posted
So I finished my NaNoWriMo novel, and I'm starting the revision phase. I've been calling the book FIRESTORM since about the second day writing it, but I really don't like that title.
I thought I'd ask for a random sampling of opinions on several alternatives that I've come up with. The logline I've come up with so far is: Sindari is a slave embroiled in a scheme to free her people from the empire that subjugated her culture, relying on cunning and a newly discovered ability to control elemental energy.
The gist is that she's a slave, she can tap into the power of storms, and she's trying to free her people. With that in mind I've come up with a handful of options, each coming from a slightly different place. I won't tell you my favorite yet.
1. FIRESTORM 2. SHELTERED BY THE STORM 3. THE FETTERS OF FREEDOM 4. THE RESULT OF A PURCHASE 5. ONE GIRL'S WORTH
Feel free to give my logline a crit to if you have opinions one way or another.
Thanks for the help! If you think you need more info about the story I'm happy to post it.
posted
I also think you can do better. Those titles don't connect strongly with your logline. Might help to know your MC is a warrior type. Does she smite people with the storms, or inconvenience them?
The Storm Warrior The Storm Walker
You seem to lean toward literary titles, so something like: A Cloud of Deliverance
Totally derivative or silly titles:
The Girl Who Kicked Butt with a Storm The Storm Whisperer (not bad, but lots of whisperers out there) Dark and Stormy...no, no, no.
I kinda like The Storm Walker, too. As well, or perhaps 'Element Walker', though I still think The Elemental Rebellion is good, too. The Elements of Rebellion says the same thing with one extra unnecessary word.
posted
It was a Dark and Stormy Title is definitely my favorite so far!
Storm Walker is a really great option. It's interesting for a reason that never comes up in the story. It might come up in the revision, I don't know yet. In her native language the word for what she is translates to Storm Walker, though I never explicitly state it that way.
Edited to add: Don't worry, the book doesn't start with weather!
[This message has been edited by coralm (edited December 03, 2010).]
posted
Elements of Rebellion is my current favorite of the lot, I think. Thank you to everyone who offered opinions and alternatives. I'm so terrible with titles Posts: 116 | Registered: Sep 2010
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posted
Actually, I think I agree with Lis, I like Tempest Rising best too. It captures the 'storm' and the 'rebellion' idea nicely.
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posted
Tempest Rising is good, or Storm Rising. Gah, not only am I bad with titles, but I'm also indecisive I'll let it stew around for a few more days before I make a final decision.
Posts: 116 | Registered: Sep 2010
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posted
So far as "Tempest Rising" is concerned, yes I suggested it, but I really don't care for that kind of title. I prefer titles that have imagery suggestive of themes or setting or with cultural or literary allusions. Looking at the Hugo nominees for Best Novel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Award_for_Best_Novel), out of the approximately 190 titles here are the ten I like best (in no particular order):
*The Left Hand of Darkness *A Fall of Moondust *The Man in the High Castle *Flowers for Algernon *Stranger in a Strange Land *The Lathe of Heaven *The Mote in God's Eye *The Years of Rice and Salt *Ender's Game (would I get booted out of here if this weren't on the list?) *The Yiddish Policeman's Union
In general, these are evocative titles, not clever in a precious way, nor a la mode. There are many great titles on the nomination list, picking my ten favorite was hard. There are at least ten or twenty more I like nearly as much.
There are relatively few poor titles, so picking my ten least favorite was easy:
*Sword of [choose Aldones, Lictor] *Dune World *The Einstein Intersection *Dragonquest *The Witches of Karres *Dreamsnake *On the Wings of Song *Project Pope *The Peace War *The Calculating God
I don't like this because they don't seem very imaginative to me, which doesn't say much about the story itself. In fact, that's the problem with these titles, they don't say much. They're either variations on old saws ("The Sword of ...", "On the Wings of Song", "Witches of...", "Dragonquest") or they tell you more about the author's brand of wordplay ("The Peace War", "Project Pope" etc.)
As you can see, I don't like titles that mash together a couple of words for contrasting effect, especially if they use words and images that are commonplace. Therefore I'd dislike any title that combines some kind of weather imagery (elementals and weather control are very common in recent fantasy manuscripts I've seen) and uprising or rebellion (also very commonplace). It's not that working with commonplace themes is bad. They're commonplace for a good reason. But commonplace *titles* are really a bad idea in my opinion, because you want to show how you can treat those commonplace motifs with unusual imagination.
I know the feeling of trying to title a novel and not quite getting it.
Some suggestions might be repeats.
Personally I like the "Elements Of Rebellion". It hints at her powers while stating what her mission is. Plus it has a double meaning there like a lot of titles have.
Maybe something shorter like Rebel Elements or Rebel Storm or Winds of Rebellion or Rebel Winds.
As someone sort of suggested there's A Dark and Stormy Knight.
Actually, that last one has been used. But I like it.
posted
Elements of Rebellion has a cool double entendre, I think, which is one of the things that makes some titles stickier and cooler than others.
It's both Elements in the general sense of the word - components of rebellion (you could argue that your main character and her people are all elements of rebellion) but then also the elemental magic she learns to control, and the role that plays in rebellion.
Nifty. I think you should go with it. And this was such a nice success I think I should pitch my title troubles here, too!
posted
I like 'Storm Walker' because it gives my imagination something to play with, thinking of what exactly could a storm walker possibly be? what does it mean?
Also I liked your 'The Elements of Rebellion' but I think mostly the question that's raised is strictly about the rebellion part. Like the 'elements' are what lead up to and include everything that happens in the rebellion, and not a thought is given to storm control or any of that. With that title I think the book is more about some rebellion, and NOT anything that would include any type of magic. I think a better way to put it would be 'The Elements IN Rebellion' because it gives you more thought about what the MC will actually be doing (if I've understood you correctly).
~Nick
[This message has been edited by Ryuhou (edited December 15, 2010).]
[This message has been edited by Ryuhou (edited December 15, 2010).]
posted
You guys are all awesome. I just wanted to share that Crowd-sourcing for novel titles works!
I ended up going with Elements of Rebellion, but lots of the options listed here were very good.
I'll probably put up the first 13 once I'm done with my first revision and I'll be looking to swap chapters at that point if anyone is looking for crit partners in the near future (January time frame).
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