This one is so damn easy.
And yet, so damn hard.
See, coming up with the new and proper titles for stories is a difficult act, sometimes — you either have the title going in (which makes it easy), or you need to think of a title for a story, and that’s when (for me, at least) it gets hella hard. Thinking of a title for a pre-existing story is the one time when I really get vaporlock in my writing. I just sit there, stammering. “THE… THING ABOUT THE STUFF. THE… THE NIGHT THE EVENT HAPPENED. THE HAPPENING. THE STUFFENING. THE SWORD OF THE NIGHT OF THE REVENGE OF THE RABBIT OH GOD THIS BOOK DOESN’T HAVE SWORDS OR RABBITS AND BARELY ANY REVENGE AT ALL.”
I’m not good at titles.
Ray Bradbury was famous for making up a list of titles and then writing stories to match those titles. And that’s a little bit of what we’re going to do here, today.
All I want you to do is come up with a title.
One title.
No more.
Then take that title and plop it into the comments below.
Next week, you will all have a chance to scout out the completed list of titles in the comments and write a story geared toward one of those made-up titles (one you did not yourself invent).
That’s it. That’s all. Easy, and yet, difficult.
GET THEE TO THE TITLEMOBILE
JQ Davis says:
Apologies (if necessary.) This title popped up, won’t go away, and refuses to let me focus on other possibilities. LOL.
“Showdown at Evermore”
September 18, 2015 — 1:10 PM
Giana says:
Cool!
September 19, 2015 — 11:08 PM
George says:
The World Through Darkness I See
September 18, 2015 — 1:39 PM
glenavailable says:
Has the true ring of a ‘classic’ this one.
September 18, 2015 — 4:37 PM
G. Howell White says:
Thank you! I’m curious to see what someone else makes out of it; I wrote it for a 500-word contest last year. I definitely write the stories around the titles, and this one just screamed into my head.
September 18, 2015 — 8:20 PM
glenavailable says:
Time to be bold – any chance I could read that 500 worder?
September 19, 2015 — 4:36 PM
G. Howell White says:
Absolutely, as long as you don’t mind giving feedback! I enjoy exercises like 500 worders; it can be a real challenge to come up with a plot, backstory, interesting characters, and to get the readers involved and caring in such a limited amount of space.
September 22, 2015 — 2:35 PM
glenavailable says:
I’m up for it.
September 22, 2015 — 4:47 PM
G. Howell WhiteG. Howell WHite says:
E-mail address or other?
September 23, 2015 — 10:17 AM
glenavailable says:
Thankyou so much. Just click on the Frank Einstein icon and there is a contact email address listed.
September 23, 2015 — 4:12 PM
G. Howell White says:
Done, on it’s way to you … hope you don’t eviscerate it! (but if you do, post photos).
September 23, 2015 — 8:38 PM
Delfina Hallett says:
Feeding Your Senses
September 18, 2015 — 1:40 PM
Carlos A. Guardiola says:
“The Last Goodbye of Niccolo Machiavelli”
September 18, 2015 — 1:41 PM
Matthew (@ThewTheSlightly) says:
The Marblehead Marauders
September 18, 2015 — 1:43 PM
sheltonkeysdunning says:
Mission of Sparrowhawks
September 18, 2015 — 1:45 PM
michelle says:
Closed for the Season
September 18, 2015 — 1:51 PM
zklimczak says:
I’m not sure why, but this one stuck with me. Challenge Accepted.
September 25, 2015 — 2:50 PM
alreadynotpublished says:
I was reading the list and jotting down ones that appealed. Hit this one and stopped, it’s the one for me – writing now 🙂
September 30, 2015 — 9:08 PM
Butch McGovern says:
Operating System 6.66
September 18, 2015 — 1:58 PM
Alison DeLuca (@AlisonDeLuca) says:
love this one!
September 19, 2015 — 12:57 PM
Rick Cook Jr says:
The Culture of Hidden Means
September 18, 2015 — 2:03 PM
ilvos01 says:
“The First Goodbye”
September 18, 2015 — 2:05 PM
Ivory Kelly says:
I like this title!
