Titles: Are They Really Necessary?

[+Chaos Blade+]

I was talking to Serpent Syra over PM a few days ago, and I told him the new title idea for Bloody Turmoil: Din, which means the exact same thing.

To quote him:

o.o

No...Din...UGH!

OMG, why? It sounds pretty damn ugly. Din. ;_; Like I told FloatingFlames, don't be influenced by the one-worded titles, just because there's a sudden trend of them going around. Ever since Scrap made Sin (and I tell you, how a DEEP coincidence those two titles are. Sin and Din. o.o), everyone is making one-worded titles. Coming from the bottom of my heart, Chaos, you don't need to follow everyone.

And besides, Bloody Turmoil sounds much better than Din. >>;

*raises finger* However, is it really necessary for me to just call it: "A Fic About Hell", or Din, Bloody Turmoil, Tarnished Scars, etc.?

Does it really matter what we call our fics rather than just saying: My Fic?

Discuss. Argue. Kill. Flame. Or like Syra will say: MEOWNAGE. X3

 

[Saffire Persian]

XD.... I agree with Syra on the account that Din sounds pretty ugly as a title; however, it's your choice to have what kind of title you wish. I think titles are important, as it can (not always) lead to give some kind of "synopsis" for what your story may be like.

For instance, lets take for example Razor Leaf's new fic, which he titled "Team Team and the Mysterious Device"...

Now, I saw that yesterday and I thought "That has to be some sort of parody". This could deter or draw in readers, as most readers like certain types of fiction, and you can sometimes tell, roughly, what genre, at least, the story is.

So, I think titles are necessary, but you don't need to stress over them. Choose one that you think fits the story, and be done with it.

 

[Ryano Ra]

OMG, MEOWNAGE! ^^ We share the word together, do we not?

Oh, and before I add it what I wanted to say, this is directly to Chaos Blade. In the quote, I mentioned FloatingFlames, who it wasn't. o.o I remember talking to Flames about his title, but not one-worded titles. (feels stupid. 8D) I have a very arcane memory sometimes. So, if you mind, perhaps place his name with "some people", for I told this to more than one person, Flames not one of them. Okay thank you so muchie-much! ^^

MEOWNAGE! >3

Your approach is very interesting, I must say. Fantasy mind have great thoughts and imaginations, do they not? Personally, I think as not ALL stories need titles, because they can carry themselves without words describing the entire story. However, the majority of stories do need titles because it sets diverse tones for the story, having the uncanny ability to hide different elements of the fanfiction within itself. For example, before Sky was changed to Rhapsody, I named it Sky because of the Slinx Insanity Virus being a creation of Havigma, or Heaven, or the heavens, or the actual sky. Titles can be a very interesting key to titling fanfictions, although it some specific cases, you don't necessarily have to have one.

 

[Negrek]

Umm, din doesn't mean the same thing as bloody turmoil. But whatever.

Titles are important because, in forums at least, they are the first, last, and only first impression that people will get about your 'fic. Excluding the author, that is. But if your title is generic or improperly spelled, punctuated, or capitalized, then it's automatically going to turn off readers (or bring in the flock of people looking for a good one-star thread to criticize), not entice them to read your story.

"My Fic" speaks to no one and nobody but yourself. It does not show any creativity or care for your writing. People going through the forums are skimming for interesting titles or authors that they like, and while you may be able to get off with the author half of it, people are immediately going to get the wrong first impression. Like Saffire Persian said, people are going to come in expecting something, in this case, a parody most likely, and will be confused when the story is totally different.

So, spend time on your titles. They're important. (*shoves hypocrisy under mat*)

Anyway, I personally like Din better than Bloody Turmoil. Bloody Turmoil is so obvious and cliché, IMO. But you know I'm a fan of shorter, simpler titles.

 

[Silawen]

Oooh, titles. I always fuss over titles and then come up with something very common, yet fitting. At least, I tend to think so.

