I'm working on putting together a new short story collection, and I've been thinking a lot about titles. My first two collections were Lowering One's Self Before Fate, and other stories and Marionettes on the Moon, and other stories. In both cases, I used one of the stories in the collection as the main title, but I'm not sure if I want to go that route this time.
So, I thought I'd throw it out for discussion, what sounds better to a reader...a title incorporating one of the stories, something that tries to sum up the theme (although there really isn't one), or something a little more random.
Your feedback is valued...
skip to main |
skip to sidebar
Subscribe in a reader
J Alan Erwine is a prize winning SF writer. He is also an SF editor, and the co-designer of the Ephemeris Role Playing Game. He is also the creator of the Rocks on the Other Side RPG, as well as the Battle for Turtle Island RPG.
ShareThis
Links
- Donate
- My site
- Goatherds & Gods
- Echoes from the Deep
- Do You Really Want To Be a Writer?
- The Lies of Belial
- Marionettes on the Moon
- Rocks on the Other Side
- Tales of Space Exploration
- One More Good Trade
- A Trio of Wonder
- A Problem in Translation
- Red Moon Rising
- The Opium of the People
- Lowering One's Self Before Fate
- Manic Musings of a Maniacal Mind
- Tales of Twisted Realities
- Tales of Dystopia
- Tales of Interstellar Space
- Tales of the Solar System
- Tales of the Earth and Moon
- Tales of Mars
- The Battle for Turtle Island
- Ephemeris
- Seedlings on the Solar Winds
- Nomadic Delirium Press
Search This Blog
Blog Archive
-
▼
2007
(230)
-
▼
November
(15)
- The cover
- The Title
- Title for the new collection
- Cover art
- Titles
- Nomadic Delirium Press' Holiday Sale
- John Scalzi visits the Creation Museum
- A blast from the past
- I've found another way to waste some time
- Aargh! I be writin a pirate story...
- Rough draft is done...more or less...
- Big Brother Jared is spying on me
- I've done my civic duty
- The LOL cats meet Star Trek
- Catching up
-
▼
November
(15)
Subscribe in a reader
4 comments:
You have to break out of the standardized naming conventions. A friend called his collection Cyber Tales. An OK title, but not memorable. You have to stand out.
I am putting together an anthology because I need a cheap generic Christmas present for people that show up unannounced around the holidays. I am calling it: "Channeling Murray Leinster". I wanted the title to be the opposite of a Generic title.
Your two previous collections have great non-generic titles that have a good spec-fic kick. It doesn't matter if the anthology title is also a story title unless the story is so great it justifies purchasing the collection.
BTW, almost half the titles that I am including in my anthology were published at SDP.
I came across your blog by accident when I hit the next button. lol
I just wanted to reply to your question. When I am choosing a book to buy or read, the title of the book is what catches my eye but if I get the book and the title has nothing to do with what is in it, I will just put it back.
So, I guess in my prospective I would want a title that leaves me wanting to read to find out more.
Good luck.
Thanks for your feedback. Anyone else?
If you've got a good story title for the collection, then use it. Sometimes the simplest solution is also best.
If there are no memorable, distinctive story titles, maybe you should change them. Not set in stone are they?
Without a unifying theme, the only thing I could think of is "The Best of J Alan Erwine"
Man, I'm not help!
Post a Comment