Young Writers Society

I was just wondering, do any of you have a "way" in which you get the titles for your stories, books, etc.? Do they just come to you? Do you think of the title before you write the book? Or do you write the book first, and think of the title after you know exactly what happens in the finished product? At the moment I'm more inclined to the last option. I'm having trouble with titles, none of them seem good enough, and I know you have to be happy with the title you finally come up with. So, any suggestions?

Thanks,
Kaz

I don't come up with my titles any more, my characters terrorise me until I chose the correct one.

It depends on the genre, or maybe the content. What's is about, maybe that'll help. You can always change the title later, if it doesn't suit.

I had a working title which was a real eye-catcher, which wasn't to associated with my story as it evolved, as my original plot was cliche but is now more original. The title is a mystery element which is mentioned throughout the book put throughout the climax the character learns more about it.

Sometimes I take the atmosphere of the story and twist it into an interesting title. Or, sometimes, I just put the subject of the story as the title; for instance, I wrote a short story titled "Death" in which a dying character reflects on his life. Sometimes I think the simplest titles draw the most interest.

I never think of my title before I write the story. I always put it up after it's completed.

I've written few stories, and titled fewer, but those few, I must say, DO present some problems. Often enough I just take the name of the main character, or a main element in the story: A place, a person, an object, etc.
Sometimes even a feeling. 'Audacity' might pull readers in, while 'An act of bravery' might put them off. Do you prefer phrases or one-word titles?

(I am inclined to agree about titling AFTER the work is finished. More tidy that way.)

My titles tend to come from a selection of text (or conversely, I put the title in the text). At least, the is with my Novels/short stories. Though The Letter was named after exactly what it was, a letter xD

For my poetry, my titles come last, and I try to capture or "sum up" what the poem was about or a topic, but I will also sometimes take something right out of the text. I try to come up with title before writing but I see it useless, How can you title something before you have it written out, and so, know exactly what it is about?

I don't really have one way of coming up with titles. Some of them are pretty obvious and easy: Playing God is about a whackjob scientist who keeps messing with people, in a sci-fi Frankenstien kind of way. Sometimes I get the title and then the plot follows, like The Summer Stella Learned to Drive. I get a lot of short story titles from songs (like Band on the Run).
&c.