Wednesday, May 16, 2007

Titles and a Few Other Aggravations

OK - here's the deal. I need to replace my laptop. I'm out of options. I need a new one. Fine. Not happy about spending that kind of money, but what else can you do? So, I have a computer guy. I asked him in February for a quote on both a desktop and a laptop. Give him what I do, ask him what I need.

I sent the original email in February. I know he received it, because about a month ago, he emailed back. No quote. But an apology for not having the quote ready.

It is now the 17th of May and I still don't have the friggin quote. So guess what? He's not getting the sale. He is my computer guy and employs my website guy and I am very unhappy with both. Once the year is up - I'm switching to another web company and that's it. I don't have the time or the inclination to chase after grown men to do their jobs. And the thing that really bugs me is neither one has the decency to even send me a reply. Fine. Buh-bye.

OK - rant's over. Now on to the good stuff.

Titles.

How important is a good title? Pretty important. And I stink at titles. Every once in a blue moon, inspiration strikes and I get a gem for a manuscript. Other times? Well... that's a different story. Untitled has been the working title for many of my books. I procrastinate, sometimes it's the very last thing I do, because it is a weakness on my part. Some people have the gift, others have to really work for it. Guess where I fall?

A lot of the major publishing houses will change your title, so it isn't necessarily a deal-breaker if you suffer from Crappius-Titleus, like I do. Chances are pretty good they're going to change it anyway.

But the smaller presses don't necessarily do this - so the title becomes important. It should be short and sweet, if you ask me, and not overly obscure. I try to link it to either a main character, an important place, or a theme. Sounds simple, right? Well it isn't for me, so there. I drive my husband nuts - asking for suggestions and then shooting them down, one by one.

But then - eureka! I hit it.

My most current WIP is the pirate book. The title Eden's Past. That is the heroine's surname, as well jibing with the theme. It is also probably the tenth title I'd tried. I liked it. It stuck. It was temporarily changed at one point, but the more I thought about it, the less I liked it. And Eden's Past it became once more.

My first book's title is Shelter From the Storm and I wince every time someone asks me. I hate that title. I had hoped my publisher would change it. No such luck. But it did give me the title to the follow-up, so there's the silver lining in that. Whether the second book remains titled what it is, I can't say, as I'm only rewriting the second draft. But if it doesn't, my husband just might want to look out, because it won't be long before I'm asking,

"Well, what do you think sounds good?"

3 comments:

Williebee said...

For what it's worth?

1) found my way here from AW.
2) My daytime gig is as the Network Administrator and Computer HelpDesk guy for a Regional Office of Education in Illinois.
3) I'd be happy to take the, relatively, few minutes it would take to send you a couple of laptop suggestions. (It is end of fiscal year. I'm doing this 4-5 times a day until about June 15.)
4) Won't cost you a dime, from me. -- Somewhere down the road I'll probably ask you to read a query or a synopsis or some such; or just rattle my cage and tell me to keep going, or some such. :)

Williebee
www.ifoundaknife.com

Williebee said...

wow... or maybe just edit my comments... or some such... sheesh.

Kim said...

OH - man! I just found your comments - unfortunately, my laptop gave up the ghost and I just replaced it! Argh...

Can I keep you in mind for the future? Thanks!