September 19, 2015 — 8:46 AM
Aaron Jeffries says:
A Message from Her
September 18, 2015 — 2:18 PM
Pleasant Street says:
I’ll take this one. It fits an idea I’ve been rolling around for awhile.
September 25, 2015 — 8:12 PM
Pleasant Street says:
I am really sorry- I did not finish my story
October 2, 2015 — 2:49 PM
betsymiller2013 says:
My Soul Is in the Sky
(courtesy of Shakespeare, A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
September 18, 2015 — 2:20 PM
jordanthebard says:
Decadence Becomes Him
September 18, 2015 — 2:31 PM
Jemima Pett says:
I’m like you, Chuck, much prefer the title to start with. Here’s my offering….
Weather Permitting
September 18, 2015 — 2:37 PM
Rebecca Douglass says:
Oh my. I might have to take this and continue the story from last week! Seems to fit nicely with “How the Rain Gets In.”
September 28, 2015 — 11:39 PM
Tabitha Beck says:
I am not Alice.
September 18, 2015 — 2:42 PM
Latedra says:
Nice one.
September 22, 2015 — 3:43 PM
David Marks says:
The 2nd Street Writer’s Syndicate
September 18, 2015 — 2:52 PM
Pavowski says:
Bookmarking this for future use…
September 18, 2015 — 3:01 PM
kirizar says:
I’m taking this one. Not sure where the mythical syndicate is located, beyond second street, but probably a big city. Now to craft 2000 words of genius.
September 26, 2015 — 9:18 AM
David Marks says:
Great! Enjoy!
September 26, 2015 — 4:26 PM
kirizar says:
Almost done. Now…to polish. (Warning: polishing can take me up to 10 years.)
September 28, 2015 — 3:15 PM
kirizar says:
Here you go: https://kirisalazar.wordpress.com/2015/09/29/i-literarily-have-an-offer-you-cant-refuse/
September 29, 2015 — 10:59 PM
David Marks says:
Hey! Here’s a link to my blog post about your story: http://www.davidmarkswrites.com/1/post/2015/10/whats-in-a-name.html
October 3, 2015 — 8:41 PM
Pavowski says:
Hey David, it’s in this week’s thread as well, but I used your title for my challenge. It’s at http://accidentallyinspired.com/2015/09/26/the-2nd-street-writing-syndicate/. Thanks for the inspiration!
September 26, 2015 — 9:49 PM
David Marks says:
Hey, I finally read your story (good job!) and posted a link to it: http://www.davidmarkswrites.com/1/post/2015/12/whats-in-a-name-2-or-better-late-than-never.html
Sorry it took so long!
December 3, 2015 — 5:19 PM
Leigh Statham says:
Turbulence and Sunshine
September 18, 2015 — 2:55 PM
Jemima Pett says:
Very tempting…
September 27, 2015 — 7:07 AM
Beth says:
I’m putting final polish on this, hope to have it up tonight or tomorrow. Is there a link you’d like me to include for credit?
September 27, 2015 — 6:55 PM
JL Henry says:
The Aztec Body
September 18, 2015 — 2:58 PM
Amanda Helms says:
Your Emergency Is Our Third Priority
September 18, 2015 — 2:58 PM
jessicodes says:
Somebody doing a dystopia with this one?
September 19, 2015 — 7:03 PM
Giana says:
I wonder what the first and second are.
September 19, 2015 — 11:10 PM
Hurricane Katelyn says:
The Gentleman Without a Shadow
September 18, 2015 — 3:06 PM
MsShonnerz says:
Ooh… I like this.
September 18, 2015 — 3:39 PM
glenavailable says:
Second that!
September 18, 2015 — 4:38 PM
entrebat says:
This has possibilities…
September 18, 2015 — 8:06 PM
T.K. Eldridge says:
Not Your Problem
September 18, 2015 — 3:06 PM
Ivory Kelly says:
Sounds like it would be a sad story
September 19, 2015 — 8:50 AM
curtis dibrell jr says:
Jack Clean vs. the Sludge Buckets 2: Slugement Day
September 18, 2015 — 3:29 PM
glenavailable says:
Kids bestseller written all over it!
