Stop the Presses! Writers Talking About Writing!
Thursday, September 7th, 2006 05:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rolanniThese are interesting takes on How To Write a Novel:
Justine Larbalestier started it
Jay Lake answered
Elizabeth Bear, too
While Bear's process comes closest to mine (except sometimes the book write itself, and sometimes the world comes first, and sometimes a scene that I Simply Must Write! and writing the book is only a means to achieve that scene -- which I usually, but not always, wind up editing out or changing entirely) -- I especially love Justine's advice to name the new work immediately, even if it must be changed later.
The story I'm not writing at the moment because I'm nattering on LJ while the roadies get the back room set up is entitled, "There's a star in the east on Christmas morn". I expect something shorter and perhaps even on-point will occur to me before I have to hand it over to mine co-author; if not, he'll have to title it.
As those who are regular readers of this journal will know, the novel now out to beta readers went by The Book Without a Name for quite some time.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kinzel suggested Carousel Tides, which has stuck this far, and may finish the race.
The book y'all know as Agent of Change was Val Con and Miri on Mars from concept until it was time to type a clean copy.
Likewise, Local Custom was known to its fond creators as Studmuffins of the Sex Star, while the sequel to Balance of Trade lives in real and present danger of being known as Lawyers, Guns and Money.
Sometimes, titles do stick from beginning to end: "Changeling" always was "Changeling," and so was "The Beggar King." The Tomorrow Log was titled long before plot or characters showed up, though it was known around the house as "Gem." The titles of all three Jen Pierce novels arrived with Jen -- she's organized that way.
Justine Larbalestier started it
Jay Lake answered
Elizabeth Bear, too
While Bear's process comes closest to mine (except sometimes the book write itself, and sometimes the world comes first, and sometimes a scene that I Simply Must Write! and writing the book is only a means to achieve that scene -- which I usually, but not always, wind up editing out or changing entirely) -- I especially love Justine's advice to name the new work immediately, even if it must be changed later.
The story I'm not writing at the moment because I'm nattering on LJ while the roadies get the back room set up is entitled, "There's a star in the east on Christmas morn". I expect something shorter and perhaps even on-point will occur to me before I have to hand it over to mine co-author; if not, he'll have to title it.
As those who are regular readers of this journal will know, the novel now out to beta readers went by The Book Without a Name for quite some time.
kinzel suggested Carousel Tides, which has stuck this far, and may finish the race.The book y'all know as Agent of Change was Val Con and Miri on Mars from concept until it was time to type a clean copy.
Likewise, Local Custom was known to its fond creators as Studmuffins of the Sex Star, while the sequel to Balance of Trade lives in real and present danger of being known as Lawyers, Guns and Money.
Sometimes, titles do stick from beginning to end: "Changeling" always was "Changeling," and so was "The Beggar King." The Tomorrow Log was titled long before plot or characters showed up, though it was known around the house as "Gem." The titles of all three Jen Pierce novels arrived with Jen -- she's organized that way.
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Date: 2006-09-07 10:16 pm (UTC)One of our books went by the work-in-progress name of "The Sons of Katie Elder on the Braes of Mar," which I have to admit wasn't so much a title as a plot summary.
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Date: 2006-09-07 10:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 10:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-07 10:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-08 12:31 am (UTC)Chortle!
Actually, Lawyers, etc. has promise. What would be thematic way to say this in Liaden? I would think that all three would have shadings that might indicate honest traders collide with mafia types....
The third Jen book isn't out, is it? (Checks PayPal balance... .)
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Date: 2006-09-08 01:48 am (UTC)Soon, though. I don't think
Lawyers, Guns and Money
Date: 2006-09-08 02:47 am (UTC)whoops!
Date: 2006-09-08 02:53 am (UTC)I'm still chortling over the stud muffins.
God I love you guys!
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Date: 2006-09-09 04:47 am (UTC)If the working title is any clue to the content, I predict it will be changed to something like Force of Law.
Doc
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Date: 2006-09-09 12:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-09 02:09 pm (UTC)Seems to me that if you worry about what all the other writers are doing so you can do something different, you'll never publish at all. I'm sure that others have used the same device in nameing stories before
As long as you're happy with the title, then don't worry about what someone else's title is.
Of course, your comment could just be an indication that for some other reason you're not happy with the title and I should just hush up and buy the book when it comes out...
Nah. Never been that good at not speaking my mind. :)
'Course I'll still buy the book...
Doc
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Date: 2006-09-10 12:56 am (UTC)This is very true. However... *looks at books on brag shelf* ...that doesn't seem to be a problem.
Also? I'm obviously not one of those writers who needs a firm title before they can go on.
And while the title you suggest is a good title, it may not be a good title for the book-to-be-written.
There's time to come up with a Grown-Up Title; it's good for a book to have a joke title while it's being built.