Story, tell me what your title is

[resonant]

Me: Story, tell me what your title is.
Story [in the voice of a 2-year-old]: No.

Weeks later:
Me: Story, I'm very grateful for the seventeen pages of notes, snippets of dialog, and blanks marked "solution to this plot problem goes here." It would really help me if you'd tell me what your title is.
Story [in the voice of a 2-year-old who is well-rested enough to have a long attention span but not so well-rested that a tantrum is out of the question]: No.

Weeks later, while I'm focusing hard on something else:
Story: I want a song-lyrics title.
Me: Great! Just tell me what song.
Story: No.

Arguably this part is my fault, since I mostly listen to music in the car when I need to focus on, you know, driving. Montage covering several weeks:
Story: This is a great song.
Me: I will totally remember that song. [instantly forgets it]
Story: This is a great song.
Me: Yes! I love this song! [Looks up lyrics] Story, the message of this song is basically "I feel great."
Story: This is a great song.
Me: [with rising hope] I love this song. This is specifically a good RayK song. [looks up lyrics] Story, the message of this song is basically "I'm pissed off."
Story: This is a great song.
Me: I love this song. The theme fit is decent too. [looks up lyrics] These lyrics shrivel up and die if you take them out of context.
Story: This is a great song.
Me: This one? Really? Hm. [looks up lyrics] Wow, this has potential. [looks up commentary] Story, the internet says this is a suicide song.
Story: This one. This one. This one.
Me: Story, you're a sex pollen romp.
Story: [lower lip trembles ominously]
Me: Wouldn't be the first time I repurposed a song the writer thought was about suicide. Wouldn't even be the first time for this pairing. Hm, that may tell me something about this pairing. All right, Story, I'll give it a try.
Story: I want ice cream.

Comments

[slippery_fish]

Heeeh! :D

Though I gotta say: Titling fic is the easiest and most fun of the whole process for me. I'm always fascinated that other writers think it's the worst.

[resonant]

I usually find it pretty easy - often there's a title there in the initial FedEx from the muse. Sometimes it's the only thing in there. And if not, it's often there in the text and I recognize it when it's written.

This one's been fighting me, though, and I've been afraid I'd get the whole thing done, find the title, and have to do a total mood rewrite.