually pretty bleh. I haven't yet come across the secret for a title that hooks people.

 

[glynndah]

For the past few years, ever since I read Shopping for Sex Toys at Walmart, I can't walk into that damn store without snickering.

My work here is done.

 

[Handley_Page]

What is the permitted maximum length of a story title ?

 

[Cruel2BKind]

What is the permitted maximum length of a story title ?

Stars, Sulfur, and the Taste of Ash was the title I had to make from my original title idea,
Starbursts, Sulfur, and the Taste of Ashes.

The first one fit the character length perfectly.

 

[bashfullyshameless]

By and large, mine are attempts to be unique. "Days of High Adventure" was an obvious quote from Robert E. Howard, as the story was a deliberate homage in the first place.

I have to admit, though... once upon a time, when I realized I was ready to post stuff to Literotica for the first time, I got entirely too excited. I needed a name. Just a name. And my excitement got the better of me, and I went with "Angels, Demons and Alex," which is a terrible, terrible title, and to this day I hate it and I wince when readers throw it back at me.

 

[Ysoi]

I went with "Angels, Demons and Alex," which is a terrible, terrible title, and to this day I hate it and I wince when readers throw it back at me.

Why? What's wrong with it? I must admit that I haven't read that story, but assuming it fits the story then I see nothing wrong with it myself. Must admit I wish now that I'd thought more about my story title and description BEFORE writing the story though. Had a too-vague idea that (as usual) was transformed over the course of time, and found in the end that my equally vague idea for a title didn't work that well either. :|

Ysoi

 

[Cruel2BKind]

My very first story that I was going to post to lit, I had it planned out. It was going to be called Stockholm Syndrome, because it's all about a boy kidnapped to become a sex-slave who falls in love with his trainer. I accidentally called it Poor Simon, and I've regretted it ever since.

 

[lovecraft68]

I've never thought of my titles as being particularly original. They usually just come to me without a lot of thought behind them except to make them relevant to the material.

I haven't had one yet that had "02" added to it.

I think of all of them "Mom's Christmas Tradition" strikes me as something that would have been used before.

 

[lovecraft68]

My very first story that I was going to post to lit, I had it planned out. It was going to be called Stockholm Syndrome, because it's all about a boy kidnapped to become a sex-slave who falls in love with his trainer. I accidentally called it Poor Simon, and I've regretted it ever since.

I wouldn't regret that. Stockholm Syndrome does not sound sexy at all and many might not have read it. Just my opinion.

 

[TamLin01]

I noticed that seven other stories had "beaten" me to the title of my first Lit posting. Since then I've made a point of trying to change up the titles as much as possible.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

I wouldn't regret that. Stockholm Syndrome does not sound sexy at all and many might not have read it. Just my opinion.

I lost the views of all of the psychiatry students though.

 

[glynndah]

I lost the views of all of the psychiatry students though.

Not to mention the hostage vote as well as the Swedish contingent.

 

[lovecraft68]

I lost the views of all of the psychiatry students though.

Write a BDSM tale with that title, might get some good results there.

and I have taken several courses in psychology and all the more reason I wouldn't want to read it.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Write a BDSM tale with that title, might get some good results there.

and I have taken several courses in psychology and all the more reason I wouldn't want to read it.

You just don't want to read it cuz it's gay.

 

[lovecraft68]

You just don't want to read it cuz it's gay.

Well yes, I will admit that.

But I wouldn't find it an intriguing title to begin with.

Poor Simon though would make me wonder what happened to poor Simon

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Well yes, I will admit that.

But I wouldn't find it an intriguing title to begin with.

Poor Simon though would make me wonder what happened to poor Simon

Lots of things.

 

[oggbashan]

Whispersecret's How To gives useful advice on choosing a title.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I make titles like, LOVECRAFT EATS MONKEY BALLS, and dont have the problem.

 

[lovecraft68]

I make titles like, LOVECRAFT EATS MONKEY BALLS, and dont have the problem.

That's because the title, much like your "stories" stay in your head and are never published anywhere.

And that titles isn't so bad.

According to what's written on the bathroom walls in work you should hear what I do with big black cocks