Story Titles

[dr_mabeuse]

Probably the best thing you can do to a story to increase the chances of its being read is to give it a grabby title. I have a terrible time with titles though. I can never think of a good one when I need one, and when I don't need one they just come to me.

There was a recent SRPG entitled. "Shirpwrecked on Anal Goddess Island" that I though was just so absolutely great that I had to join. (Wouldn't that look great on a teeshirt or tote bag?)

Anyhow, I'm wondering if anyone else has lists of storyless titles around that they're saving, or if there's any titles that have stuck in your mind from stories that you've read. I've got a few I'll mention:

Sin Town Set-up (this might also be a videogame)
Under Parisian Thighs
The Slob's Wife's Revenge (better than "Revenge of the Slob's Wife"?)
Cock Logic
Nympho Nation
The Fuckist
They Made Me A Manslut
The Happy Penis

---dr.M.

 

[SlaveMasterUK]

I come up with interesting new titles all the time, mostly for sci-fi or espionage novels, and character names too. Unfortunately I rarely have a story to go behind them.

ax

 

[English Lady]

I am terrible with titles, my husband is the one who comes up with them, he is credited with
"fucked to hell then heaven" and "when a womans watched"
the only one i made up i am quite proud of is "double the pleasure" and thats pretty twee!

I have a poem title that has been in my brain since i was a teenager but i have never been inspired to write the actual poem


"A teenager's room is her castle"


Oh and i'd love to read "cock logic" *L* though not keen on "the slobs wife's revenge " any which way you put it*L*

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Any title that seems to belong to a B-class porn movie from the 80'ies is failure waiting to happen.

 

[Sabledrake]

I've got a story in mind, the next one I'll probably write for Lit. The title it wants to have is "Knifepoint on Lover's Lane," but I don't know if it'll get blooped for the mention of a weapon or something. Wasn't planning on actually stabbing anybody.

Sabledrake

 

[Chicklet]

"Snickers Satisfies"

I wanted to write a story about two lesbian's having sex using a snickers bar as a dildo, and then, well, disposing of the chocolate in the tastiest way possible.

sigh.

never got past the title = )

 

[Dirt Man]

The title usually comes to me...

While I'm writing the story, so I pretty much wait for it to happen.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

 

[English Lady]

chicklet..oh hey that has just reminded me...I had a wonderful net friend who made me go weak at the knees telling me what he does with snickers ice cream bars...

*blushing just remembering it*


Wow oh wow, pity the hubby is allergic to nuts

 

[Lovelynice]

I usually save any story title ideas for later, and dedicate some time and effort to just making-up titles for awhile...sometimes upto a week. Sometimes a silly thought pops into my head, just a title, it's enough to start me off on making a story to go with it.
Unfortunately, I still find problems matching stories with titles.

 

[deliciously_naughty]

usually the story comes to me and then the title

 

[Alex De Kok]

Which comes first, the title or the story?

In my more recent stories, I've either got the title from a line in the story (Tell me I can hope, One naiad, reporting for duty and my dialect opus, Aye pet, aal the way) or else from the situation (A Date for the Prom and Welcome to our bed, Goody-Two-Shoes)

For my earlier stuff, I was pretty well scratching around for titles, usually ending up naming them after characters, like Aunt Ellen or Meg

These days, I'm more likely to have a scenario and title in my head before I start. The one sometimes stimulates the other! Even then, my titles tend toward the prosaic.

Alex

 

[NorthwestRain]

Hmm

I'm rather fond of 'The little girls room.'
I will use it soon, I'm sure...

 

[wildsweetone]

Generally titles for stories tend to just come to me by the time I'm ready to hit the 'save as' button. I'm lucky most times are like that.

There are a couple that I've put working titles in for and then had a hell of a job dreaming up something. I don't feel they're anywhere near as good as the titles that just turn up.


...Sabledrake... I put 'Lifeless' up for submission and it went through. It contains a stabbing by stilletto, so I would have a guess that yours would be okay

 

[Just-Legal]

My story titles need work. Although I am thinking about putting all the "Helen" fics together under one new title, on my site anyway.

*sigh*

Seducing Severus... that one was easy. Well I Never (which I will post soon) is because of the name of the game

Mostly I get suggestions if I ask the list I belong to nicely. And random charrie quotes...

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Well does anyone have any examples of great titles? Titles that just demanded that they have a look at the stories?


---dr.M.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

"We have to WHAT???"
"It's the end of the world as we know it"
"I'll have cream with that"

 

[Dirt Man]

Using nonsense titles as a temporary solution..

Well does anyone have any examples of great titles? Titles that just demanded that they have a look at the stories?

When I start writing a story, I give it what I call an Idiot Proof, title. It never has anything to with anything in the story, but it appeases my inner sense of order to do so. Invariably the title will come to me sometime during the writing of the story, and when it does I immediately change the title. The point is the Idiot Proof keeps my mind off of a perfect title until I find it. Here are some of the titles I have used in the past to show you what I mean for erotic short stories.

Yesterday's Profilactic
Another Dildo Saturday Night
Two Dicks for Sister Sarah
A Day in the Life of My Vagina
War Weary Pussy
Autobiography of a Nipple
Stale Virgin
Circle Jerks
Cluster Fucked Her

Well, a title is just a title in any case. It's the story that follows that means everything. And if the story is worthy, it will cough up the right title in due time.


As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

 

[Pookie]

Re: Using nonsense titles as a temporary solution..

When I start writing a story, I give it what I call an Idiot Proof, title. It never has anything to with anything in the story, but it appeases my inner sense of order to do so. Invariably the title will come to me sometime during the writing of the story, and when it does I immediately change the title. The point is the Idiot Proof keeps my mind off of a perfect title until I find it. Here are some of the titles I have used in the past to show you what I mean for erotic short stories.

I do pretty much the same thing. I get so irritated when I don't have at least something for a title. I typically change it too while writing.

 

[Just-Legal]

My favourite title of all is actually from a Harry Potter fanfic, and its not posted on lit, but boy did it make me laugh.

You can't do THAT with a snitch!

Yes, I had to read it after that

 

[MercyMia]

Any title that seems to belong to a B-class porn movie from the 80'ies is failure waiting to happen.

I quite agree. Cheesy is as cheesy does.

 

[MercyMia]

Re: Using nonsense titles as a temporary solution..

Well, a title is just a title in any case. It's the story that follows that means everything. And if the story is worthy, it will cough up the right title in due time.

From another perspective, the band, Wheatus, said, "The title is an emotional blueprint for the song."

Which implies that the songwriter comes up with the title first and the story falls in place.

Depending on your creative streak, I think stories can be written the same way. A phrase will come to mind and merge with an image, and wham, the story is practically written. The phrase usually has a voice and that leads the way to the point of view from which the story writes itself.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Dirt Man, you just reminded me about that old Western classic A mule for sister Sarah... Considering the big secret of the film, you could make quite a twist on it...

 

[Svenskaflicka]

My favourite title of all is actually from a Harry Potter fanfic, and its not posted on lit, but boy did it make me laugh.

You can't do THAT with a snitch!

Yes, I had to read it after that

Was that in the restricted section?

 

[Just-Legal]

No, it was at the Severus Snape Fuh-Q Fest.... somewhere... I'll find it

On a completely different note, anyone want to help me pick what corset to wear on the staff night out? *vbeg*

 

[MercyMia]

No, it was at the Severus Snape Fuh-Q Fest.... somewhere... I'll find it

On a completely different note, anyone want to help me pick what corset to wear on the staff night out? *vbeg*

corset? woo hoo! i'd go with the black one...