On
Naming a Novel
The
naming of my firstborn child took time, and I only carried her 9
months. My husband and I searched for a unique name, uncommon but
stylish, that couldn't easily be made into a silly nickname.
Websites, the Baby Book of Names, family, and friends presented
suggestions. Once we had it, the perfect first name...we needed a
middle name. That one didn't surface until a few weeks before stork
time.
Choosing
my novel's name took about as much time, even though it took longer
for the publishing stork to deliver my book to the world. And my
hubby didn't have as much say.
The
title of a book is critical. It needs to capture attention. Be
unique. Intriguing.
How
does one come up with a title? For Inside
Voices,
this was a painstaking process. I wasn't giving birth to an unknown
entity that I would love unconditionally. I was writing a story that
lived in my head. I already knew the characters intimately. Listened
to their conversations—held conversations with them. I didn't like
all my characters. And half the time, I thought the writing should be
thrown in the trash.
It
seems to me now that the title should have been obvious. But while I
was writing, one didn't come screaming into existence. So I
brainstormed...and came up with three pages of options.
The Journey of
Penny Osborn
Polar Bear
Watch
The Art of
Telepathy
Night of the
Polar Bear
In Spirit
Rise of the
Bear
In My Thoughts
Mental
Identity
Penny Osborn,
the Polar Bear and the Serial Killer
Penny for Your
Thoughts
Inside Voices
Voices Inside
A Tale of
Telepathic Twins
My
husband despises the word "telepathy," so it was easy to
cross out those options. I guess he had more say than I thought.
I
circled my favorites and said them out loud while alone. Then I
shared my top picks with the family, who each gave their vote and
opinion. Offered varied options. No one liked Inside
Voices at
first. Or on the second, third, or fourth go around. But I held on to
it. Left it alone and revisited the list from time to time. After a
few weeks that included internet searches for books with similar
titles, I made my selection.
It
was an exciting process. Now that I had a name, my story was
OFFICIAL.
Inside
Voices. A
story that centers around telepathic identical twins. Doesn't say
much about polar bears or serial killers, but then a title can't
reveal every plot twist in so few words.
I
polled a group of authors to find out how they went about selecting
titles. The vast majority of those who responded selected "brainstorm
alone." A few chose "brainstorm with others." The sole
author/publisher of the group selected "let publisher decide."
I
offered a fourth choice: the use of a random generator. There are
many available on the internet, and I was curious if the other
authors I polled ever used them. One author commented utilizing a
generator for band names and another for character names. None used
them for title suggestions.
See https://kindlepreneur.com/free-book-title-generator-tools/.
I played around with a few for fun and could see possible
usefulness.
Ultimately,
the book title should be eye-catching, fitting, unique. Right? I
think Inside
Voices works.
I hope you do too!
Inside
Voices by Sarah Davis
The mind is a strange beast...extraordinary, unpredictable, protective.
Penny Osborn's mind is no exception. In High
School, Penny witnessed a massacre and lost her father to the same
killers. She had seen it unfold before it happened, in a premonition,
but could not prevent it.
A college research project at the edge of the
Arctic is her chance for a new beginning. Struggling with PTSD,
Penny's therapy includes running, dogs, and guitars. Yet her fresh
start is plagued by new premonitions, dark and foreboding, that
coincide with a rising number of murders in the community. Her
visions are vague, offering little to identify the killer.
When confronted with an orphaned polar bear
cub, Penny risks everything to save its life. The deepening mystery
of the murdered women, coupled with the exhaustive duties of caring
for the small cub, draw her closer to her friend, Noah, and further
from her sister.
Fearful for the serial killer's next target,
Penny discovers where her physical abilities can help her.
Will letting go of the past lead to healing?
And can she stop the murders?
http://mybook.to/insidevoices
Sarah Davis is many things...wife, mother,
veterinarian, writer. An avid reader, she enjoys stories that
transport her into new and exciting lands. Having read more books
than she could ever count, she has considered writing a novel for
ages. It wasn't until the idea for "Inside Voices" popped
into her mind that she finally started pursuing that dream, with much
encouragement from her family. She and her incredible husband share
their remote home on the prairie with their three extraordinary
children and one mostly human weimaraner.
Blog:
www.sarahdavisauthor.com
Facebook Author
page: https://www.facebook.com/sarahdavisdvm/
Facebook Personal
page: https://www.facebook.com/sarahshoarse
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/SarahDavisAuth1
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/pennyosborn10/
https://www.instagram.com/sarahdavisdvm/
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