On an administration note...

1) From Monday I will be wrapping myself in bacon to be silverblue's temporary minion for 6 weeks. Don't expect much news from me for a while.

2) From Tuesday lunchtime until the weekend, don't try to contact me by SMS. I'm expecting about 100 Census Notifications, so any other SMSs will get lost in the rush. Email or ring me :-)

3) For the next two days I shall be cooking up a storm for food to last next week. Pies. Casseroles. Lasagne. Nom...

Fanfiction Meme - Day 17

17 – Titles – Are they the bane of your existence, or the easiest part of the fic? Also, if you do chaptered fic, do you give each chapter a title, or not?

Second part first - I rarely give chapters names, although I might for the large novel.

As to titles generally, it varies. Some drop in my lap, some are given to me by my husband (The sick, warped and twisted lederhosen), and some never really get there and I'm still not happy with them. I do have to say I'm not at all satisfied with the sshg_exchange title this year, whereas last year's luciusbigbang one (Still Life With Dogs) was perfect, with three or more meanings in it. Summer's Lease had the classical link and fitted that story well, too.

What I look for is a title that will give an idea of the feel of the story without giving away any twists. Sometimes a simple description of the situation is the best (The Longest Day, A Cold December, 1977), whereas sometimes I can find one or two words that to me hit the theme without it being too obvious (Legacy). And if I can find a slightly obscure word that will have people curious, all the better (Maquette).

And as I know what a huge quantity of fic is out there, I do get frustrated when I can't think of a title that will catch the reader's eye and encourage them to look. Alas, a lot of my titles fit that description.

( All the questions behind the cut so that you don't get bored - but you can find them when you want them. )