Comments on: Writing Titles that Sell (Novels and Chapters)

By: Myna

Myna — Sun, 22 May 2011 13:56:34 +0000

I like Shock, but ‘The Cold One’ sounds very much like Twilight that even if your story has nothing to do with vampires the name recognition would be a problem… frozen one maybe?

By: EvilpixieA

EvilpixieA — Sun, 22 May 2011 13:26:15 +0000

@Nicholas Case

Ohhh, I like it!
If I saw that sitting on the shelf I would pick it up for closer inspection.

By: B. Mac

B. Mac — Sun, 22 May 2011 10:07:59 +0000

I think you'd have to get permission from the people that own the rights to the song in question. One author suggests that it'd probably be pretty expensive). Legal matters aside, I'd wonder if these are really the most effective chapter titles possible.

By: Ivan

Ivan — Sun, 22 May 2011 07:22:37 +0000

I’m thinking about naming my chapters with lines from “across the universe” by the beatles. Would this create a copyright hassle that would turn editors off of my book?

By: Nicholas Case

Nicholas Case — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 01:13:36 +0000

Okay, here it is-the epic title.

Shock
The Cold One

I just hope people won’t think this is some vampire love story though.

By: Nicholas Case

Nicholas Case — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 02:49:21 +0000

Okay, I think I’ve got a winner!

Edge of Tomorrow: A Year Until the End

Is that good enough B.Mac?!

By: ekimmak

ekimmak — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:26:52 +0000

And changing Illegal for Existing to Illegal Existence.

By: ekimmak

ekimmak — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:23:22 +0000

Changing the title for Premonitions to Pyromania. It’s more relevant to the plot of that exact chapter, although it might also give it away abit.

By: ShardReaper

ShardReaper — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 18:04:30 +0000

I’ve only got four chapters titled so far:

1. Welcome to Omega (Jake joins the team.)
2. City of Supers (Omega investigates the disappearance of a Hero team.)
3. Eagle Eye (Adam, Rex, and Jake investigate action in the Azeroth caves.)
4. Hero Time (Omega leads the assault against the Splicer invasion.)

By: ekimmak

ekimmak — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 06:10:30 +0000

BioTech Industries is a corrupt science corporation. The main character is seen being thrown in a prison cell, where he talks with other occupants and the first concept of superhumans is introduced. It’s sort of an ironic title, as it sounds like the sort of thing a tour guide would say, when the reality is you’re locked in a cage, waiting for experiments. Lots and lots of painful experiments.

A Stroke of Luck introduces two characters: Calvin and Ace. It starts with Calvin’s setting (the water), but also brings Ace into it. The second half is just Ace, showing off his luck power in a casino, both to drive it into bankruptcy and to escape the bad guys trying to kill him.

Illegal for Existing is the chapter where its revealed that superhumans are outlaws. You’re right, it could be smoother, I’m just not sure how.

Premonitions is the fight to prevent their capture. After they pull that off, a catastrophe occurs, just like clockwork. Start of the next chapter, they start investigating these disasters. The Buzz Bomber is the guy responsible, and he’s only representing the real danger.

By: B. Mac

B. Mac — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 04:53:31 +0000

I think “Welcome to BioTech” could be more distinct. What sort of role does BioTech play in the story? Is it a heroic organization or more of a Frankenstein freak show?

Graveyard Sector and Superhuman High feel effective to me.

A Stroke of Luck sounds sort of bland. What’s at stake?

Scientific Atrocity is interesting.

Illegal for Existing could probably be smoother. For example, Unlawful Existence or Felony Existence or maybe Existence in the First Degree or Born Criminal.

Premonitions is interesting but it may help to add a modifier (probably an adjective).

I really like Flight of the Buzz Bomber.

By: ekimmak

ekimmak — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 03:40:54 +0000

I’m trying to get my novel finished in the next month or so, but I’m stuck trying to get the characters to the big finale. My writing is sort of big action scene, group of skits, big action scene, group of skits, and so on. I’m stuck in a group of skits.

But, I also wanted to know how well these chapter titles work.

Chapter 1: Welcome to BioTech
Chapter 2: Graveyard Sector
Chapter 3: Superhuman High
Chapter 4: A Stroke of Luck
Chapter 5: Scientific Atrocity
Chapter 6: Illegal for Existing
Chapter 7: Premonitions
Chapter 8: Flight of the Buzz Bomber

I still have one or two chapters to write, though, and haven’t gotten names for them. An important thing to know is that the first 4 chapters are basically the same day over and over again, but from different PoVs.

By: esnipplee

esnipplee — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 00:10:40 +0000

i think i know i keep thinking its like less then thirteen but i have no idea. trash my post. i know now. just tell me if it fits.. it doesnt does it. meh i’ll think of something better.

By: esnipplee

esnipplee — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 00:07:16 +0000

hmm… thinking of a title. i’ve thought of “banishing a difference” but really thats completely focused on the start. “banishing a difference, its not like it will save the world?” uhhh… “banishing a difference, its not like it will help us” i like that, but its a little wordy and maybe it wouldnt fit my target audience. and also i dont know if i fit its standard. i know around what sort of audience its targeted at, but i’m not sure what age they are. its confusing and i really fail.

By: trekfan

trekfan — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:00:20 +0000

I’ve actually never tried titles with my chapters. So…I guess I’ll throw some out there with some brief synopsis.

Ch. 1-Basically, it’s the set up chapter for the entire story. It introduces the main character, his occupation, what he’s hunting, and who he’s with. From there, he has his orders to move out and confront the man simply known as “The Target.”

The confrontation goes badly. His team is killed, and in a desperate attempt to save his friend, he is shot and severely wounded.

The man looked at Mike with a pity in his eyes. “So young.” He aimed and fired. Mike fell off the roof from the force of the bullet and landed on the ground below.

He drifted in and out of consciousness for a few minutes. The last thing he heard was a woman’s scream.

The woman’s scream would be that of his commander. Anyways…title ideas?

I was thinking something like “Failure is an Option” but I fear that may foreshadow too much.

As always any and all comments are welcome.