How much work does your title do to take readers into the story?Visit Edward Ashton's website.
Ninety percent of the time, titles are the worst part of the entire process of crafting a story for me. As a result, I generally don't want to put the effort in until I'm sure a project is going to make it across the finish line. During the drafting process I'll use a working title, which is usually just the first name of the protagonist. That's exactly what I did for Mickey7, obviously---but then when I got to the end, I realized that in this case the working title was perfect. The name "Mickey" tells the reader right up front that this book isn't taking itself too seriously, and what's with the 7? Gotta figure that out, right? It's a simple title, but it pulls you right into the story.
What's in a name?
My character names are...[read on]
The Page 69 Test: Mickey7.
Q&A with Edward Ashton.
--Marshal Zeringue
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