What Makes a Good Title???

One of my shorts currently in circulation is titled "The Last Painted Song."

We hatess that title forever, precioussss.

But I can't seem to think of anything. Captive Voices sounds like a bad Harlequin. Broken Voices, Painted Songs, Errik's Last Painted Song, Crazy Dungeon Dude, Whispering Friends, A Muse or Two...

*sporks eyeballs*
*brains explode*

Titles I have seen and loved are Deb Coates' "Magic In a Certain Slant of Light" or sosostris2012's "Wrack," or my own (very unpublished) "A Wish in the Old Hotel Lourdes." These work because they add to or illuminate the story instead of just repeating something that has already been repeated quite enough, thank you.

The worst titles in the UNIVERSE, imho, are the genre romance ones. Immortal Longings/Passions, The (insert adjective) Bride, (some exotic place) Nights, Kiss of the (some studly dude). *wheeze, choke, puke* You could plug them in anywhere. They are, ultimately, forgettable.

So, I'll keep trying. Dangerous Voices, A Little Spot of Light, Taking Up the Song... *sigh*

Writerly Stuff for 7/7/05 - 7/8/05

Progress: 1542 words on Elisa's Belly

Words so far: 15,700

Made-up words: allamanda

Barely avoided clichés: her brow knit in confusion

The words I'll hate most to cut: I clamber to my feet, and my face flushes hot when I realize my damp skirt is stuck to the backs of my legs. Alejandro can't see, but I'm sure Condesa Ariña is making a careful study of my rear. I don't dare grab my skirt from behind to yank it away.

Thank God an editor didn't see this: "I'll introduce you to everyone we eat."

General thoughts: Elisa is sooo orally fixated. I suspect it's because her mother died when she was born.