Wanted: One Intriguing Title
Yes, it’s that time again! My work-in-progress, which I’ve been calling The Waif, needs a permanent title. My agent and editor and I are putting our heads together to come up with just the right title, but in the past you all have added some great ideas to the mix so I thought I’d ask for a little input. We have the added task this time of coming up with a title that will work in the United Kingdom and Australia as well as in the United States, because I’d like to put an end to duplicate titles for the same book. I’m discovering this is quite a challenge!
The story involves four people: four-year-old Bella, her twenty-three-year-old father, Travis, a thirty-four-year-old stranger to them both named Erin, and Bella’s mother, Robin, whom Bella has never seen. (I know…it’s already complicated!). The main thrust of the story is that Travis feels desperate and has to make a very difficult decision out of love and caring for Bella and then everything goes wrong. I don’t want to give away too much here!
Some of the ideas we’ve come up with, none of which I really like yet, are:
Somebody’s Child
Nobody’s Child
The Decision
The Plan
Leaving Bella
The Girl without the Dragon Tattoo (joking!)
The Choice
The Forgotten Child
My editor suggested possibly using a line from a nursery rhyme or fairy tale, so that might be fun to play with.
So, in addition to writing very, very fast, thinking about titles is how I’ll be spending my weekend. Feel free to join me!
Will the nursery rhyme work in all countries??I have to admit all the titles and new covers r confusing. My friends agree whether ordering the books or kindle online. One title will be great but beware they will prob ask u to change it on a few years. Good luck with the title. The ones listed sound great but since we don’t know more it would be difficult to choose…
from the picture given I thought immediately Little Miss Muffit so a play on that might work also When Things Go Wrong–Pray
Remebering the Child
Bella’s Time
Bella’s War
Bella’s Heart
Time for Bella
Fight for Bella
Heartfelt
Bella’s Day
Bella’s Love
A Flower for Bella
Bella & Donna (play on Belladonna)
Just some thoughts! Good luck finding your title.
rob walker
For the Sake of Bella
Choices:For the love of Bellla
Diane, how long do we have to wait for this book??? Well that is way too long…lol
Some ideas:
1) For The Love Of Bella
2) How Many Roads Must A Man Walk Down (Song Lyric – could describe Travis and the roads / decisions he is making in life)
3) Tug-of-War (from your description it sounds like Bella is stuck in the middle and that’s how I always felt as a child and described it as a tug-of-war with me in the middle and my parents on either side)
4) Little Girl Lost
5) Wednesday’s Child (like the nursery rhyme – Monday’s child is fair of face, Tuesday’s child is full of grace, Wednesday’s child is full of woe…)
Joanie, I like ‘Little Girl Lost’ and the Wednesday’s child idea. Diane, I think Nicholas Sparks already grabbed ‘The Choice.’
Loving Bella
Bella’s Promise
re The Choice: I don’t really like it, but titles can’t be copyrighted. There are many with that title. Luanne Rice also has a SUMMER’S CHILD.
These ideas are helping spark more for me! The book is suspenseful, so I need to make that clear in the title if I can. Denise, I suggested LOVING BELLA, but my editor wanted a more meatier word than ‘Loving.’
Still thinking!
I’m putting my thinking cap on all weekend Diane…will blog later and give some ideas.
Hey, Diane…How about Vagabond Girl ? 🙂
Hugs! T
I don’t think the titles with a character’s name works as well for novels as short stories
Wednesday’s child prob has nothing to do with plot
Diane you do a great job with your titles
Look at the trilogy. Perfect
Forgotten
Forgotten child
Those are haunting titles
I love the word Forgotten, but since Australia just released The Shadow Wife as The Forgotten Son, I can’t use it or I’ll just be adding to the confusion.
One of my favorite books ever
Mothers and daughters
My daughter gave it to me when she married
Nonfiction
Simple title memorable book
After a little thinking I like
FOR BELLA’S SAKE
Or
THE CHILD SAKE
But your readers had better ideas than mines. Just want to write on your blog!!!!!
Happy new year everyone
you can write here any time you like, Chantal!
Chantal-which of Diane’s books have you read? Which are your favorite SO FAR????
