What makes a good story title?

[Claire]

I think one aspect we haven't talked much about yet are the titles of our stories here. And I think they are one of the main reasons that determine how often a story gets clicked, more so than the name of the author or the tags. I can tell you that views on my stories vary drastically depending on the title, even if they are similar in length and the author is of course me in both cases.

I would like to know how you as authors choose your titles and what titles you prefer as readers.

For me it's like this. I like to choose titles for my stories that make you wonder what the story could be about, that might even seem a little odd, but once you've read the story the title makes perfect sense to you. "An Unfortunate Misstep" for example could mean a million different things but once you read the story you understand what the title refers to. I like my titles to be a little mystery for the reader. I want the reader to think "that is fucked up..." when they reach the point where they understand what "Record Chaser" actually means or to think "that is so dumb..." when they realize that "Men at War" has nothing to do with soldiers in a warzone.

What I generally don't like are titles that are too on the nose. A title like "The gang rape of the cheerleader" makes me immediately lose interest in a story. It doesen't mean that the writing is necessarily bad, but as a reader that registers with me as the author not even caring enough to think of a somewhat creative title. Similarly, I get skeptical the moment I read the words "torment", "ordeal" or "the taking of" in a title. I think these titles are so overused and cliché at this point that I would only consider them if I wanted to write a parody.

I really like @SoftGameHunter's title for his NaNoWriMo story Pheromonica. As much as he seems to dislike the title, I think it's a good fit. It gives you an idea what the story might be about without being too on the nose or being generic. Another title I liked is @chloevee's "Uncle" Nick. I think that title might have the problem that some readers might immediately think of incest - which the story doesn't have - but he quotation marks around Uncle immediately generate a sense of intrigue for me (and the story delivers, so go check it out!).

Of all the stories, I've written my favorite title is: It's okay, I feel a little lonely, too.

And of all the titles I came up with Venus' Touch seems to be the one that turns readers off the most. Whether it was on RavishU or here, on Literotica or on AO3, the story does not generate views.

So what kind of titles do you like? I'm interested in hearing both reader and author perspectives. And my fellow authors, please share examples of what made you choose a particular title for a story you published you here. I'd love to poke your brains a bit and get some insight in your decision making process.

[Vela Nanashi]

For me names of characters amd titles of stories are the hardest part and I tend to just need to make a story title to allow me to save the file, and character names are part of creating them amd breathing life into them so I can ride inside them for a story to be written in the first place as for how I choose these it is mixed, I often want them to capture some important meaning of the character or story or just sound good to me

[Lucius]

For me it's like this. I like to choose titles for my stories that make you wonder what the story could be about, that might even seem a little odd, but once you've read the story the title makes perfect sense to you. ...

It's a tricky one. I don't think that story titles should create expectations, it's perhaps too great of a burden to carry for a few words (or just a single one). But it's good when the readers find out what IT is, or get to see the (bewildering) langoliers. I've almost said that the title shouldn't subvert expectations... but is such subversion realistically possible? Seriously, does anyone expect from a story entitled, say, 'Lucky' anything but relentless misery?

What I generally don't like are titles that are too on the nose. A title like "The gang rape of the cheerleader" makes me immediately lose interest in a story. It doesen't mean that the writing is necessarily bad, but as a reader that registers with me as the author not even caring enough to think of a somewhat creative title. Similarly, I get skeptical the moment I read the words "torment", "ordeal" or "the taking of" in a title. I think these titles are so overused and cliché at this point that I would only consider them if I wanted to write a parody.

Generic and uninviting as they are, their distinct advantage is that they're easily searchable once you commit to memory the (gal's) name, especially if it's unique. On the other hand, the plain name chosen well makes all 'ordeals' and 'torments' superfluous... as David Copperfield said to the brothers Karamazov. 'The Taking of Miss Pelham by Us Three' is great for the purpose of parody. :D

I really like @SoftGameHunter's title for his NaNoWriMo story Pheromonica. As much as he seems to dislike the title, I think it's a good fit. It gives you an idea what the story might be about without being too on the nose ...

I see what you did here. :D

Another title I liked is @chloevee's "Uncle" Nick. I think that title might have the problem that some readers might immediately think of incest - which the story doesn't have - but he quotation marks around Uncle immediately generate a sense of intrigue for me (and the story delivers, so go check it out!).

I don't like quotation marks in story titles, perhaps because it looks awful in the languages that require such marks for titles of works as a matter of course.

Of all the stories, I've written my favorite title is: It's okay, I feel a little lonely, too.

That's a good one, yep.

And of all the titles I came up with Venus' Touch seems to be the one that turns readers off the most. Whether it was on RavishU or here, on Literotica or on AO3, the story does not generate views.

Speaking of subverted expectations -- I didn't expect it to be a female rapist story with the titular goddess going wild on Adonis... but I could have expected it. :D

So what kind of titles do you like? I'm interested in hearing both reader and author perspectives. And my fellow authors, please share examples of what made you choose a particular title for a story you published you here. I'd love to poke your brains a bit and get some insight in your decision making process.

I am ashamed to state that I tend to practice the 'beg, borrow or steal' approach. First, when stuck, I beg my brain to come up with something -- anything! That was the case with Freak Flag Fluttering. Of course, that one is perilously close to borrowing -- there are a few One Mornings, so why not in Potaissa? Training Day is pure robbery, Dance of the Sun Goddess likewise, although I'm not sure whether I had in mind the book on Baltic polytheistic practices when choosing the title.