Titles are very important to me. They show not only the intent of the author, but often also the standard. When a see a title spelled: 'My hreat yourney' I won't read it, while I would read something titled 'The Unknown'. The first is mispelled - showing the author's incompetence? - and obvious, while the second is interesting, but not too obvious, and spelled correctly.

Titles are very important when it comes to what I read and don't read.

I would go for Din too, it's interesting and not as cliché as the other title seems to me. There are other stories with such a title and the intention is pretty obvious.

 

[Eternal Daydreamer]

Yes tittles are important. They have a big job to do, you know. That and they have to do something with the plot, too.

I wouldn't go just by tittles, though. Such as Not So Sensational, it's not talking about quality is it? No, it's about the Sensational Sisters. But tittles can contray bits of the plot without revealing too much.

 

[Ash_Junior]

personally, for me the titles are secondary. I get the idea for a plot, then try to think up a name.

other than that, however, titles are VERY important. I like both of the ones that you had...

Personally, I thought that the title was gonna be Bloody Turmoil: Din, not Bloody Turmoil OR Din.

I think that the Bloody Turmoil: Din thing sounds so much neater than either of 'em separately.

 

[Dragonfree]

Well, as has been said, a title should basically be telling your readers something about the fic, while still keeping them curious.

Incidentally, I'm guilty of still dragging my fic along with a title that does neither. <<;

 

[+Chaos Blade+]

Umm, din doesn't mean the same thing as bloody turmoil. But whatever.

Din is a synonym of 'turmoil' meaning 'chaos' - thank you thesaurus. *kisses thesaurus*

Yes, Din explains 'Chaos', but what is the chaos? What caused the chaos, etc.? And it all leads to the plot. Actually, one of the chapters will be called 'Din'.
Yet, some people had points on a title revealing so little of a fic's plot - I mean honestly, would you like a title stating: "Here's a fic about Bob, who's a trainer who must save the world?" No.

I guess you guys do state some points.

 

[Iveechan]

Din makes me think of some lady saying to her cat "Time for your din din, snookypoos!" So yes, a serious title would get a laugh out of me, personally.

I like fanfic titles with two to three words. I was going to state the reasons why I dislike one-worded title, but it began to sound offensive.

 

[+Chaos Blade+]

Din makes me think of some lady saying to her cat "Time for your din din, snookypoos!" So yes, a serious title would get a laugh out of me, personally.

I like fanfic titles with two to three words. I was going to state the reasons why I dislike one-worded title, but it began to sound offensive.

XP. "Din din, schnookums!"

I like 'Din' a lot. I have no reason why -- it just sounds...evil. Another two-word title I had was Savage Calamity, but, in my eyes, I just thought it sucked. I'm still sticking with "Din".

 

[indigestible_wad]

The title is how you locate a fic. I thought that was obvious.

The title can be very influential to the story. The title itself can be the one thing that gets a person to decide to click the link and read it. It can also be the meaning behind the story. A title can be so much, so many things it would be ludacrise if someone were to take them away.

 

[Faerie]

Titles? Unimportant? Have you ever seen a book on the shelves of a bookstore titled "My Story"? *puts on glasses* Untitled, published stories are frivilous, uneccesary, and unacceptable. Well, maybe not frivilous, but oh well. My point is that titles are absolutley important and should not be overlooked or tossed aside.

The title, often, is what draws readers into the story. The title tells what the story is about, shows the intent of the author, and often has a lot of work put into it, believe it or not. Titles are crucial because it's how people identify the story, and they reflect all of the author's work in their product.

Titles=good. The end.

 

[Dilasc]

Not only are story titles important, but so are chapter titles, imho. I don't want to read a story chapter called "Something happened." Make it interesting if you're going to name your chapters. It is for this reason that I name all my chapters carefully and parodizingly, in hopes that a title can get some interested readers for me to entertain.

Remember, titles are not there for personal glory, its there to lure in readers!