From novels and poems, to blog posts and essays, there's one thing these pieces of writing all have in common. They all have titles. Unless you're lazy like Shakespeare with his sonnets - Sonnet 120? Which one is that? - you want a snappy title that grabs attention and relates to the subject matter. Doesn't matter if it's a book (John Dies At The End), a play (The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds), or a scientific report (What Gets A Cell Excited? Kinky Curves). If it has a catchy title, your writing will be more memorable and likely to attract readers.
Unfortunately, good titles don't grow on trees. It takes creativity to come up with something that promises the audience that they'll like what they read, while still relating to what you've written. So if your muse isn't cooperating with you, and you aren't sure where to start, here are some tips to come up with a title that sounds like an award winner.
1. What is your writing about?
This is the most important thing to think about when coming up with a title. Your title is a promise that your reader will expect to be fulfilled by reading your work. Animal Farm is about animals on a farm. Death of a Salesman is about a salesman who eventually dies. Most newspapers write sensational headlines which are further detailed in the actual article. Think about characters (Peter Pan), settings (1984), themes (War and Peace) and quotes from dialogue (To Kill A Mockingbird). All of these story elements have proven to be useful for many famous novels, movies, and plays.
2. Take a common phrase or reference and use it in a different context.
"By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes." This well known line of dialogue from Shakespeare's Macbeth inspired the title or Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes. The novel-made-movie No Country for Old Men takes its title from the first line of a Yeats poem. So if you come across a series of words that sound like music to your ears, feel free to consider it as a title for your next writing project.
3. Or twist it into something original.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is a play on the phrase "Who's afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" And for those who watch the weather channel, you would never expect to hear that the day would be Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Play with idioms, subvert expectations, and feel free to show off your sense of humor.
4. Speaking of a sense of humor...
You know something that people like? Things that are funny. So if your title has the ability to make someone chuckle, even if it's just in their head, you have the advantage. Are You There Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea is one title that promises humor and maybe some self-deprecation by the author, Chelsea Handler. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls is absurd yet whimsical, as one would expect the writings of David Sedaris to be. Note: humorous titles generally only work if they match the tone of the subject matter. Readers will likely not appreciate starting with a funny title only to find a tragic story inside the covers.
5. Find a sounding board.
You have some ideas for titles, but aren't sure which one's the best? Find people you know that would be interested in your writing - for the content, not because you're their friend. Ask them which titles sound like a book they would pick from the shelves at Barnes & Noble, or what kind of story they'd expect from that title. You don't have to follow all their suggestions, but it can often be helpful to get a second opinion.
There isn't a singular way to come up with a title for your next play, book, movie, or song. However, it's certain that the title can make or break your work's chances of finding and audience. The title is the first impression after all - it can indicate anything from genre, to tone, to even the main conflict or theme. So don't be afraid to take some time to find a good title, but make sure that for everything your title promises, your story delivers.
