One book leads to another...

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Doom of the Fizzling Sizzle!




Sometimes all it takes is a little encouragement.  Sometimes we need a little more. 

Insecure Writers Support Group (brainchild of the indomitable Alex Cavanaugh!) is all that and then some!  Stop on by and see for yourself the first Wednesday of every month! :-)

Suppose a title came to you in a dream, or while you were waiting on an oil change but by the time you sat down, ready to run with it you found that your muse had lapsed into a coma. 

Does your finger hover over the backspace button; ready to obliterate your epic title? Sure, you could throw the baby out with the bath water or you could simply set it aside. You know there’s a story, a poem, something you wanted to write, so go for it!  Nevermind the title, for now.  Besides, you can still backspace (or delete) later, or change it to fit what you’re actually writing. 

I can’t tell you how liberating it was when I finally learned that. No really, it was ridiculous (even laughable now) for me think that just because I came up with a title I had to stick with it. After all, isn’t revision part of the process? 

In fact it was nearly a smoldering cow pie once, when an editor loved the story but hated the title.  Turned out it was only one word she didn’t like.  Capers.  The word just didn’t sizzle, she said.  Sigh.  And then she suggested a word that summed the story and crackled it right off the page! “Tortilla Bandits” was a great success and further proof (as if I needed it – ha!) that editors do know their business:-) 

Happy “Be Kind to Editors and Writers Month”!


SIZZLE! SIZZLE!
Neil Eskelin,   Afterhours Inspirational Stories
Everyone likes excitement. When people bubble with personal energy, others enjoy being around them. Business firms like to hire a staff that brings zest to the establishment. Some national restaurant chains, for example, train their staff to form an impromptu ensemble and sing "Happy Birthday: or "Happy Anniversary" to their customers on special occasions. It produces more than noise. People keep coming back.
One restaurant, knowing how people respond to excitement, devised a special plan. When a customer ordered a steak dinner, the chef placed the meal on a hot steel plate. Then, just before the waiter left the kitchen, he would drop an ice cube on the platter.
The waiter was instructed, "Walk slowly to the table. We want everyone to hear the sound of that hot platter." It wasn't the steak that was sizzling, but the ice. The plan worked like instant advertising. If customers were in the process of ordering, they'd hear that sound and choose a steak. The sizzle produced the sale.
Today, think creatively. Ask yourself, "How can I add some excitement to what I plan to deliver?" 

Do you ever have a title in mind before you begin the story? Do you agree the title is the all-important Emissary of your book?




                             

23 comments:

  1. Sometimes I come up with a title right away. Other times, it doesn't come until I'm half-way through my WIP or editing it. The original title of Hurricane Crimes was The Hurricane Criminal. Not so good. lol

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    1. I do like the wait-and-see approach, it's a lot less stress ;-)
      "Hurricane Crimes" is definitely an intriguing title!

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  3. I've never stuck with my working title unless it's in a series. Editors do know their stuff. Thanks for the heads up to say Happy Editors Month to my partner in crime. (Quite literally my partner in crime, I write mysteries.)

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    1. That's a good M.O., Adrienne! Things can always change :-)
      Ooh! I love mysteries!

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  4. I'm so glad her dislike of one word didn't throw the whole thing off. Happy it worked out. :)

    Edge of Your Seat Stories

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    1. Thanks, Raquel! I'm glad I didn't blow the whole thing over one word - ha!

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  5. Funny how one word can make all the difference.
    Welcome to the IWSG!

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    1. It sure did for me that time! Thanks for the welcome, Alex - I've been thinking I was already in the group for two months now! Glad I finally got it right;-)

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  6. I usually either start with a title that amuses me, and that acts as a sort of writing prompt all on its own, or the title is last. I do like the word "bandits."

