How to Choose Your Book Title (Or Not)

If you follow me on Twitter, you already know my struggle with title-picking. Let's think about this logically: a book can be anywhere from 20,000 words to 80,000 words, and as writers, we are supposed to shrink down this whole monster (which by the way, we've labored and sweat over) into 1 or 2 or 6 words. That's like trying to put a mountain in your pocket. GOOD LUCK. Oh, and don't forget: it has to have a message or stand out or bake you cookies or something. Exhausted yet? Want to give up?

If you want to know how to choose your book title, well, you probably shouldn't have come to me, because as it stands, I don't have a title. And I don't see that happening anytime soon. (By that I mean in the next 48 hours. But 49 hours? Yeah... probably not then either.) So why is it so hard for us to pick a title? Because it's an identifier. It's the sum of all that hard work. Sometimes, writers start with a title and find a story to fit. You people are lucky. Still, I think it's easier (ish) to build a story and have it find its title along the way. Maybe it's a second draft thing? Anyway, here are some random techniques I've come up with for title-picking:

Write Down Every Idea. I am a big believer in the iPhone notes section. I have one for book plot ideas, one for quotes from friends/random strangers/etc, and one for title ideas. At this moment, I have approximately 130 title ideas, most of which I hate. So why do I keep them? A few reasons. By keeping the junk ideas, it helps me get to the heart of what I'm trying to talk about. It's giving me a focus. Also, I can mix and match bad titles and hopefully come up with something good. Maybe I'll even get a better idea from the junk pile.

Pay Attention to Words. I'm somewhat of a word collector these days. Like petrichor, which is the word for that after-rain smell. Not that I'm going to use that in my title, but you know, you could. If you pay attention to words, the light bulb in your head might just freak out and it'll be like EUREKA. Yep. BAM. Title. Did you understand any of that gibberish? No? I'm basically just saying you need words to make a title. But you already knew that.

Borrow or "Steal" Titles. You probably already stopped reading, but if you didn't, just calm down. I'm not telling you to name your book "Harry Potter" or "Gone with the Wind" or something. Think about the books that you love and look for structure. For example, Harry Potter is "Name of Character and Situation." The Great Gatsby? Proves the importance of alliteration. This is Where I Leave You? Hey, that's a full sentence. Take structures and fit your own words into it. You never know what might happen.

When all else fails, pick a title out of a hat. Name it "TBD" or "Untitled." Just pick a random word. "Button." There. That's my title. (Just kidding. I think.) I mean, what's in a title, anyway? When you think about Harry Potter, you're not thinking about the name of the book. You're picturing the characters, remembering the story, remembering how it makes you feel. In the long run, a title is a title. It's your story that people are going to remember.

Write More, Edit Less

Write More

photo by Oleh Slobodeniuk

In so many ways, I'm still a baby writer. I haven't fully finished a manuscript yet and I'm only a year out of college. And now is where you think, "Umm, why am I listening to you?" And maybe you shouldn't. Run along, now. WAIT JUST KIDDING. Don't go. Anyway, here's the thing. We're all on this writer journey together. Whether you're half a book or twenty-eight books into your writer life, you're never "there." In writing, there is no end game. There is no finish line. There's a million little ones, which is great news for us, because there's always one more to cross.

Ok, enough with the lame metaphors. What I really want to talk about is the secret to writing. That's right. The one you've all been waiting for. Drum roll please. The more I write, the more I realize that I need to write. Huh? What?  When I first began to write, I agonized over every line, doing my best to make sure that everything sounded just right. Except, here's the thing: most of the time, it didn't. Why? Because it was a first draft! And that's what first drafts do. They don't work right away. So basically, I was spending all of this time trying to edit myself as I wrote my first draft, picking my words while I threw out ones that never even had the chance to make it onto the page.

