The Trouble With Titles

As some of you may be aware, I am currently in the process of self-publishing a novella. The project is now in the late stages, meaning that I am busy designing potential covers and blurbs, checking the copy frantically for errors and perhaps the most heartbreaking element of all for this particular work--changing the title. The problem with that last one is this. Outside in the Rain and I have a great history. We date all the way back to 2010. It has a great story behind it--the novella was inspired by a question on Yahoo! Answers. And as much as I might like the title, I'm not sure that its the best one to market my novel. For one, rain is fairly incidental to the story, sure its raining when my heroine meets her beloved outside a pub one autumn night, but there are greater themes that really drive the story. Like the fact that my heroine may have murdered her nasty ex-boyfriend (she cannot remember the actual act, all she knows is that she panicked at the sight of his bloody and badly beaten body,) and there are a couple of other twists and turns. I am considering Best Forgotten as a potential title. I also feel this is going to give me the best tag line to market the novel, i.e. Sometimes the truth is ...

Comments

JustLikeThat said…
Hey Kathryn

Thanks for citing the question, and although I'm glad I've so far never had the trouble to change one of my titles so late in the process, I can imagine how you feel, but am so glad for you that you're not letting that get in the way. Having a fitting title is really important to market your novella, and you have to pick the one that suits best.

Nice post, it perfectly shows how a writer is so close to the stories they have created :)

Good luck

~ JLT
27 May 2012 at 22:55
Kathryn White said…
Thank you JLT!

It's surprising how attached I've become to this work, considering that it started off as a small side project. I quite like the new title now that I'm used to it.

PS You can hold your head high, knowing that you inspired me to write an entire novella.
28 May 2012 at 20:09
JustLikeThat said…
:D Thanks, I am, without modesty, glad that just a title has inspired you write an entire novel, but glad that you've been the one to write it and glad that you've enjoyed writing it. I'd love to see it succeed, and more than anything, I would love the chance to read it, so for that reason, if any publishers get a message in their head screaming, 'SAY YES' as they're reading your work, that voice is probably mine :P

Best Forgotten does seem like quite an intriguing title, and definitely fitting. It makes for a fine replacement ;)

~ Jay
29 May 2012 at 01:05
JustLikeThat said…
:D Thanks, I am, without modesty, glad that just a title has inspired you write an entire novel, but glad that you've been the one to write it and glad that you've enjoyed writing it. I'd love to see it succeed, and more than anything, I would love the chance to read it, so for that reason, if any publishers get a message in their head screaming, 'SAY YES' as they're reading your work, that voice is probably mine :P

Best Forgotten does seem like quite an intriguing title, and definitely fitting. It makes for a fine replacement ;)

~ Jay
29 May 2012 at 01:05
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