How'd you pick your story's title? Tell your story's...story

Leyelle 2024-02-07 17:26:32 UTC #1

So the original title was "Tic Tac Toe" based on a specific line from Chapter 3 "Ombre Walls" where she mentions having a lot of scars (and this is referenced again in a later chapter.):

I look like fate used my body as a scratch pad to play tic tac toe. Xs and Os are littered across the mottled canvas. Semi-mended puncture wounds from needles and IVs and about a million stitches stain me with the memories.

I trace the trauma tattoos, fingering each scar like I’m touching a stranger's body. I hate that thought, and I hate the feeling. An uncomfortable sense of alienation wriggles up my spine and worms its way into my chest. I want to get away from it - this - me.

I try to remember the proper name for this living dead vessel that insists on existing - carrying me forward into another day when I wish I could just curl up in a ball and wish reality away.

I can feel the faint pulse under my skin - the slight warmth - blooming roses in my cheeks - from the toasted air and the scented steam. But there’s no reason I should still be alive.

But my older brother suggested I rename the story after something that had a greater effect on the plot (and also redo the cover) we decided on "Damsel in the Red Dress" and it's infinitely better for a ton of reasons.

it's the painting that is mentioned in the very first chapter. it's the reason she won the award, and was on the road that night when the accident happened.
the painting itself was created based on one of the most miserable experiences of her life, and so many things stem from the fact that she made this painting, beyond the award show - it's basically the catalyst for the entire plot.
and last but definitely most: She IS the damsel in the red dress.

It just had to be that way. And I'm so glad I listened to my brother and changed the title because it literally stands for everything the story is.

(Art by Mariel Leister)

(I went a bit more in-depth on the topic here:

https://forums.tapas.io/t/this-is-your-celebrity-interview-q-a-and-answers-to-questions-no-one-asked/80697/4?u=leyelle

Animal508 2024-02-07 17:34:39 UTC #2

I originally just had Reincarnated as a Rock. I wanted to add some distinction and redundancy to it, so I added "In Another World" to the end.

2DLenzy 2024-02-07 18:06:03 UTC #3

I've talked a lot about how "Friar Chicken" became a thing, so instead, here's a short comic on how that happened, and how that idea kinda spiraled out of control:

(pardon my avatar, been a minute since I drew it)

KevinReijnders 2024-02-07 18:10:44 UTC #4

The comic shares the same title as its original animated short. While originally sporting the working title "Relics", because Kyara was a treasure hunter seeking ancient relics, I changed it to Trespasser, because she Trespasses on enemy property. And that's pretty much it 🤣

I even went a step further and called the first chapter of Trespasser "the Trespasser" because introducing Kyara was the main focus, and was me reworking the plot of the old animated short to comic form

skidiggy 2024-02-07 19:01:23 UTC #5

The title is what initially drew me to your story. Although, I would have also read "Tic Tac Toe" if that were the title.

My story's title is a shout-out to horticulture fans, and also an Easter Egg for both the premise and a few spoilers. As of this writing, no one has called out what "Apparent Secrets" refers to.

Leyelle 2024-02-07 19:07:50 UTC #6

horticulture? isn't that raising plants?

llobucervallince 2024-02-07 19:31:00 UTC #7

Train thoughts are a wonderful thing ain't it

llobucervallince 2024-02-07 19:34:14 UTC #8

Look I either called the comic his name or "that fucking hare"

allisoncandraw 2024-02-07 19:39:02 UTC #9

My friend Nick actually came up with "Signs Point to Bobbie"

I was trying to make a title that related to my MC being deaf. But the only things I came up with were too corny. So I asked my group chat what they thought and boom, Nick gave me the perfect title.

Leyelle 2024-02-07 19:44:55 UTC #10

i basically did the same thing, but it was my family i spit-balled with, and my brother gave me the perfect title

midnightsun 2024-02-07 19:52:08 UTC #11

The title Irrevenant actually comes from a vampire hunter organization that will appear later in my story. Revenant means to return from the dead, and the prefix ir- represents reversing that (aka returning the dead to their graves)

julias_art_universe 2024-02-07 20:16:15 UTC #12

My Matchmaker From Hell is pretty self explanatory. Zora is Sorin's matchmaker and they're a demon so they're from hell. My titles are typically pretty straightforward I don't add a ton of symbolism in them

kyupol 2024-02-07 20:23:06 UTC #13

Anghell dela Blackpill...

Spanish: Angel of the Blackpill
Taglish (mix of Tagalog and English): The Hell of the Blackpill.

