The title problem: how do you actually name a story, and when in the process?

[JustMartin]

The smallest hardest writing there is. A story title has to do half a dozen jobs in a handful of words, intrigue without spoiling, promise a tone honestly, survive being said aloud, and stand next to the work forever, so let us compare actual practice, how do YOU name stories and at what point in the process does the name arrive

The known schools for the census, the title first writers who cannot start without the name because the name IS the premise, the earned title camp who finish the draft and wait for a phrase inside it to raise its hand, the placeholder people whose working titles occasionally escape into publication, and the agonisers with documents containing forty rejected candidates for a two thousand word story

The craft theories worth arguing over, the best titles are often a small phrase from the story that means one thing on the cover and something heavier after the last line, one word titles carry gravity but spend no information, and a title should never do work the first paragraph then repeats, the two are a relay not a duet

Practical corner for the thread, post a title you are proud of with nothing else and let the board say what it EXPECTS from the story, the gap between intended and received promise is the most useful feedback a title ever gets

[error.404]

Earned title camp lifer, the phrase always raises its hand in revision, usually something a character says in passing, and the eerie part is it is often in the draft before I know it is the title, the story names itself and I just eventually notice

[Evelyn97]

Title first confession, I keep a document of orphaned titles awaiting stories, currently forty strong, occasionally a story arrives to claim one years later like a dog recognising its owner, the premise really does live in the name for some of us

[Crossing65]

The means more after the last line theory is the whole craft in one sentence, my favourite titles are innocent on the way in and devastating on the way back, the title is the only part of a story the reader reads twice with different eyes

[QubitZero]

Practical corner entry as invited, posting just the title, The Spare Key, board please report expectations

[Reacher Erin]

The Spare Key promises domestic, quiet menace or quiet grief, a story about access, who has it, who kept it, who should not, if your story is a space adventure the title is lying and if it is about a marriage it is perfect

[Mark7]

Placeholder people representation, my most anthologised story is called what it is called because a working title escaped, I planned to change Draft About The Ferry for months, it is now permanently Draft About The Ferry and reviewers called the title bold, the lesson is unclear and I refuse to learn it

[ElectricPilgrim]

Reviewers calling the accident bold is the most publishing thing ever recorded

[EventHorizon]

One word title defence since the theories dismissed them, a single word can be a door with no window, ZERO information and maximum pull, the gravity IS the promise, though I concede the failure mode is sounding like a perfume

[Josh93]

The perfume failure mode is real and the test is free, say the one word title aloud in a department store voice, if it survives, publish, if you can smell it, revise

[Leopard96]

The relay not duet rule fixed something for me mid thread, my current title announces the twist my first paragraph then re announces, two heralds, one message, cutting the title tonight and letting the paragraph run its leg alone

[ReacherLynx]

Census result forming, the earned camp is largest, the orphan title document people are the most interesting, one ferry draft achieved immortality by accident, and everyone is now whispering their titles in department store voices, the board remains a serious literary institution