Long before I've met anyone here. This is a story I have been writing since March. This story is completely made up in from my mind. I have been writting about a transgender child who becomes an adult and has a sex change. In the high school story arc he falls in love with a Italian foreign exchange student. But the foreign exchange student gets hit by a car. He dies from internal bleeding but he before he dies he shares a final kiss with Leo. I have been trying to come up with a better title but than the one I originally came up with.
Hmm, sounds interesting and tragic. Is what you gave us there the meat of the story though? It would be easier to think of a title if we knew any ongoing motifs, lessons learned by the MC, or some distinctive part of his personality that isn't his transgenderism. Because somebody being trans and having a lover who dies doesn't really lend itself to a gripping title (as far as I can think of )
I voted neither simply because I've found it to be much more meaningful to name my projects after I have a clear understand of the themes and tones that I want to dabble into in the work. "Identity" is ambiguous, which is perfectly fine for a title, but not necessarily in a good way. It could be identity theft, a crime thriller, etc; yet the secret daughter seems a bit too commonplace. Personally, I would choose a title that is a bit more specific to the novel rather than simply gender identity in general. I can't really give suggestions because I don't know your story or characters specifically, but I would just brainstorm over the contents of your story and try to find something that wouldn't come across as literally straightforward, rather something that is unique to your specific work.
Identity as it is would only be decent if the book was part of a large series. I agree with Gen with regards to the other title, too commonplace. Maybe focus the title to specify the main theme or the scene that expresses the main theme of the book. Good luck!
I voted "Identity," since I think this is a fine working title for now, but I would recommend staying open to changing it if you think of something a bit more dynamic and eye-catching.
How about this? Identity's Child I've noticed that most novels in the bookstore have a two word title.
I personally really like The Secret Daughter because it has a certain mystique and emotional connotation attached to it. That and I've seen a couple of books titled Identity, which could make your book hard to find. However, I would suggest you finish writing the first draft of the book before picking the title.
:bang::bang::bang::bang: Titles are a tricky business... They give much and ask much... & before the title can come into focus, the heart of the story must beat/ and long before the story can truly be in focus, it must sway to the leader, viz., the 'Title'. kind of a nasty bit of circular hoop jumping. 'luck
First off: You are awesome. I haven't voted at all. As crazy as it might sound, I don't think the title is the best place to start. Often, when I'm writing a piece of music, I have to complete it fully to understand the full meaning of it. When it's done, the title often becomes clear. You have a strong concept - which is great! But don't commit to a title before you've planned out the story, or even started to write it. With these creative processes, characters can have a habit of doing what they want and really coming alive. It's as much a journey for the author as it is the reader. I love creative endeavors, and have done creative writing to a professional level (some people on this forum have actually seen some of my writing!) so best of luck with this! ^_^
Two possible alternatives that popped into my head. "The Man in the Mirror" and "The Skin You're In".
I have already drafted the first twelve chapters. I'm working on finishing the final 8 chapters. I will have a bit of a slight sci-fi twist.
What would you say to really hook the potential reader? Why would they want to read your book? What is your primary audience? Those questions might help with discovering a title. A title just hit me. A Kiss for Leo
I voted 'none of the above.' I'd actually wait until having written the last chapter and than sift through the various themes and try to come up with a title that captures them well.