THIS IS THE WORST THING YOU COULD DO. I lost so many good words, ideas and possibilities because I was so busy trying to sound "perfect" right away. Lesson learned, my friends. Here is what you really want to do: write more and edit less. Write more scenes that suck. Write more scenes that you hate yourself for later. Then, when the time is right, you can weed through all the junk and find the little glittery spots of "okay, awesome." When you write more, there's more room to grow. For instance, my main character Wendy originally started as a teacher. I've since then steered away from that, trying to place her in a super boring job (TBD). The way you get to know your story is by letting it shift from side to side on the page. If you keep it all in your head, it has nowhere to go.

Write More. My philosophy is pretty simple. If you write A LOT, then it's easy to edit later. You can cut the fat faster than you'd think, and save it for another project. You know what you can't do? Edit an empty page. I mean… if you can, then maybe you're a genie, in which case, I should be asking you for three wishes. Number one: Christmas all year round, 24/7. Number two… ok, I just remembered about this post I had to write. WRITE MORE. EDIT LESS. Writing is the fun part. Agreed? Editing is where we roll our eyes and kick the paper across the room. So it's in our benefit to write more when all of those creative juices are flowing. I never really liked that term. Creative juices. Bleh.

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The Best Notebooks for Writers

The Best Notebooks for Writers

Confession: I'm a notebook hoarder. I buy notebooks for both functionality and you know, if they're pretty, and I keep them stacked with my books. Lately, I've been writing everything by hand. So I'm breezing through my stockpile. And also icing my hand, because well, you get it.

Every writer has a different strategy. I'm definitely not here to tell you what's the "best" way, because that just doesn't exist. But if you're looking for ideas, here's a good list of the types of notebooks to keep:

Writing Notebook

I mean, this is pretty obvious right? This is where I keep my scenes, where I brainstorm, where I keep all my story stuff in one place. This might just be the most important of the best notebooks for writers, because it's where the magic happens.

Idea Journal

I'm always getting these different "what if's" and "if only's" that I need to write down or else they're gone forever. My brain works like that. If I don't write it down immediately, it's gone forever. Half of my story comes from these jotted down ideas, and it's important to keep them all gathered in one place.

Normal Journal

I've kept a diary (on and off) since I was nine or ten. Again, if I don't write things down, then I won't remember them. And the last thing I want to forget is my own life, am I right? If you're one of those people who can keep a daily journal - like my good pal, Emma Watson - then more power to you. There are all sorts of ideas that can stem from your own observations.

FreeWrite Journal

This is where you just write down everything and anything, no matter how crazy it is. You just sit there, and log your time or your word count, depending on how you work best. It's amazing what you can come up with when you just allow yourself the time.

Ok, I hope this post was helpful. I won't lie to you. I'm half-sleeping as I write this, which if you think about it, just proves how awesome I think you are. Right? Right.

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Writing Notebook: (INSERT NOVEL NAME HERE) Excerpt

Writing Notebook

Itty Bitty Intro

Inspired by my new hero, Ksenia Anske, a self-publisher with amazing insight, I decided to actually start sharing my writing. Why? Because I'm a writer. Writers write. Right? (Annoyed, yet? Still there? Ok sahweeeet.)

Below, you'll find my new work-in-progress. It's a New Adult novel about a girl, Wendy Lake, who finds herself in the midst of post-college life: friends headed down the aisle, moving back with her parents, and of course, the boy who broke and un-broke her heart (a pattern that just won't quit). It's told in two timelines: the present and the not-so-distant past.

Ok, enough talking from me. Take it away, Wendy.

Chapter Something, Scene Something

Being alone with Simon Guidry feels like stepping into a movie screen, like Dorothy when she steps into color, like Rose when she lifts the brim of her hat and sees the Titanic, the moment that Rick sees Ilsa again. Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, Simon Guidry stepped into mine.

My parents went to bed and for the first time in my life, I have the house to myself with a boy. Not just any boy. A boy who feels larger than life itself, a boy who feels like something someone has written into existence, a boy fixed out of stars.

The house swells with just the two of us to fill the living room, with its vaulted ceilings and wall of pure windows.

And he's looking at me. God. He smiles at me the way every person wants to be smiled at, like he’s been saving up this special construction of his face just for me.

“Sooooo,” he says.

