Randomness
Sep. 10th, 2012 11:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ayascytheI feel like my new icons are flirting with each other:
And now I ship Darcy/Bucky. Damn. Is there even fic?
Anyhow, I was thinking a lot about how to title my fic for the Deutsch Big Bang, but didn't get anywhere with it. Which had me thinking about how to title fanfics in general and how you (I) do it and which patterns and ideas to use. So I decided to just write them down, maybe in an attempt to get some ideas going.
1. What it says on the tin:
If your story has a very obvious theme or person or object that is the focus of the narrative, you can pick that name or word as a title.
Examples: Fight Club, The Book Thief, Peter Pan
2. The not so obvious title that gets obvious once you have read the fic:
This may be a word or a sentence that is part of the fic, something essential, a keyword or even the the last sentence of the story. Naturally, this doesn't work for every fic, but if made right can induce some pretty nice aha-effect.
Example: (so I can't really come up with an actual example in published fiction, but I have seen this in fanfic, so I'll just make one up) "And then I said yes"
3. The descriptive title:
Almost like "What it says on the tin", but not quite. Just a title that gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect, without being exactly creative but accurate.
Example: Die entführte Prinzessin (The kidnapped Princess), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
4. Lyrics and poetry:
This always seems to me like a balancing act. Of course, this is just my opinion, and there is a lot of fic out there that uses lyrics or poetry in a very good way. Hell, I even do it myself, if not often.
But a lot of times, it just feels like the author didn't know how to title their fic and just slapped on some lyrics out of laziness. Preferably uncapitalized and with some text in brackets. And the text is so nondescript that you won't even remember it and will have trouble finding that fic again, because it was great but WHAT WAS THE DAMN TITLE I CAN'T REMEMBER. (I'm sorry, I have a lot of strong feelings about this.) I also get really touchy if the fic isn't written in English but has an English title. Again: it can work. But it's just so much nicer, if people don'tdo Denglisch mix languages. (I am guilty of this myself, but I try not to do it anymore.)
Examples: The only John Wayne left in this town (a very good fic about Clint Barton playing the banjo, just saying), The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce)
5. Analogies and metaphors:
Find an analogy or metaphor that works with your story, maybe something out of mythology or a fable or something out of another story.
Examples: Icarus (yes, this is my own fic)
6. Titles with a theme:
This works best for a series of books or stories, where all of the titles share a certain theme or word that always has to be in it.
Examples: Halfway to the Grave, One Foot in the Grave, At Grave's End, etc.
7. The Title, or: How to choose a title and be original about it:
A short word with a very long, very descriptive explanation afterwards. Can be funny and witty, but doesn't work with every story.
Examples: Momo, or the strange story of the time-thieves and the child who brought the stolen time back to the people
8. The witty/clever ones:
You know, the ones you can't really find with a pattern or a formula, but are most of the times the best titles of them all. No examples, because I think this is fairly subjective. Personally, I think Terry Pratchett's doing quite a good job with his Discworld novels.
So this is what I came up with. If you know anything else, let me know!
And now I ship Darcy/Bucky. Damn. Is there even fic?
Anyhow, I was thinking a lot about how to title my fic for the Deutsch Big Bang, but didn't get anywhere with it. Which had me thinking about how to title fanfics in general and how you (I) do it and which patterns and ideas to use. So I decided to just write them down, maybe in an attempt to get some ideas going.
1. What it says on the tin:
If your story has a very obvious theme or person or object that is the focus of the narrative, you can pick that name or word as a title.
Examples: Fight Club, The Book Thief, Peter Pan
2. The not so obvious title that gets obvious once you have read the fic:
This may be a word or a sentence that is part of the fic, something essential, a keyword or even the the last sentence of the story. Naturally, this doesn't work for every fic, but if made right can induce some pretty nice aha-effect.
Example: (so I can't really come up with an actual example in published fiction, but I have seen this in fanfic, so I'll just make one up) "And then I said yes"
3. The descriptive title:
Almost like "What it says on the tin", but not quite. Just a title that gives you a pretty good idea of what to expect, without being exactly creative but accurate.
Example: Die entführte Prinzessin (The kidnapped Princess), Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
4. Lyrics and poetry:
This always seems to me like a balancing act. Of course, this is just my opinion, and there is a lot of fic out there that uses lyrics or poetry in a very good way. Hell, I even do it myself, if not often.
But a lot of times, it just feels like the author didn't know how to title their fic and just slapped on some lyrics out of laziness. Preferably uncapitalized and with some text in brackets. And the text is so nondescript that you won't even remember it and will have trouble finding that fic again, because it was great but WHAT WAS THE DAMN TITLE I CAN'T REMEMBER. (I'm sorry, I have a lot of strong feelings about this.) I also get really touchy if the fic isn't written in English but has an English title. Again: it can work. But it's just so much nicer, if people don't
Examples: The only John Wayne left in this town (a very good fic about Clint Barton playing the banjo, just saying), The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie (Flavia de Luce)
5. Analogies and metaphors:
Find an analogy or metaphor that works with your story, maybe something out of mythology or a fable or something out of another story.
Examples: Icarus (yes, this is my own fic)
6. Titles with a theme:
This works best for a series of books or stories, where all of the titles share a certain theme or word that always has to be in it.
Examples: Halfway to the Grave, One Foot in the Grave, At Grave's End, etc.
7. The Title, or: How to choose a title and be original about it:
A short word with a very long, very descriptive explanation afterwards. Can be funny and witty, but doesn't work with every story.
Examples: Momo, or the strange story of the time-thieves and the child who brought the stolen time back to the people
8. The witty/clever ones:
You know, the ones you can't really find with a pattern or a formula, but are most of the times the best titles of them all. No examples, because I think this is fairly subjective. Personally, I think Terry Pratchett's doing quite a good job with his Discworld novels.
So this is what I came up with. If you know anything else, let me know!
no subject
Date: 2012-09-10 10:41 pm (UTC)And lastly, not entirely related but probably relevant to your interests:
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2012/133/3/3/the_avengers_vs_star_wars_by_renny08-d4zmsp4.jpg
no subject
Date: 2012-09-11 06:19 pm (UTC)And hahahahaha, that comic is great! I love Thor's friendly face as he steals Padme away. Perfect! :D
no subject
Date: 2012-09-11 08:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-11 08:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-09-12 06:46 pm (UTC)