Finding the Right Title…
by Susan Payne
Jean recently wrote a blog post on how she came up with the titles of her stories. Some of what she wrote touched my own experiences now that I have over 80 under my belt. But to begin with, I was faced with a character, or couple, who desperately wanted to tell me their story. From that first conversation or meeting I had the title. They usually told it to me.
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My second Sweetwater book of Macgregor’s Mail Order Bride came to me as the two women were talking on the train pulling into town. Their worries and plans about coming all that way to meet a stranger wanting a wife was my introduction to them. Simple story with a simple title. I am a big advocate of telling them what you are. Being too mysterious sometimes backfires for both a title and the book. I don’t want to mislead my readers into thinking one thing while the book is another.
I often had more than one story ‘going’ at a time so when a conversation began or a scene came into view, I had to search for a way to keep it safe. A place to slide it into my memory to be put down on print later. (I am often not at my computer when I get these visitors. If I do sit at my computer, several may show up for a chat.) With titles, I would have a way to find the story they belonged to quickly. Right now, I have a couple dozen WIPs along with titles for them. I can be in the right story without losing time.
Many writers know what their story’s title is right away. Some need to type ‘the end’ before they can think about the title. I often find the title from something I’ve seen or more likely heard. Songs often make their way into my titles. Especially country westerns, but not always. A few words hit me and I begin to think who would feel those words the most? Who would empathize with the story of the song? Not that my story ever follows a song, but the timbre of the music is felt deep inside of me.
I will never have a title like the Magnificent Marquess and His Darling Debutant or the Lost Lord Lands his Leading Lady; but I don’t think less of those writers who do. It simply isn’t right for me. I am more likely to have ones like, Cowboy Walking. That one is because all I saw was a lone cowboy walking away from me down a dusty road in the hot sun carrying his saddle over one shoulder. Made me want to take a second look to see why he was where he was - doing what he was doing.
I can honestly say I enjoy finding the right titles and have been known to use a line from the story itself – or did I encompass the title within the story’s words? Never sure which came first. Either way, the title finds its home and I’m usually good with it. It’s like forcing a story line. It never seems quite right if you don’t allow the words the freedom to be themselves.
Returning home from another trip abroad, Collin Crawford, met the enchanting governess of his two precocious nieces. He felt drawn to her immediately and thought she had as well. Now he must right a terrible wrong - and do so without damaging their fragile relationship.
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I am having several eBooks coming out in the next year. Shorter stories and novellas that can be downloaded and read between appointments or during meals if you’re alone. A Regency, titled The Woman of his Dreams came out January, 2021 followed by How To Return A Mail Order Bride in February. Hope you enjoy.
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