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    1. More of a prompt, I think that's it exactly, Shannon!
      Honestly, changing the word to 'Bandits' was the perfect finishing touch and I'm so glad we did:-)

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  7. When I wrote my first novel ( if you could call it that) I stuck with the same title and was as stubborn about the title as I was the entire manuscript. I've learned a lot in the past couple of years and my writing has improved as well as my ability to handle criticism. The book I'm working on now has a working title just so I have something to label it, but I've already grown tired of it and it doesn't fit the theme . Each time a new title pops in my head I write it down . I won't choose the title, I don't think until I've finished revising.

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    1. I know just what you mean, Melissa.
      I've come to appreciate the concept of "working title" a lot more than I once did :-)
      I'm actually ready to rock with a new YA, but am in the same position as you are with the title! Oddly enough, after changing my mind several times, the very first choice is beginning to sound like best - ha!

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  8. Howdy Folks and happy Friday!
    Hey, I'm over at http://writewithfey.blogspot.com/ today - come on over and give us a shout!

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  9. It's amazing how many things have come to me when I've been sleeping. One morning I woke up and write an odd, but delightful poem. I have no idea where the inspiration came from, it really just flowed out of my brain. To this day, I'm still waiting for someone to come running up to me and claim I plagiarized it. I mean, it came to me that fast, I must have heard it somewhere, it couldn't possibly be mine.

    As for revision, I have come to rely on it a great deal. When I can't think of a great title, I'll put a 'place holder' on it. Name it something stupid until I get a better idea. Same thing for parts of the actual story. I don't know about anyone else, but there have been many times I'll write a piece at the beginning of the story, and by the end of the story I need to go back and change the first part a great deal.

    Sizzle - Love that trick. Now if I can just find the thing that will make my series sizzle, to attract other readers..

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    1. Aw, give your muse some credit:-) Especially sneaking around at night like they do - ha! I bet that delightful poem is in fact, delightfully yours :-)

      I've had to go go back and tweak beginnings too, and I don't mind revising in the course of tying it all together. Though I admit, sometimes I feel like I spend more time revising than writing in general - ha!

      Do you have a working title for your series yet?

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    2. It's, it's called 'Writer's Block'. I've been self publishing it to my blog. I've uploaded the first two in the series and working on the third now.
      Again, insecurity. Self publishing to my blog because I don't think it would ever be well received. Even for the YA story, that it is.

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    3. Horse feathers! It's a great story and I've only read a few chapters so far.
      Fact is, you're welcome to share with us at Streampebbles if you so desire :-)
      It's not at all unusual to feel insecure but you'll never know if you can swim if you don't get your feet wet.:-)
      As time goes on I'm sure you'll find (if you haven't already) how natural writing will become and how pleasing to YOU it will feel.
      Write on, my friend, you're doing just fine :-)

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    4. I absolutely LOVE writing. I have for many years. To be honest, the series was already written about 25 years ago when I was in High School. We didn't even have blogs back then, I just typed it out on a typewriter and passed it around to my friends. Problem with that, my writing has vastly matured since then and I love the new spin I've been putting on things. One of these days, I may post the full and complete, original first draft. Wow it truly was a mess.

      And I think you taking a look and the kind words. I think part of the reason I've been posting it to my blog IS because I finally am ready to have others take a look at it. Your words mean a lot to me.

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  10. If I don't come up with a title right away, I REALLY struggle. Lately, I've been coming up with titles first (not intentionally. They just come to me) and I'm really happy about that because otherwise, it would take me a very long time to come up with something that fits (and something that's snazzy).

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    1. Or, shall we say Jazzy? Ha! Good to see you, Quanie :-) Been thinking of you...
      Seems like I'm always thinking of titles but if I don't jot a least a little something as to where I was going with it I have no idea what the heck I was thinking later!

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  11. I'm the opposite. The title is usually the very last thing to come to me, as in after writing and revising an entire book! Well, I say come to me - it's more like I have to go after it with a net, a big stick, and other cunning traps. I like the sizzle story.

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    1. Ha - A net and a big stick - I love it! How do you refer to a story without a title? I mean in terms of finding it in your documents, etc...
      Thanks for stopping by, NIck :-)

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