[Shocker]

I’m going to take notes from this discussion. As much as I like writing stories, I think my titles tend to suck.

I prefer short titles, usually one or two words, which very often do not convey any allure or intrigue to open my stories. Histbuff is very much a master in creating intriguing story titles.
On Reddit I frequently see story titles, that would qualify as s short summary of the story, and I can’t express how much I hate that.

[AdmiralPiet]

I would say a good title should have one or several of the following:

- Catch the readers attention
- Say or imply something about the story
- Have some gimmick built in, like the double meanings

In that it should not neccessarily be short, but not too long.
And it should not be "clickbaity", by implying something that isn't there at all.

I think it is quite hard to find a title that hits all of those at the same time to the same degree.
But one can try.

For myself: I often give the title low priority.
So I either have one from the start, but then it is often a rather weak one as no more energy is put into it.
Or I use a working title and worry about the title in the end. But then it is rushed as I would like to publish.

I think the first approach was used with "Spoils of War"

The second with "In den Wäldern Germaniens" (In the forrests of germania). Here @Shocker mentioned the phrase "Vae Victis!", and I now resent the missed opportunity at not thinking of this as a title. Would have fitted perfectly.

"Freya's new Slaves" is not a fave. I think I thought of "The Emperors new clothes" when making that one.

My newest one "The Breaking" originally had a longer title on HF. But in the story it is a plot point not to reveal the name of a person, and her name was in the title, so that did hurt the story.

[SoftGameHunter]

I really like @SoftGameHunter's title for his NaNoWriMo story Pheromonica. As much as he seems to dislike the title, I think it's a good fit. It gives you an idea what the story might be about without being too on the nose ...

I see what you did here. :D

Not only did I not see what she did there, I didn't see it at all until I reread your comment several times, and only then noticed the bold face. Well-caught!

[Claire]

I see what you did here. :D

Yes! That was intentional! Absolutely! Clever me! And clever you for catching that! Haha... ha...

I don't like quotation marks in story titles, perhaps because it looks awful in the languages that require such marks for titles of works as a matter of course.

I'm not a fan of quotation marks per se. I just like the implicit question embedded in that title.

I don't think that story titles should create expectations

Can you really avoid that? Every piece of meta information creates an expectation I would say. That's why I'm so skeptical of overusing tags. I think creating expectations with your title can't be avoided. What I would avoid is delberate misdirection, at least in most cases.

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@Shocker Is there maybe a story where you would say you nailed the title despite being critical of your titles in general?

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The second with "In den Wäldern Germaniens" (In the forrests of germania). Here @Shocker mentioned the phrase "Vae Victis!", and I now resent the missed opportunity at not thinking of this as a title. Would have fitted perfectly.

Why not change the title? Unless you published the story commercially somewhere I don't see what's stopping you. Späte Genugtuung had a very different title early on, a very bad one, and I asked my readers back on RavishU for suggestions because I was unhappy with it. Späte Genugtuung was a suggestion by @Mister X and I'm very happy that I followed his suggestion and changed it.

[Shocker]

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@Shocker Is there maybe a story where you would say you nailed the title despite being critical of your titles in general?

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Well that is my conundrum, I still like my titles, but they are hardly appealing. Both Africa and Pirates have gotten incredibly good feedback, but as titles they are rather generic. I think “bankruptcy” as a title didn’t really hook people either.

I’m looking at story titles like book titles. There is very rarely a long titled story that catches my eye. “Dr Strangelove, or how I stopped worrying and love the bomb” is such an outlier.

For me a good title makes the reader curious enough to start reading, it shouldn’t give away the story, or the development, so for my own writing the first 2 sentences have to be strong enough for somebody to keep reading. I’m not a fan of tagging away my twists either, so its largely my own choices that cause my issues.

[Lucius]

Can you really avoid that? Every piece of meta information creates an expectation I would say. That's why I'm so skeptical of overusing tags. I think creating expectations with your title can't be avoided. What I would avoid is delberate misdirection, at least in most cases.

I misspoke, I should've qualified it with 'definite' or 'clear'. What do I have in mind? We expect to see someone named David Copperfield in Dickens's novel of that title, but that's it -- unless the would-be reader thinks that Dickens penned a bio of the stage magician, in which case he or she is beyond redemption. :D Stephen King's It offered less in 1986.

[AdmiralPiet]

Why not change the title? Unless you published the story commercially somewhere I don't see what's stopping you. Späte Genugtuung had a very different title early on, a very bad one, and I asked my readers back on RavishU for suggestions because I was unhappy with it. Späte Genugtuung was a suggestion by @Mister X and I'm very happy that I followed his suggestion and changed it.

I don't know really.
I wrote it, I gave it a title, I published under that title. Almost in a contest even.
So that is the state of my skill as an author.
It kinda feels like cheating, if that makes any sense?

A bit like plagiarism. On the other hand: Shocker did not suggest the "Vae victis" as a title, but just mentioned it in a comment because it was fitting.
And it is not like I stole it from him before he could use it in a story of his own.

I once edited the first chapter of "Freya's New Slaves" after I got an in depth feedback, but I did not like it.

I have a similar approach with pictures.
Genuine mistakes I will fix (like having a layer on the wrong visibility when saving, or forgetting a detail) but with other stuff I file critique under: Do better next time.
Sometimes I give an older one more polish, but then I will publish the updated one as a new post and let the original stand.

If I re-write "Freya's New Slaves" the original will stay up.
(And I think it needs a better title as well)