September 18, 2015 — 5:35 PM
Curtis Dibrell jr says:
Thanks. There isn’t a first one, this just came off the top of my head. Dix you write one?
September 20, 2015 — 9:31 AM
glenavailable says:
Bazinga! There’s the “Off The Top of My Head” title again, which, as the scholarly Widdershins (aka ‘Widds’) previously observed, can itself be considered a cryptic bundle of inspired genius! Mine was the somewhat over-caffeinated not to mention ill-boding mouthful ” Mr Dastardly meets Tourniquet Ted (The Serial Killer Chronicles Volume 9) which, apart from the acknowledgement of Dante, has been soundly ignored by forum commentators – causing me to engage in strained talks with my small army of marketing consultants,who,because of this failing, are now all in danger of receiving the coldest of shoulders come contract renewal time.
September 20, 2015 — 11:50 AM
Curtis Dibrell jr says:
Mr Dastardly meets Tourniquet Ted (The Serial Killer Chronicles Volume 9, wow sounds like a Freddy vs. Jason type horror book.
September 20, 2015 — 2:03 PM
glenavailable says:
Captain Pedantic would point out that ‘meet’ has a far less confrontational tone attached to it than does the sporty and oppositional ‘vs’, thus opening the door to a possible ‘unlikely alliance/buddy’ theme purveying MR DASTARDLY MEETS TOURNIQUET TED. This is not in anyway to denigrate the minor classic that was the Ronny Yu directed FREDDY VS JASON (2003) but merely to underline the fact that the nuances that accompany the title MR DASTARDLY MEETS TOURNIQUET TED (The Serial Killer Chronicles Volume 9) make it an at once obvious but also differentiated object of comparison with the Kruger/Voorhees masterwork. However after reading this back now, I’m starting to think I may actually be losing my mind.
September 20, 2015 — 2:59 PM
Curtis Dibrell jr says:
Have you chosen a title?
September 20, 2015 — 3:06 PM
glenavailable says:
Allright, revised title – MR DASTARDLY MEETS TOURNIQUET TED AT THE PREMIERE OF JASON VS FREDDY (The Serial Killer Chronicles Volume 10).
September 20, 2015 — 3:20 PM
Curtis Dibrell jr says:
Do you have a favorite title out of all of these?
September 20, 2015 — 3:40 PM
MsShonnerz says:
Cornbread and Cognac
September 18, 2015 — 3:42 PM
Fred G. Yost says:
This just screams … Southern Noir? I forget what that genre is actually called. But yeah, a detective story set in the south.
September 18, 2015 — 9:25 PM
msshonnerz says:
I hadn’t even considered that and I live in Tennessee! If you write it let me know. 🙂
September 24, 2015 — 9:48 AM
Fred G. Yost says:
So I thought I replied to let you know that I’d posted it, but in case you missed it, I’ve managed to write something kind of noir-y, it’s up at my blog.
September 28, 2015 — 9:33 PM
zklimczak says:
If this isn’t already taken, I’d be happy to write something on it. This is a great title. I’ve offered to write for another title, but I’m happy to try my hand at this one as well… provided others aren’t currently dabbling.
September 25, 2015 — 2:53 PM
Fred G. Yost says:
Oh, I just gave it a shot, but I think I might have gone a bit left field with it, so I doubt we’d cover the same territory with our stories if you are already working on a version of it.
September 27, 2015 — 9:41 PM
Amy says:
The Saddest Person I’ve Met
September 18, 2015 — 3:57 PM
Olivia Kelly says:
Apropos of today, I’ll submit:
The Hill You Die On
September 18, 2015 — 3:59 PM
Fred G. Yost says:
Ooooh, I like this one.
September 18, 2015 — 9:21 PM
Giana says:
Awesome :}
September 19, 2015 — 11:11 PM
agincourtdb says:
Capture The Flag
September 18, 2015 — 4:03 PM
Tramia says:
The Red Forever
September 18, 2015 — 4:18 PM
writing, writing, words words words. says:
Love *that*!
