The Challenge of Titles - Redux

If you're looking for my blogfest entry to Brenda's Dark and Stormy contest, VISIT IT HERE.

Yet again, I am looking at the titles of my manuscript trilogy, Children of the Universe, and considering a small change. When I first blogged about titles, it was after I had a chat session with an agent, Diedre Knight of The Knight Agency. Find my original Challenge of Titles post here.

After that chat session, my previous, very lame and very generic title, The Awakening, became "Bond of Darkness." It resonated more with me and how I wanted to portray the true plot of the manuscript. The second manuscript became "The Shattered Darkness." The third title in my series was a placeholder. We all know about placeholders. They suck, but that's what they're for.

I didn't want the title of my final manuscript in the series to just be a plain-jane title like the first two. I wanted to make readers think. I didn't want it to be part of an event that is solely drawn by the title. I wanted something more abstract. I didn't want something that I wasn't totally happy with.

Going back and forth, I finally consulted a long-time writing friend, Claire Legrand, on the final title choice. I didn't need approval, but needed support that I was choosing something worth all my thinking. She knows a thing or two about great titles, as did Mrs. Knight.

So, the third title, previously "The Crossworld's Darkness," became: ...drumroll...

His True Darkness.

Do you have title woes? Vent and share.

Peace and Writing Love,

JWP