Comments on: I Have No Title for the Next Book http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/ A Blog by Mark Chadbourn about folklore, mythology, legend and his writing. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:02:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Flynn http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/comment-page-1/#comment-148 Flynn Mon, 04 Sep 2006 17:03:16 +0000 http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/#comment-148 I must say, I absolutely love 'Slouching Towards Bethlehem', but I guess that's more in hindsight after reading DiG and making links But I do definitely agree with you, can't imagine the book being called anything else... I must say, I absolutely love ‘Slouching Towards Bethlehem’, but I guess that’s more in hindsight after reading DiG and making links But I do definitely agree with you, can’t imagine the book being called anything else…

]]> By: Tim Lebbon http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/comment-page-1/#comment-60 Tim Lebbon Mon, 10 Jul 2006 19:57:21 +0000 http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/#comment-60 Titles are really important to me as a writer too ... weird, but I get a title I'm in love with and it really helps in the writing process. One of my favourite 'title' stories is about Bentley Little when he delivered his short story collection to his publisher. They were referring to it as, of course, 'the collection'. And upon release, it had become 'The Collection'. Inspired. Titles are really important to me as a writer too … weird, but I get a title I’m in love with and it really helps in the writing process.

One of my favourite ‘title’ stories is about Bentley Little when he delivered his short story collection to his publisher. They were referring to it as, of course, ‘the collection’.

And upon release, it had become ‘The Collection’.

Inspired.

]]> By: Indigo http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/comment-page-1/#comment-50 Indigo Thu, 06 Jul 2006 22:04:03 +0000 http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/#comment-50 I hate thinking of titles... and definitely, titles need to be "short, powerful, evocative and unique" :D I like titles that can work on different levels - the obvious one you see when you first pick the book up, and the deeper one after you've read the book and know what its refering too. I think if any of my kid's are boys one will be called Jack - that way he'll be in all the tales! I hate thinking of titles… and definitely, titles need to be “short, powerful, evocative and unique” :D I like titles that can work on different levels – the obvious one you see when you first pick the book up, and the deeper one after you’ve read the book and know what its refering too. I think if any of my kid’s are boys one will be called Jack – that way he’ll be in all the tales!

]]> By: MarkC http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/comment-page-1/#comment-42 MarkC Wed, 05 Jul 2006 09:19:03 +0000 http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/#comment-42 The Turnfalken appear at the start of the second book... However, I'm not going for any obvious link. I'll let the muse take me... The Turnfalken appear at the start of the second book… However, I’m not going for any obvious link. I’ll let the muse take me…

]]> By: Breakfast http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Breakfast Tue, 04 Jul 2006 22:41:15 +0000 http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/#comment-41 Jack is one of the great folkloric names as well; it's Jack who the devil meets on the road to town, or who kills the giant or who rescues the miller's daughter and goes on to marry her. Often he's a sailor too- Jack Tar maybe ties in to Jack of Ravens at least in terms of colour schemes and the need for a sailor to be able to get around so many tasks on board ships gives us the Jack of all trades. None of which is new to anyone or relevant to future titles, but at least gets away from the suits of the deck. If not from the deck itself. I'd never noticed that before... A corvid theme offers parliaments of rooks and the equally folklore-enshrouded magpies and jackdaws, the former may have to be to be avoided because if there is a greater cliche in fantasy literature titles than cards it is surely chess while the latter perhaps a little less awesome than ravens, which may prove a hard act to follow. You're either going to need a totally new tack or to just ramp everything up one step further- "hydraulic car lift of ospreys" perhaps? Jack is one of the great folkloric names as well; it’s Jack who the devil meets on the road to town, or who kills the giant or who rescues the miller’s daughter and goes on to marry her. Often he’s a sailor too- Jack Tar maybe ties in to Jack of Ravens at least in terms of colour schemes and the need for a sailor to be able to get around so many tasks on board ships gives us the Jack of all trades.

None of which is new to anyone or relevant to future titles, but at least gets away from the suits of the deck. If not from the deck itself. I’d never noticed that before…

A corvid theme offers parliaments of rooks and the equally folklore-enshrouded magpies and jackdaws, the former may have to be to be avoided because if there is a greater cliche in fantasy literature titles than cards it is surely chess while the latter perhaps a little less awesome than ravens, which may prove a hard act to follow.

You’re either going to need a totally new tack or to just ramp everything up one step further- “hydraulic car lift of ospreys” perhaps?

]]> By: disrepdog http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/comment-page-1/#comment-35 disrepdog Tue, 04 Jul 2006 20:23:31 +0000 http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/#comment-35 So corvid city is out too then? So corvid city is out too then?

]]> By: MarkC http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/comment-page-1/#comment-33 MarkC Tue, 04 Jul 2006 19:46:47 +0000 http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/#comment-33 Yes, I will be avoiding those. And Jack of Crows and Jack of Pigeons. Yes, I will be avoiding those. And Jack of Crows and Jack of Pigeons.

]]> By: Ariel http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Ariel Tue, 04 Jul 2006 19:39:15 +0000 http://www.jackofravens.com/2006/07/04/i-have-no-title-for-the-next-book/#comment-32 I'm guessing the trick is to avoid the obvious playing card references... Queen of the Summer Lands, King of the World Beyond... that sort of thing? Not that it doesn't work from a marketing and mnemonic-recall point of view, but it's been done to death elsewhere, surely..? I’m guessing the trick is to avoid the obvious playing card references… Queen of the Summer Lands, King of the World Beyond… that sort of thing? Not that it doesn’t work from a marketing and mnemonic-recall point of view, but it’s been done to death elsewhere, surely..?

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