Thoughts on Metadata: Titles

[dagas_isa]

I just...realized that I had a lot of opinions on how I like to title stories, and people have lots of trouble with titles (including me), so I'm going to discuss what I think titles should accomplish.

Here's what should be known ahead of time:

1. I approach this from an author's perspective. I'm actually uncertain if readers even care about whether a title is good or not.
   
   
2. I'm talking about this from a functionality stance. If titles didn't have a purpose, pretty much everyone would be content with "Untitled no. 42" (And to be fair, plenty of writers and readers don't find titles to be particularly important or useful so YMMV)
   
   
3. I aim for usefulness rather than elegance. If my title is elegant, then great, but I admit so many of them could be summed up as, “This is what’s in the tin. Enjoy.”

*cracks knuckles*

So here's what I want my titles to accomplish:

1. Titles should be distinct.
   
   It should be distinct enough that, as an author, I can remember roughly which title corresponds to which fic. So if I get a review on a fic written 3-4 years ago, my response is "Oh yeah, that's the one where..." instead of "Huh? What's that again?"
   
   This is why, while I think single word titles are nice and are otherwise perfectly functional, I also tend to prefer slightly longer titles nowadays.
   
   TBH, I don't worry about this so much specifically, because being distinct usually follows naturally from the next two functions.
   
   
2. It should express the most important theme or thematic elements of a story.
   
   Titles aren't summaries or tags, but I like to find titles that play off a prominent theme or motif in my story. If the element of water is a major player, then a word or phrase that associates with or conjures up the image of water would be a good starting point.
   
   
3. It should subtly push a reader in an intended direction.
   
   This is the complex one, but so fun, for certain definitions of the word. What I mean is that an "Untitled" fic is one that starts with little concrete expectation or association. Assuming that a title is the first thing someone reads even before summary and tags, it's a place to make a first impression in various ways.
   
   
   1. An allusion to a well-known song, for instance, will likely put the association between the song and the story in the readers head. Same with references to poems, stories, canon-specific items or concepts etc.
      
   2. Titles can set the tone for a fic. A dark fic with a serious title is going to be a serious fic most likely, but a dark fic with a somewhat ironic or humorous title is automatically going to add a grim little smirk in there, even if there are no other humorous elements to be found.
      
   3. Titles can emphasize an angle of a fic. A story between two people who are lovers despite their difference in class will read slightly differently if the title emphasizes the conflicts they face because of their differences, or the spaces they create for themselves to be together, or the endurance of their love despite the obstacles.
   
   Obviously, effectiveness for any one of these things will vary (one person dark humor is another persons trivialization, not everyone knows a particular song or poem, people interpret stories based on their own experiences, etc), but a title can definitely be a tool for adding in some appropriate context before a story is even read.
   
   
4. It should sound cool.
   
   Well, okay at least. As I said before, if a title sounds elegant and cool, then awesome, but I'll settle for some combination of the first three.
   

References in titles

I think choosing lyrics from songs, lines from poetry, all or parts of popular quotes is a useful shortcut. First because a well-known reference adds context for readers, and because choosing parts of quotes is a way of getting multiple word titles without having to compose them from scratch. Furthermore, even if a reference is obscure enough that almost no one would get it, as an author, it helps provide another bit of context to help remember the story by.

That said, I feel the reference should suit the story intead of the other way around.


Behind some of my own titles

A Good Plan Leaves Room for Improvisation – This story was a remix of Owlmoose’s Stick to the Plan told from Rikku’s PoV instead Nooj’s. The title, I think, would be Rikku’s retort to Nooj’s instructions to “Stick to the Plan” and would continue the conversation, in a manner of speaking.

Out of the Blue Box – My LGBT fest fic from last year, which deals with transgendered/genderqueer people in a world where the morphing ability exists. This title has a lot going on: First the reference to the “blue box” or Escafil device which, in canon, grants the person who touches it the power to morph, which provided a needed connection to canon for a fic that’s entirely populated by OCs. Second, I wanted to emphasize that these aren’t standard narratives in this world. They might not be particularly unusual experiences, but neither are they the only ways transgendered and genderqueer people relate to morphing technology. That it might also conjure “thinking outside the box” is a bonus.

Alchemy off the Coast of Ivalice – My Megaflare Fic from last year, and one of the more difficult titles to come up with. What I did was write down the some important elements of the story, and see if I could find something that gelled (The concepts incorporated in the title were “Water” “Alchemy” and “Travel/Unfamiliar Territory”).

Save a Chocobo, Ride a Sky Pirate – Yes, this is a reference to the song “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy” only made more Final Fantasy appropriate. The points: 1) It’s fun and 2) This is totally a pony play fic, with Final Fantasy references.

Sestry(Sisters) – The starting point for this fic was the song “Bratja” from the Full Metal Alchemist series. This being between Serah and Lightning, “Sestry” was a natural choice (Thank you Google Translate). I do still debate with whether to use the Roman alphabet for titles in languages other than English or to do something else with them, or include the actual world and/or a translation.

Impulse Drive – Okay, and now a drabble. I chose this title because it’s the name of a polearm weaponskill in Final Fantasy XI, and because it relates both to battles and impulsiveness. I don't expect people to get the reference, but knowing it helps me connect the title with the story.

In conclusion, my stories have names. ^^;;