September 30, 2015 — 7:06 PM
S. J. Mcquillan says:
A Scream’s Hell is Silence
September 18, 2015 — 4:34 PM
glenavailable says:
Mr Dastardly
September 18, 2015 — 4:36 PM
M.J. Diedrich says:
(Add italics/quotation marks as desired.)
Murphy’s Twelfth Night at the Commedia dell’Morte
September 18, 2015 — 4:42 PM
ruadhan says:
Cat Improper
September 18, 2015 — 5:04 PM
Nicholas James West (@nicholasofpain) says:
I’ll be out of town next week (literally) without internet, but here’s one:
The Serial Killer Stand Up Hour
September 18, 2015 — 5:04 PM
angeliquejamail says:
Farce Macabre
September 18, 2015 — 5:09 PM
gfirestorm says:
Very promising!
September 18, 2015 — 10:45 PM
Anna says:
Love this one:)
September 20, 2015 — 2:58 AM
Michelle E. Reed (@Michelle_E_Reed) says:
I’ve been saving this one for several decades (SEVERAL, I TELL YOU), so use it with care.
Grandma’s Electric Bread Box
September 18, 2015 — 5:36 PM
the oncoming spork says:
The Girl Who Couldn’t Read
September 18, 2015 — 5:43 PM
writing, writing, words words words. says:
Wow – love it!
September 30, 2015 — 7:07 PM
reggielutz says:
Welcome to the Meat Coat Area
…working at a grocery store provides plenty of inspiration for weird titles.
September 18, 2015 — 6:12 PM
amdawds says:
Heart’s Core
September 18, 2015 — 6:18 PM
mariahavix says:
Your Password Here (This isn’t a trick! Don’t type your password!!)
September 18, 2015 — 6:28 PM
Giana says:
Sounds… kinda ominous. I like it.
September 19, 2015 — 11:12 PM
Sheila says:
Call Me Florence
September 18, 2015 — 6:35 PM
divynal66 says:
The Blood in the Water
September 18, 2015 — 6:39 PM
Rose City Cup Cake says:
The Elfin Hotel and Convention Center — Next Left
September 18, 2015 — 6:46 PM
Stef Michelle says:
The Fallen Mountain
September 18, 2015 — 7:15 PM
dante says:
Those Who Watch the Burning Sky
September 18, 2015 — 7:19 PM
murgatroid98 says:
Beautiful title.
September 18, 2015 — 9:05 PM
dante says:
thank you murgatroid98. if i can find your title in the comments ill tell ya what i think of it
September 18, 2015 — 9:11 PM
murgatroid98 says:
I didn’t enter one this time, but thanks.
September 22, 2015 — 12:46 PM
writing, writing, words words words. says:
Agreed!
September 30, 2015 — 7:08 PM
entrebat says:
Burning Insight and The Madness That Comes With It
September 18, 2015 — 7:49 PM
fictionaryattempts says:
Quarter-Life Crisis in High Definition
September 18, 2015 — 7:54 PM
Melissa Clare says:
Execute Function
September 18, 2015 — 8:16 PM
murgatroid98 says:
Seasons of Gratitude. (This is the title of my 2010 NaNoWriMo project that still sits unloved and unfinished on my computer.)
September 18, 2015 — 9:10 PM
dante says:
i like the title. sounds like a happy story but i dont know.
September 18, 2015 — 9:11 PM
jessicodes says:
Many good wishes to your 2010 NaNoWriMo project. I’ve got one of those lost somewhere. It think it was about a rabbit.
September 19, 2015 — 7:05 PM
smkay70 says:
I think I am going to go with this. Spoiler alert: Probably not going to be a happy story. : )
September 25, 2015 — 5:17 PM
Fred G. Yost says:
Echoes of Illumination
sadly, that took me most of a day to come up with.
September 18, 2015 — 9:20 PM
mannixk says:
COL (chortle out loud)
September 25, 2015 — 12:31 PM
glenavailable says:
LOLATWC! (Laugh out loud at the word ‘chortle’)
September 25, 2015 — 10:18 PM
Rich Hayden says:
The Ghoul Scribes of Never History (the title of a short story of mine presently unfinished)
September 18, 2015 — 9:21 PM
Giana says:
Someone needs to write this one!
September 19, 2015 — 11:13 PM