The book title. Good book titles pull you in. "Snow Crash," "Neuromancer," "Starship Troopers." As it turns out, good book titles are a huge pain to come up with. In my academic writing, I always came up with the title of the paper once I had finished writing it. Retrospection allowed me to come up with a fitting descriptor to apply; a name that would encapsulate the main point of the text. I always thought I would do the same with my first novel, "Jupiter Symphony." Then I found out that coming up with a title after writing 120,000+ words about multiple topics and characters is a monumental challenge. Should an author be expected to have a title for their work before they've finished it? What about before they begin it?
My second manuscript, currently rolling past the 30,000 word mark and growing, was a little different. I had a more unified theme, and a clearer picture of where the book would go. The novel also has a more narrow scope in both plot and characters. It's not less of a book, just more laser focused on a specific niche: military power armor pilots, and what war does to a person. That being said, early on I already had a few ideas of what I wanted for the title, but I haven't settled on anything yet. Once I do, I'll be putting up a new page on my website to start sharing information about this new book that I am excited for.
Interestingly, my third book is a rough concept and a single paragraph, but I already have the title. Perhaps that is progress on my part, but I think it has more to do with the fact that the more you create your own written universe, the easier it is to expand further into it and explore it further. I was nearly done with my first novel when I came up with a concept for the second. I had just started the second when I knew what the third one would be. Ideas beget ideas, if you work at growing them.
Titles are a challenge. I don't think I'll ever like one of my book titles, but to not have one would just make things confusing (oh, and also make sales practically impossible). As I said in my previous blog post on best practices, it's important to identify areas where you struggle and work to improve upon them. Turns out I didn't realize coming up with titles was a weakness until I thought about it.
In other news, "Jupiter Symphony" is on track to be published this winter. If you're thinking of giving someone an interesting holiday gift, keep in mind affordable novels by emerging authors. Cover art will be developed in the coming weeks, and I will have it up on the website immediately thereafter, replacing the bland, default header atop each page. Because I am writing my second novel concurrently, I'm shooting for a 2014 spring or summer release. I'll be sure to keep things posted on acharrison.com.
A.C. Harrison
Support indie authors! Like me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
My second manuscript, currently rolling past the 30,000 word mark and growing, was a little different. I had a more unified theme, and a clearer picture of where the book would go. The novel also has a more narrow scope in both plot and characters. It's not less of a book, just more laser focused on a specific niche: military power armor pilots, and what war does to a person. That being said, early on I already had a few ideas of what I wanted for the title, but I haven't settled on anything yet. Once I do, I'll be putting up a new page on my website to start sharing information about this new book that I am excited for.
Interestingly, my third book is a rough concept and a single paragraph, but I already have the title. Perhaps that is progress on my part, but I think it has more to do with the fact that the more you create your own written universe, the easier it is to expand further into it and explore it further. I was nearly done with my first novel when I came up with a concept for the second. I had just started the second when I knew what the third one would be. Ideas beget ideas, if you work at growing them.
Titles are a challenge. I don't think I'll ever like one of my book titles, but to not have one would just make things confusing (oh, and also make sales practically impossible). As I said in my previous blog post on best practices, it's important to identify areas where you struggle and work to improve upon them. Turns out I didn't realize coming up with titles was a weakness until I thought about it.
In other news, "Jupiter Symphony" is on track to be published this winter. If you're thinking of giving someone an interesting holiday gift, keep in mind affordable novels by emerging authors. Cover art will be developed in the coming weeks, and I will have it up on the website immediately thereafter, replacing the bland, default header atop each page. Because I am writing my second novel concurrently, I'm shooting for a 2014 spring or summer release. I'll be sure to keep things posted on acharrison.com.
A.C. Harrison
Support indie authors! Like me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
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