title // naming novels

I’m weird.

Before I ever write the book, the title always comes to me first. ALWAYS. I may change it later on, but I have never started a real book without first having the title.

If the Sky Fell, my first real book, was originally called Lost and Found. Classy name, I know, but it came to me along with the general idea before anything else. I may not have plot, theme or characters but I have a good title so . . . oh boy.

The Memory Jumper was always The Memory Jumper. I had a few pages written and already the title presented itself to me. Once I introduced the Beatles song Blackbird in there, I’ve been considering renaming it Blackbird which is a beautiful title but I feel The Memory Jumper is much more descriptive. You immediately get a feel for the book: probably sci-fi, a bit of action. It’s about a Memory Jumper . . .

To Follow Him is a version of the pied piper. The name only seemed natural. 

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So, how does one go about finding their novel name?

GLAD YOU ASKED.

My best method (usually how I end up discovering a second name for my novel) is to highlight all the quotable, colorful quotes in my novel. Ya know, the ones you’d put on bookmarks or tees. Then, pulll phrases from there.

If the Sky Fell is a perfect example. In one part of the story, Samantha explains that she feels like the sky is falling and no one can see it; no one is helping save her. That seemed to be the perfect all encompassing title. What would happen if the sky fell? Meet a girl who survived such a dramatic occurrence.

How do you name your novels?