We're both standing, he by the fireplace and I leaning against the couch, and I'm acutely aware of the space between us and how I'm gripping onto the cushion like a crutch.

Outside, it rains. We’ve opened the windows so that the sound of the rain amplifies, like a chorus of crackling fireworks.

And I think I can fall asleep in this moment, so I will never have to leave it. But this isn’t dreaming. This is living.

“Sooooo,” I repeat.

“I have an idea,” he says.

He moves to the light switch. Flips it off. He does this with the kitchen, hall and dining room lights as well, and all that remains is the ashen silhouettes of one another.

He walks over to me.

My body tenses while everything inside of me plummets.

“Want to watch the rain with me?”

The only light in view is outside, cutting diagonally against the curtain of rain like a spotlight. He takes my hand. My body reacts in a way I never knew bodies could, and I suddenly understand what everyone means by butterflies in your stomach and the feeling of catching fire.

He props the pillows up on the couch, and we settle ourselves next to each other, his arm supporting my head and snaking its way around my arm. I lean into him. I feel the way his chest lifts and falls, in sync with my own, and I know that I will never forget. I know that for the rest of my life, if there will ever be any other boys beyond this perfect one, it will never be quite like this.

Quietly, we lie.

And I’m thinking about love: falling, being and first. I don’t know much about it. I don’t know if the feeling of love is the same as being in love or if being in love means more than everything I know right here in this moment.

Because here in the dark, shrouded by rain, I am in love.

That's all, folks! I hope you enjoyed it. Please feel free to comment/critique/roast below!

Ten Best E-Books for Writers

Best E-Books for Writers

Resources, Resources, Resources

A writer's best weapon is his/her resources. As writers, we're called to be jugglers. Not only do we have to put in the writing time, we also have to research the market, keep up with our reading, and do our best to get published. It's an exhausting, exciting, slightly/always chaotic process, but we're writers, and this is what we do. I've found that looking to the greats who have already been there helps in so many ways. Below, you'll find my list of (mostly) free e-books for writers on writing. A few of these are currently saved on my laptop, and I highly recommend them!

Ten Best E-Books for Writers

1. You are a Writer by Jeff Goins. 

Jeff Goins is about as professional as they come. There are so many great resources that he provides to his readers, and this e-book ranks high among them. This is an ebook for writing first steps.

2. The (nearly) Ultimate Guide to Better Writing by Write to Done

With sections such as "How to Write Like an A-List Blogger" and "It's Time to Finish Your Book," this e-book gives A+ advice on all kinds of writing.

3. Let's Write a Short Story by Joe Bunting 

Joe Bunting, another one of my writer heroes, recognizes that the first step to publishing is short stories in this informative e-book. For a low price, this guide is a must.

4. The Quick Start Guide to Building Your Author Platform by Kimberley Grabas

Your Writer Platform, a blog by Grabas, helps writers create their platform at any point in their writing career, and this e-book provides even more of her poignant tips.

5. Creating Unforgettable Characters by K.M. Weiland

K.M. Weiland can do no wrong. In her free e-book, you can get to know your characters in a more intimate way, creating dimensional and believable heroes.

6. 279 Days to Overnight Success by Chris Guillebeau

I've just recently discovered Chris Guillebeau and fell in love. This e-book is a thorough guide to carving yourself into success. Great read.

7. Smashwords Book Marketing Guide by Mark Coker

Smashwords offers a simple, user-friendly guide on how to market your book in this staple e-book.

8. How to Write a Great Query Letter by Noah Lukeman

Query letters can make or break your future, and with so many articles and books out there on the subject, it can be overwhelming. Here's an e-book straight from a literary agent's mouth, a perfect tool for taking the next step.

9.500 Ways To Be a Better Writer by Chuck Wendig

With articles like "25 Reasons You Won't Finish That Story" and "25 Questions to Ask As You Write," this guide supplies writers with advice on every spectrum of the writing world.

10. What Publishers Want by Greenleaf Book Group

For every writer intending on publishing traditionally, this resource provides a fantastic view of books from the publishing side.