So my main story that I am working on is currently named 'Adonia, Beloved,' but I'm not sure on how great this name is. I have been considering changing the name to 'Anathema.' Which title do you think would be more likely to pique your interest and make you open up the book? I'm finding out that I am horrible at coming up with names for my stories. Thank you for your help!
Last edited by LittleFox on Mon Feb 16, 2015 12:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Hello, LittleFox. Titles are sometimes the trickiest part to writing a novel, I've actually encountered quite a lot of trouble finding the right titles for my own stories.
Just purely judging by the name, and what it presents. I think your first title appeals to me more, partially because I don't quite understand what 'Anathema' is. That being said, I don't encourage you to write a title purely for the sake of hooking readers in.
Titles can be used for that effect, but more often than not, most good titles you see are actually created via the process of novel writing. A good title should reflect the core of what your novel is telling us, which, if you haven't written the entire novel out yet can be quite hard to determine. On top of that, there is also no need to confine yourself to just one title whilst writing. I've known a lot of authors who've flipped through several working titles in the process of writing, before finally setting on the grand finale. If you have trouble finding titles (like me), it's often because you aren't quite sure of what exactly is at the core of your novel. Or, if you know what it is you don't know how to say it. If by then, I'd try and identify some major themes, your main character's motivation and see if you base a title off that.
But remember, nothing is set in stone. If you don't like it, swap it for another.
So if you feel the urge to change your title because it suits the story better, or for whatever reasons. Just do it.
Previously Flite
'And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.' ― Friedrich Nietzsche
It depends on the genre of your story, honestly. If you story is a romance, the first title is absolutely perfect. The other title is more fantasy sounding to me. It all depends on what image you want to portray. Each title is going to draw in a different kind of reader, so who are you trying to attract? Once you think about that, it'll be a little easier for you to decide which title you're going to choose.
If I were browsing the shelves of my library I think I would be more likely to pick up 'Adonia, Beloved.' Although 'Anathema' has a bit of mystery to it, the word 'beloved' has a much more emotional impact that would draw me to it.
