The road to the title

Argh, I am stuck!
I am just finishing a non-fiction book and struggling with the title. So far I have 2 working titles and frankly, they both stink. Well they don't really stink, but they are long and boring and I am unable to kick off something witty and compelling.

I've tried brainstorming, alcohol, ice cream, rhyming and every naming game I could think of. I've walked on the beach, in the woods and hung out over the edge of a cliff in the highlands. I've stared at it, re-read the thing 14 times, and I've also shut it in the back of a drawer for over a month. So far, no catchy title, and now I'm up against a deadline.

So my question is, What process to you go through to come up with titles and chapter names,whether you are writing fiction or non-fiction?

I'm lookin' forward to your suggestions!

This will be no help at all...

I think up the title first, then write the book. It may change during
the writing process, but rarely. I lay awake at night (listening to
Coast to Coast AM) and think of titles... lol

PAM,

since it is non-fiction, I would think that the title reflect the content of the story - at least in some way.

The title to my story changed several times. It started out as "Perpetual Struggle," which is what my story was about, but that was too vague. When I submitted my ms, I had changed it to "The Will To Risk." That was rejected since there was another book on the market with the same or similar title. I then came up with a list of other titles and asked the publisher for their input/preference. They favored, "To Beirut and Back - An American in the Middle East," and that became the title.

I think one must be prepared with more than one title should there be a conflict with copywrite issues. You may take your top three and pick one for a working title and then send along two others for their input. Marketing the book has much to do with the title.

Abe

I kind of like Brainstorming Alcohol Ice Cream actually.
WOuldn't you buy a book with that title?

There is no copyright infringement of titles:

Quote :

Names, titles, and short phrases or expressions are not subject to copyright protection. Even if a name, title, or short phrase is novel or distinctive or if it lends itself to a play on words, it cannot be protected by copyright. The Copyright Office cannot register claims to exclusive rights in brief combinations of words such as:

• Names of products or services
  
• Names of businesses, organizations, or groups (including the name of a group of performers)
  
• Names of pseudonyms of individuals (including pen name or stage name)
  
• Titles of works
  
• Catchwords, catchphrases, mottoes, slogans, or short advertising expressions
  
• Mere listings of ingredients, as in recipes, labels, or formulas. When a recipe or formula is accompanied by explanation or directions, the text directions may be copyrightable, but the recipe or formula itself remains uncopyrightable.
  

http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ34.html

Thanks for this folks. Shelagh I didn't know about the copyrights on titles, so that is really helpful since I was also playing with twisting a song title or too.
Phil although not terribly helpful, I spent last night doing what you do; laying in bed thinking about it, and although I did have a couple of new scribbles when I awoke this morning, nothing really stands out in my brain.
Lin, you could be on to something...perhaps this will work itself out over breakfast.
Abe my working titles reflect the content, but I am not sure they are captivating enought to stand out from the crowd.
Thinking...thinking....thinking...

The title for my first book I thought of while listening to a song. The second while sitting on a beach in Florida and thinking about the outline for my third book. The third is about deception in a marriage - the title for that was easy - Ring of Lies.

Pam, try focusing on something else - you might find something appropriate will just "pop" into your mind.

Shelagh wrote:

There is no copyright infringement of titles:

That would explain why there are so many songs with the same names and several books with the same titles ...

I am not helpful either.

For my first novel I came up with a list of eight titles ... and hated them all.

Then ziiiiing! the title popped into my head while I was driving along I-80 one night.

The titles that followed were just built on the original

Yep, you can call your book or song "War and Peace" or "White Christmas" if you feel like it.

One caveat from that general rule: there are certain phrases and characters and such that ARE protected, often as trademarks, rather than copyrights.

You might have trouble using "The Smurfs" or "Fly the Friendly Skies" or "Rhett and Scarlett" in certain circumstances because they are protected in other ways, often through other media or licenced properties such as toys.

You could probably call it "The Bible" without being sued, but watch out for thunderbolts and plagues.

Yeah, those thunderbolts can really fry any creative genius too. I like Jenny's suggestion about being on the beach...oh yeah, I did that already. And of course I set the thing aside to ignore it for quite a while which hasn't helped.

Maybe I ought to run a naming contenst. Nah, that won't work because the prize would be food and we've already established that there are too many calories on this forum some days...

