tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post4011080509899782606..comments2024-03-27T23:55:17.673-07:00Comments on Flogging Babel: If All the World Loves a Lord, then Why Are Your Titles So Dull?Michael Swanwickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18389836784776252022noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-45064577069835495732013-05-09T07:15:58.528-07:002013-05-09T07:15:58.528-07:00Writing is a bear, but coming up with a good title...Writing is a bear, but coming up with a good title is a grizzly bear. The title of my only published story is "Cold Comfort," and it's the only title I was ever happy with. It's about a woman who is emotionally dependent on her (talking) refrigerator. <br /><br />I do think Dave Eggers (defintely non-SF) takes the prize for Best Title Ever with A HEARBREAKING WORK OF STAGGERING GENIUS. Carmen Webster Buxtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15147900857568933085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-86982170513847749842013-05-07T18:04:24.796-07:002013-05-07T18:04:24.796-07:00My favorite title, although not SF/F:
The Jewish-...My favorite title, although not SF/F:<br /><br /><i>The Jewish-Japanese Sex and Cook Book and How to Raise Wolves</i>, by Jack DouglasWolf Lahtihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02224957365394425997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-19362224555276088722013-05-06T17:02:48.628-07:002013-05-06T17:02:48.628-07:00I recently came across a book with the best damn t...I recently came across a book with the best damn title I've seen in a long time: THE DIRTY PARTS OF THE BIBLE - A NOVEL, by a guy named Sam Todore.<br /><br />Whatever else, the guy is a marketing genius.<br /><br />Judging from reviews, the book looks like it may actually be amusing -- have a copy, haven't read yet. Apparently a picaresque bildungsroman set in 1930's Hobo America. Brucehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14293116210969876175noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-14593223923308661102013-05-06T16:38:45.904-07:002013-05-06T16:38:45.904-07:00Whoops. Caught that one of those titles was used ...Whoops. Caught that one of those titles was used and changed it. I'm sure that "Road Kill" has also been used, but I'm leaving it in because a horror editor once told me that it was the single most common title in the slush pile. It made the editor's heart sink to see it.Michael Swanwickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18389836784776252022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-5340499073697685962013-05-06T15:53:09.009-07:002013-05-06T15:53:09.009-07:00James Tiptree's titles always impressed. "...James Tiptree's titles always impressed. "Love is the Plan, the Plan is Death," for example. "Her Smoke Rose Up Forever." Just reading a list of her titles arranged randomly is better than most poetry experiences I've had.<br /><br />My first story in Asimov's slated to appear in the September, 2013 issue, will be titled, "That Universe We Both Dreamed Of." My story scheduled for the December 2013 issue, is titled in Campbellian one word fashion, "Dignity," and is, I hope, somewhat more appealing than Lint. Though maybe not.<br /><br />The just completed novella i hope to sell to Asimovs was titled "The Cats from Copenhagen," for a long time, the only problem being, this title had almost nothing to do with the story as written. I still like it. Edwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17691910345694356205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1484180326012950400.post-27241316308801107912013-05-06T15:31:39.460-07:002013-05-06T15:31:39.460-07:00Speaking of "For I Have Lain Me Down on the S...Speaking of "For I Have Lain Me Down on the Stone of Loneliness, and I'll Not Be Back Again", your 2/11/2013 post about that story gets cut-off after you mention the title, and the rest of the post won't load. Strange error that I meant to bring up at the time; I've never gotten to read the rest of what you had to say.Fin Coehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11209735565108671462noreply@blogger.com