Depending on what language you read it in (language is tied to perception.), it has a different meaning but still relevant to the theme of the story which revolves around the Blackpill... the whole idea that this world is unfair and shallow and looks, money, status are everything in this world... that is, assuming this world is all there is, which is another debate where religion and philosophy is brought into the mix.

Had the idea brewing in my head for awhile. Was originally intending Christian tracts like Jack Chick. For the far right Christian extremist church I was once a part of. But unfortunately, IRL events happened that made me reject Christian traditionalism (but not Christianity).

At this point, I feel lied to by both the right, the left, and my own culture. Prompting me to seek deeper into spirituality without the religion or ego based ideologies to the best of my ability.

Anyway back on track... future themes ADB will explore... include Artificial intelligence, terrorism, the possibility we live in a simulation, and the meaning of life...

starsmart956 2024-02-07 20:53:05 UTC #14

my story is about two people who are opposite in character / father and son / but who have the same name, how different they are but at the same time similar is shown in general by this story.

ThunderChicken 2024-02-07 21:33:32 UTC #15

Both of my stories get their names from music. Music is and always has been a big part of my life. If I am conscious, no matter what else I am doing, I have music playing in my head. Back in my school days I would play whole albums in my head during class. Instead of, you know, doing class stuff.

Wild Nights, Hot & Crazy Days is an obscure B-side track from Judas Priest's 1986 Turbo album. Turbo was an unpopular album among Judas Priest fans because it sounded too "commercial" (IE it sounded like 1980's hair metal) but it is one of my favourites. Similarly, even among the songs on that Turbo album, Wild Nights, Hot and Crazy Days is unpopular with fans, but it's my favourite on the album. It is a fast paced, upbeat song about feeling good and having fun that I adopted as my personal anthem back then (I always say that song and I went through puberty together). Naturally, when I decided to write my life story, I titled it after that song. If this story ever becomes any kind of success I'll have to either rename it or negotiate the rights with Judas Priest (indeed, were I ever to hit the lottery and have it put to film I would want this song on the soundtrack).

Finding Daecon's Way also owes its name to music, though not quite as blatantly as WNHCD. The story is about an arrogant prick who suddenly discovers that he is a shapeshifter, and he must settle in and find his way not only as a member of this new society but also as its divine leader. The main character was originally going to be called Hunter, and the story was going to be called Finding Hunter's Way (the original draft on my computer is still saved under this name) but I changed him to Daecon and the story to Finding Daecon's Way.

The music connection comes from an early Rush song called Finding My Way.

Leyelle 2024-02-07 21:35:22 UTC #16

i've never heard of either of those musical artists tbh, but i know I'm from a different generation

jmhenry 2024-02-07 22:13:20 UTC #17

Forgot the exact method, since it's been over a decade now, but it involved collecting a number of words from the descrption of my comic and putting combinations together til I got my title.

That got me the title The Lostland, but enough people called it just Lostland, that in the rework, I dropped the "the" and just all-capped the title to LOSTLAND

Glofernwolfe 2024-02-07 22:38:03 UTC #18

I usualy just go for something catchy. Or an important theme from that chapter. It's never really very long.

Leyelle 2024-02-07 22:43:33 UTC #19

if we're talking chapter title I have a whole long thing about the idea behind my chapter titles in this thread:

https://forums.tapas.io/t/this-is-your-celebrity-interview-q-a-and-answers-to-questions-no-one-asked/80697

JogVodka 2024-02-07 22:53:33 UTC #20

It's been a while. Lemme try to remember how I came up with Hybrid: Humanity. My last project before HH was called "Partially Mundane" and originally I wanted to make a horror/comedy webcomic about an American mall. Something along the lines of "Tales of the Mall Hell". Something happened and I decided to make an action/fantasy instead (this current comic). I think the word "hell" was gonna be used in my comic but I went with "Hybrid: Humanity" of course. I know I wanted the alliteration with the H but I guess I thought "Humanity" was more interesting than "Hell" in the title for some reason.

I know in the future when I complete the Hybrid Humanity story, I'll keep making more chapters under a different title like "Hybrid: (Insert something starting with H)". One day I might try out "Hybrid: Hell" in some other media.

Hybrid: Humanity

Genre: Fantasy / Action

Description: In the 1800s, an unprecedented convergence of demons and humanity altered the course of history, sowing the seeds of conflict and camaraderie. Now, in the world of the 2100s, a half-demon teenager is drawn into a realm teeming with covert battles and concealed truths.

Within this intricate tapestry of magic and mystery, ancient pools of power house unrevealed potentials, ready to ignite. Accompany our enigmatic protagonist as she journeys through a world where allegiances flicker like shadows, and the distinction between friend and foe remains perpetually uncertain.