Maybe something like “A Father’s Fight” or a couple song lyrics/titles that come to mind are “Daddy’s Hands” or “All I have to be, is my daughter’s father”- not that the lyric works that well, i just like the song 😛
Can’t wait for this book, or the next one or any of them 😛
Bella’s Dream(s)
My Bella
Fighting for Bella
Someday with Bella
Bella Lugosi 🙂
Here’s a few:
SECOND THOUGHT
BY HER SIDE
ONLY SECOND NATURE
HIDDEN TRUTH
WITH HER FATHER
UNDER HIS WATCH
HIS SECOND THOUGHT
NO REGRETS
I’s still thinking…(-O:
A few more:
DAUGHTER OF MINE
MATTER OF CHOICE
DEEP IN HIS HEART
WE ARE BOUND
REMEMBER WHEN
LOST IN INNOCENCE
I REMEMBER WHEN
EYES OF INNOCENCE
LOOKING BACK
STOLEN MOMENT
A DIFFERENT PATH
Margo, you’re a virtual title machine! My favorite so far is Denise’s “Bela Lagosi,” but I don’t think my editor will go for it.
Seriously, this brainstorming is a huge help. I’m still playing around, but you’ve all taken me in some new directions. . .
Just when you think I’m done, I’m not:
FATHER, BE MY SHELTER
TRANSITION
Diane, these titles may not fit since I don’t know much about the story, but hopefully they give you ideas…I’m always thinking of titles for my paintings so once I start coming up with possibilities, I can’t stop. (-O:
If the mother is coming back into the picture
My daughter
My child
For the child
Someone may have said that bit I love it
For The Child
For My Daughter
Everything to Lose
Lost and Found
Letting Go
For the Best
The Best He Could
Too Little, Too Late
‘Twinkle twinkle little Star’
Is there another Brenda on the website
Wow. That is great
I am the one friends with Margo
I have the little green thing before my name
Not the purple
Two Brendas! lovely!
i sent a bunch of these titles to my editor along with some I came up with, but she’s not crazy about any of them. Our favorite so far is Karen’s ‘Everything to Lose’. That gets across the suspense element I may not have made clear in my little synopsis. We’ll see what happens!
Diane, somehow the ‘suspense element’ did not sink in for me…here’s a few more:
SAVING HER LIFE
FINAL DECISION
WALK SLOWLY MY DAUGHTER
EDGE OF DAY
STEP SLOWLY
CHANGE OF LIGHT
LOST IN THE LIGHT
AN UNEXPECTED CURVE
TORN
I did not get the suspense either sorry
I am sure you check amazon before you choose a title
I know they ard not copyrighted
Check everything to lose
Great great title but…
I do not think it matters unless the title is recent
Teachers were talking today about loving series novels and simple titles
I think that is why some of us remember your trilogy and Annie better than
others. I love A Different Path
Memorable. Simple
Brenda, when I was brainstorming for titles this past weekend, A DIFFERENT PATH was my favorite too…(-O:
The Bridge To Bella
The Gate To/For Bella
Travis means gatekeeper or toll collector of a bridge or ford.
Bella’s Bridge
Bella’s Gate
Bella’s Key
The Key To My Heart
Interesting concept, Beth! Thanks for playing.
Not sure if you’ve chosen a title yet, but I wanted to throw some out there. I actually like your working title, “The Waif”. Any chance you could use that in the mix of something else, like Bella’s Waif (b/c she’s a waif but she also has her own castaway hopes and it ties in with “wait” for what she’s waiting for). Or Wanted Waif or Losing Bella or Lost Waif.
Oh what the heck… I’ll play.
(Nursery Rhymes/Lullaby inspired)
Eeny Meeny Miny Moe
Life is But a Dream
Ring Around the Roses
All Through the Night
Baby Mine
Angela, when I mentioned the title The Waif on FB, several people didn’t know what it meant, so it’s a no-go, unfortunately.
Thanks for playing, Corey Ann!
Just tuned in…
TURN AROUND SLOWLY
Just thiking out loud here:
Beloved Bella
Believing in Bella
Bella’s Soul
Hey! Catching up on your blog and a few ideas came to me for a title:
Watching from the Shadows (as children always do)
End of the Sky (heard it once as a description as to where a “lost” child seemed to be staring)
Robin’s Nest? (not sure about using a character’s name, though)
Thanks, Connie. We’re still working on it. . .