| No matter how fantastic the short story
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| | another story of the same name. They can
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| you have written may be, without a catchy
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| | be similar without being exact.
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| title the chances are good that an editor
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| | So how do you spark your creativity to
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| will not read it. The title is the most
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| | come up with the perfect title for your
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| important part of the story as this is
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| | story? The following are a handful of
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| what first captures the reader's
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| | ways to awaken your muse.a. A short line
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| attention.
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| | of dialogue or a memorable sentence from
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| A good title should grab the reader and
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| | your story can sometimes be the right
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| make them wonder what the story is about.
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| | choice.b. A common phrase or expression
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| A bad title will probably cause the
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| | can often be found that sums up the theme
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| reader to skip the story altogether. This
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| | of your story. Or use a play on words,
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| holds true when submitting your stories
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| | where only one element of the phrase is
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| for publication. Editors are busy people
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| | changed.c. Borrow a line from an
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| and will pass on the story, often without
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| | established work. Look at Shakespeare,
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| reading the first sentence, if your title
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| | the Bible or other well known book, song
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| doesn't capture their interest.
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| | or movie.d. Use one your main characters'
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| The title of your story will tell the
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| | names. Think along the lines of 'Tom
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| editor a lot about your creativity. If
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| | Sawyer' or Stephen King's 'Christine'.e.
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| your title is strong, an editor will be
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| | Likewise, your title can be your setting.
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| more likely to look at your story with a
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| | Think of Brokeback Mountain, Lost in
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| positive attitude.
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| | Space, etc...f. A good title can convey
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| So how do you come up with a good title?
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| | the main idea of your story. 'Misery' or
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| Below is a small list of tips to help you
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| | 'Legends of the Fall' are good
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| come up with an attention grabbing title.
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| | examples.g. Use word association to link
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| 1. Keep it short, no more than four or
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| | together elements of the story.h. Allow
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| five words. Even two or three word titles
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| | the action to determine the name. By
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| are generally more than enough. If you
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| | adding an 'ing' to the first word, you
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| can come up with a single word that
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| | can come up with a catchy title. Some
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| conveys something about your story, even
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| | examples of this could be Chasing
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| better.
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| | Rainbows or Dreaming Life Away.
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| 2. Avoid boring titles. Don't name your
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| | Often, you can spend hours coming up with
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| story something like 'The Monster' or
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| | a title only to have the editor change it
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| 'The Sea' as these are dull and boring,
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| | after accepting the story for
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| and too generalized. Instead, try for
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| | publication. Sometimes the new title will
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| something that evokes emotion. 'Under the
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| | make little sense to you. While you may
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| Bed' would be a good title for a scary
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| | think your title is perfect, the editor
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| story and 'High Tides' works better for a
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| | knows the publication's readers well and
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| story based on the ocean.
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| | may think the alternative is a better
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| 3. Make sure your title fits your genre.
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| | choice. And while this may irk your ego,
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| Don't name a whodunit with a title that
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| | knowing the story will be published is
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| could be confused with a romance story.
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| | its own reward.
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| 4. Make your title easy to remember. This
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| | However you come up with the title to
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| is another reason to keep the title
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| | your short story, remember it is the
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| short. Use your creativity to come up
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| | first impression the editor will have
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| with something catchy that relates to the
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| | about your writing abilities. Like the
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| theme, the action, or the characters of
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| | logline to a screenplay or the first
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| the story. A memorable title allows your
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| | paragraph of a novel, the title should
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| readers to recommend your story to
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| | represent the story they are about to
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| others.
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| | read. At the end of the day, you want the
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| 5. Research the title you come up with.
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| | editor to remember your story and place
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| Although titles are not copyrighted, you
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| | it in the 'accepted for publication'
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| don't want your story confused with
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| | stack on their desk.
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