I think most writers have experienced a lightning bolt of inspiration out of the blue. It’s a flash of a character’s face, or an idea for a scene that would bring any reader to their knees. Or, in my case, it comes in the form of a really neat title.
But the thing about lightning bolts is, as electrifying as they are, they only last thirty microseconds. Then they’re gone, and if you didn’t bottle it in time, you’re left staring at the charred earth and wondering what to do next.
Below are the steps I’m taking to suss out the story the title wants me to tell. My hope is that sharing these steps will help you, too!
Determine the Genre That Aligns With Your Title
Constructing a project from a handful of words might seem like a daunting task, but baby steps will help us get there. The first step? Figuring out which genre and subgenre your title would be shelved under. Genre can influence so many elements of the story, from the setting to the tropes!
The good news is, unless your title is a single word or a character’s name, you probably have an idea of the genre. (And even then, those one-word titles can sometimes say a lot!)
Take a look at some of these titles that popped up in this random title generator as examples.
Example 1: Thorns and the Moon
The moon would hint at fantasy or even science fiction all by itself, but the inclusion of thorns just screams “witchy” to me. The title is missing something for me—like maybe there should be three things. [Something], Thorns, and the Moon. Hmm…
Example 2: Atomic Eden
This title says both “retrofuturism” and “post apocalypse” loud and clear. I immediately got one of the songs from the Fallout series soundtracks stuck in my head when I read it.
Example 3: Solar Eclipse of the Heart
I am actually, genuinely in love with this title. It wants to be either a sci-fi-meets-rom-com project set in space or a contemporary romance where one or more of the romantic parties is an astronomer, or an astrologist, or something else related to space or the stars. Maybe the heroine is Urania, the Greek muse of astronomy, come down from Olympus to put an arrogant astronomy professor in his place? I can totally see myself writing that! And I’ll bet you can already see the quirky illustrated cover, can’t you?
Explore All the Possible Interpretations of Your Title
Once you have your genre nailed down, you can get to work analyzing the phrasing and the individual words in the title. Doing so will not only help you see clearly why you love your title, but also help you find your guiding light while writing.
Here are a few questions you can ask yourself about your title:
- What interesting events or people could the title be describing?
- What’s the literal meaning of the title?
- Does it have a figurative meaning?
- What’s the “gut reaction” meaning—what would a reader would probably assume the title is trying to say upon first glance?
- How can you invent a meaning that’s counterintuitive to the title’s “gut reaction” meaning?
- During what kind of scene would this title come up as dialogue or in prose?
Discover Your Protagonist and Their Journey
With any luck, the previous two steps revealed the kind of story your title wants you to tell. Maybe you now understand the lesson to be learned along the way or what flavor of adventure the title promises to the reader. These new insights can be the jumping off points for building a protagonist that would first struggle, then thrive under such conditions.
I have a blog post on the four steps to a can’t-miss character arc that will help you flesh out your protagonist. Once you’ve met and gotten to know the personality in your leading role, you’re practically halfway to an outline!
If All Else Fails…
If, after going through all the exercises above, you still don’t see a story manifesting from your title, you might want to shelve the idea for now. Let the story come to you when it’s ready instead of chasing after it. Sometimes that’s more fun anyway!
