For years I have been struggling with a title for my story. I know I don't want to use the name of the MC in the title or single out the conflict to make a title. Today, I got up... (after waking every bloody hour looking at my clock since 7 a.m. and finally said the hell with it and got up before noon. Work tonight is gonna be a brain drag.) Did some cleaning, went outside in the cool afternoon air and just stared blankly into the woods behind the house. All the gerbils had gotten off the wheels and were relaxing with a smoke while I just sat there. Then out of no where came this epiphany for a possible title of my novel. HOWEVER, the title is not unique. It's a play on a very well known title from the late 50's. The Once and Future King. I had it and the Book of Merlin a long time ago and the novel made me look at Disney's Sword in the Stone A LOT differently. Anyway, I brought up my idea to the husband and he said, "Uh no." We debated and basically it came down to, "How do I want to be perceived?"
I have seen lots of books that played off past titles and my husband told me today that the movie "What Dreams May Come" is a play off of "Something Wicked this way Comes", which sadly I didn't know that but, he said that is more unique and imaginative than say, changing one word in a very well known title and using it for your own. To me it would be like a homage to T.H.White because now I understand what he was trying to do with the story of Arthur. It is even said that he got his title from the supposed inscription on King Arthur's tomb. My husband however believes that it is unimaginative and if he didn't know me and saw the book in a store he would look at it in distaste for not being more "original". Unfortunately, he does have a point to an extent. The only reason I can't fully agree with what he thinks is because I know what I am writing. I understood T.H White's writing, it just makes sense (in my gerbil world anyway) that the close relation to what I am doing and what T.H.White did, makes the title so fitting. I, in no way, am writing something BASED on White's writing. Never even thought of the author until today when the title popped into my head. My husband is the Co-Author and I respect his point of view and have to take it into serious consideration. He helps me keep an open mind, for which I am grateful.
But, For one moment, time froze and the perfect title for what I have been working on close to 10 years appeared to me. It held the entirety of the MC's life in it's 4 small, yet Giant, words.
And I can't use it.........Sigh.
I have seen lots of books that played off past titles and my husband told me today that the movie "What Dreams May Come" is a play off of "Something Wicked this way Comes", which sadly I didn't know that but, he said that is more unique and imaginative than say, changing one word in a very well known title and using it for your own. To me it would be like a homage to T.H.White because now I understand what he was trying to do with the story of Arthur. It is even said that he got his title from the supposed inscription on King Arthur's tomb. My husband however believes that it is unimaginative and if he didn't know me and saw the book in a store he would look at it in distaste for not being more "original". Unfortunately, he does have a point to an extent. The only reason I can't fully agree with what he thinks is because I know what I am writing. I understood T.H White's writing, it just makes sense (in my gerbil world anyway) that the close relation to what I am doing and what T.H.White did, makes the title so fitting. I, in no way, am writing something BASED on White's writing. Never even thought of the author until today when the title popped into my head. My husband is the Co-Author and I respect his point of view and have to take it into serious consideration. He helps me keep an open mind, for which I am grateful.
But, For one moment, time froze and the perfect title for what I have been working on close to 10 years appeared to me. It held the entirety of the MC's life in it's 4 small, yet Giant, words.
And I can't use it.........Sigh.