Even though titles cannot be copyrighted, they still may be protected under trademark law. Names, titles, sayings, mattos, and the like can be trademarked, so make sure the title you want to use hasn't been claimed as a trademark. For mre info, see www.uspto.gov

Phil Whitley wrote:

This will be no help at all...

I think up the title first, then write the book. It may change during
the writing process, but rarely. I lay awake at night (listening to
Coast to Coast AM) and think of titles... lol

You'll probably get a lot of interesting titles listening to that show, especially if you're into writing science fiction or stuff about aliens, UFOs, ect.

Again I am late on the upswing. *grin*

Pam: I am sorry I don't think I can be much help. My title started out to be Plunging In because I was going to use an incident that happened with a plunger in the book. Then when the episode with the cookies happened, the title just changed on its own. For some reason titles just come to me. I don't know if it is because I meditate or what. They usually come to me just as I am waking up or in the shower (Water is a great conductor of thought).

Phil: We listen to Coast to Coast AM everynight!!!!!!!

Well, if you're going to have a naming contest, you'll have to spill what the book's about.

So why not clue us in and see what we come up with?

Alright Lin, you've found me feeling brave this morning, so here goes.

I have written a self help book that will compliment the speaking and coaching that I do. It's a combination essay/workbook for people to set big goals and then get excited about living their life, no matter where/who they are. In between exercises that compel them to act, they can read some stories from my life as well as what I have learned so far. There is ample humour throughout, because my life just tends to be like that.

This is a small book, but a big deal in that I am actually taking some of what went into my PhD and trying to create something that people can use as well as something that they will enjoy reading. i.e. no dry content allowed, tears are optional.

Later this year and in early 2009 I will have chapters coming out in
two anthologies in the Live the Life You Love series from Steven E and
Lee Beard (they've produced 20 best-sellers already). Some of the
co-authors include Wayne Dyer, Brian Tracy, Tony Robbins, authors from The Secret and leading coaches and speakers from the US and Canada,
with a limited few from the UK. Having my own little book will be a
great compliment to these projects provided I can come up with a catchy
title.

So far the title has gone through the following stages...which I only share for everyone to have a little background...

Moving On: A Journal of Change and Renewal (yawn)
Living Without Burning Out, Dropping Out or Selling Out (long)
Put on Yer Big Girl Pants and Get on With It! (sarcaustic)

These titles don't inspire me much at all, although the second is my favorite most of the time. I thought that maybe I had been sitting too close to the computer monitor, which led me to ask how some of you find titles, but underneath I see that we really all do the same kinds of things. Well, I don't drive a truck, but otherwise we all go through similar processes or receive blinding flashes of inspiration.


So, if you feel so inclined to offer suggestions, I'm willing to award a BIG prize (no surprise here I know) of chocolate, and/or the Canadian standard...maple syrup (provided I can send it as a gift across any of our respective borders of course...).

Deadline is Midnight Sunday AST (that's Atlantic Standard Time, or one hour after EST [New York]), May 25/08.

PAM,
My thoughts.

"Go as far as you can see, and then you can see farther."


Condensed: "You can only see from where you are."


Abe

"Your Legs Aren't Long Enough To Kickbox With God" ???



"The Life You Lead May Be Your Own"


"Second Wind: Your New Shot At Life"


"Whose Life Is It, Anyway?"

Hi Pam,

A few ideas...

"The Transformation Express"
"How to Live a Hot Life Without Burning Out"
"Journal of Daily Growth"
"Renewal Makes the Heart Grow Fonder"

Malcolm

Great you guys -- keep them coming and I will try to stay out of it until Sunday night when it's time to sort through for a winner.

I like Malcolm's "How to Live a Hot Life Without Burning Out". That could be a reference to a lot of different things and thus draw the attention of many types of people. jmho

Sorry I don't have anything else to offer you.

Pam,

My life motto is: Live like you mean it.

It's been used in songs and other types of books.

But it sounds like the message you are sending.

It would make a nice title.

Or how about:


Don't Just Exist. Live!

How to Love Life.

You Can Live Your Dream!

Be Yourself. Don't Hide.

Ready? Set? Live!

The Sun Rises for Everyone.

???????

Okay, here are mine...

Living Life in the Passing Lane:
A Guide for Review and Renewal

From Stagnant to Spitfire

"Life Sucks...But So Does the Alternative" ?