What’s in a title?

[Finchbearer]

What does Tides of Stone mean in the context of this story?

Well…without overly going into it, in my world we have a coastal town, coastal plains and series of islands which are integral to the plot, hence tides. Then we also have an elementist (ye olde fantastical geologist) who has the gift (power) to communicate with rock and stone, or an earth power, who hails from one of the islands. Then there’s a few other reasons as to why those elements are tied in…such as the phrase actually being used by a character, but it was hard to come up with, and I’ve probably overthunk it and it might change…

 

[pmmg]

Its just that, your title is not a one word title, cause its a story in the tides of stone series. So, on the book it would look like Tides of Stone: The gift.

I think tides of stone is enough to draw attention. The Gift is just an opening part. I would expect its meaning to come out in the tale. I dont think your titles are a problem. Course cover art would matter too.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Titles are hard, probably some of the hardest writing you'll do. They not only need to sell the book and/or the series, but they also need to be memorable, tie into your themes and the story, and ideally serve more than one purpose... which is why I argue on-the-nose titles don't do enough. The Black Dagger is a perfectly serviceable title but blow up my skirt. Intrigue me. Make me wonder what's between those pages. Sell me your book. That's a lot of weight to carry, but, as I've said before, all things in service of the story.

Carry on.


https://tenor.com/bqXLl.gif

 

[Mad Swede]

Titles can be hard, because they also vary with language and culture. I have a set of book titles which work well in Swedish, but there's no way they'd work in English and one of the things I'm discussing with my editor is what titles I should use when the books finally come out in English.

 

[FifthView]

To one word titles:

Rebecca
Dracula
Emma
1984 (numerical but still)
Hamlet
Othello
Misery
Middlemarch

Which are all stand alone works rather than series.

Recent fantasy that has done well:

Lore
Circe
Verity
Cinder
Fairest

These particular single word titles are mostly odd, unusual themselves. The names Rebecca and Emma are not, but Othello, Dracula and Hamlet are. Even so, I guess I'm more inclined to discover who this particular Emma is—warranting entitlement!

One-word titles like Sky, Ground, Tree, Fork, Pebble, Pizza are not quite as captivating as Circe and Verity.

Then again, if I saw a book titled Pebble and then on the back read it's a story about Pebble, an orphaned baby rock giant, I might go Hmmmm....

 

[Finchbearer]

These particular single word titles are mostly odd, unusual themselves. The names Rebecca and Emma are not, but Othello, Dracula and Hamlet are. Even so, I guess I'm more inclined to discover who this particular Emma is—warranting entitlement!

One-word titles like Sky, Ground, Tree, Fork, Pebble, Pizza are not quite as captivating as Circe and Verity.

Then again, if I saw a book titled Pebble and then on the back read it's a story about Pebble, an orphaned baby rock giant, I might go Hmmmm....

Othello, Hamlet, Circe and Verity are all names that have very old origins, so they are on a par with Emma and Rebecca to me. Bram Stoker gave the name Dracula or Count Dracula to his vampire character so again, another name title.

Hmm indeed about Emma, women who are called Emma certainty warrant entitlement…

 

[pmmg]

Hmmmm...I wonder who could be an Emma.

 

[Finchbearer]

Hmmmm...I wonder who could be an Emma.

Hmmm indeed. Well it’s no closely guarded secret really, that is also my own name, just thought it was funny that FifthView chose that to single that book title out! She’s my least favourite Austenite heroine though.