How do you pick a title?

[Slavegirl]

It's always a challenge: you know what you want to write about, and who you intend to write with; you've chosen a region and set your character up for success (or failure), but what do you name your story?!

[Saxon]

I usually try to pick a name that fits the story. I know it sounds obvious, but it was something I had to really work at becoming good at. A lot of times you can use proverbs, soundbites and stuff you've heard time and again that kind've fit what you're trying to talk about. But usually the titles that look and sound the best are the ones that can sum up the story in a small phrase and it's something that hasn't really been heard before. It's a good hook.

[Corvus MacCallum]

Anything that fits the vague events peiced together before kicking the story off. Though one exception is what'll eventually build up as a number of ventures into Findren a region I concocted, it's got a specific enviroment and tone so I figure it's worth noting in the title where it is on the off-chance someones read the previous quest.

[Visla Eraclaire]

I usually settle on theme naming for arcs of story. Recently all of my Visla threads have been tracks from the Valkyrie Profile soundtracks ("Alms for the Small One", "No Knowledge of Wisdom"). Their awkward English phrases make good titles. Beyond that, I've done puns ("A Noble Calling"), seasons ("Summer in Mittergrad" and "Winter in Uiria") and a whole series years back that just had ominous sounding single words ("Convergence")

[Logan]

Sounds funny, but I use a method of total randomness. I go for thread titles that aren't what most other people would use. I do try to connect it with the story I'm planning, but usually it ends up as a side joke at some point thrown in for humor. And it works somehow.

[Tainted Bushido]

Usually use song lyrics that fit what I'm trying to capture in the mood of the story.

[Ataraxis]

I think of the first ten literary or musical works that even remotely has something to do with my quest, I choose the most fitting one, and I alter one or many words in it to better suit the context. A Study in Scarlet, on sleuthing about murders, became A Study in Black, on research in a library (also, because of the power of Alerarian color schemes (that is to say, (you know), black)). Empathy for the Stars came from Sympathy for the Devil, et cetera, et cetera.

I rarely get to name the threads I'm in, though, so it's not really a thing yet.

Also, No Need for the Black Maria. Aw yeah.

[Caden Law]

By any means necessary.

[Majik Sordman]

This actually is a tough question. When I name a thread, I really just try to pick something quaint that may vaguely relate to the whole of the story, or something that rolls off the tongue.

[Inkfinger]

Generally song lyrics that fit the mood I'm trying to convey; occasionally other things but usually the lyrics route.

[Duffy]

I have to say that it depends on the character.

Duffy tends to be musical or theatrical, and Ruby's the same, typically lyrics or poetry. If I'm writing from the same time but from different perspectives then they'll be opposites, reflecting their different personalities, such as Duffy's recent solo, 'Of What Could Be,' and Ruby's, 'Of What Once Was.'

Cydnar is all about high gothic gloom and doom, shadows and dust and furious endeavours.

Abhorrash I've decided to go for a set theme, each thread title will be three words long, the last word will end in -y. I.e - Dealing With Idolatry, Confronting With Calamity etc.

Jennifer is seasonal, her being a druid.

I've just realised I'm anally retentive...yay!

[Not]

I like to see each thread as a chapter in the character's life and so I try to name them as if I was naming the chapters of a book. This still leaves a lot of open endedness as to what they could be and very well may be lyrics or location realted though it all depends on what I feel the story that is about to be told warrents.

[Amaril Torrun]

Carefully.

[Aiko]

It just comes to me over the course of making the outline for my thread.

[The Divide]

I guess whatever seems appropriate at the time, so I just let it flow. If you put too much time into picking a title...you are probably trying too hard.

[Silence Sei]

I just kind of randomly string words together in my head until something sounds good.


Maybe 'Moose chess cheeseburger' was not the best idea ever..... :P

[Revenant]

Maybe 'Moose chess cheeseburger' was not the best idea ever..... :P

Or maybe it was the BEST THREAD TITLE EVER!!!!

Probably not.

[Hysteria]

I generally refference something, or use a pun or double entendre in relation to my characters or the quest. For example, with one of my characters with the name Rak, the thread was 'Rak'n up some kills'. Others include 'Spleunker me up baby!' where the characters fell into an underground series of caverns, 'Water to wine….? kids stuff.' and so on. Something a little silly, not taking itself too seriously, much like my RPing.

[Alydia Ettermire]

I like to pick a title that is basically the essence of the thread. It might not have anything to do with any given part of the thread (although it normally does), and sometimes the connection jumps out at you with just one line in the story.

In other words, most of my threads tend to be Exactly What It Says On The Tin (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin).

[Knave]

I go with whatever sounds good, I have an awesome memory for things like that and I tend to put them together. Sometimes they'll run the idea of the post, other times they are just way out there... I like good rhetoric.

[Sweet Polly Oliver]

Every time I go to the "who's online" Duffy is looking at THIS thread! Every time!

Why!?

It is one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of all Althanas I fear...

[Slayer of the Rot]

I steal it from whatever playlist I'm listening to.

A favorite has always been Ice Pick Gag Reflex.

[Knave]

Wow, the departed Polly is write! He does look in here a lot.

[Atzar]

I go for one-word titles. It's entertaining to me to try to encapsulate the story in one word, and even more entertaining if I manage to come up with a good one that makes the reader think. But I suppose that last one is a waste; it's not like anybody actually reads anybody else's work anyway.

[Arai]

*Uses Phoenix Down*

TOPIC REVIVAL!

I typically use a song for my titles. If no such song fits the current topic I use whatever sounds catchy.

[orphans]

I sneeze on a piece of paper and I look at the pretty pattern that it makes...

.... not really, but I can pretend!

Titles for me are usually chosen after I have most of the the story/thread thought out, or I try to have to title encompass the meaning of the thread, or hint at something deeper that isn't explained in the thread or story.... but keeping the title in mind while reading it might reveal something else?

Yeah.... I make no sense, go me :D

[Lord Anglekos]

Sometimes I take song titles, but I try not to. Usually, I try to find phrases or words that sum up what I want for the thread in general. That's about it.