The Unreviewed : Forum : I need a TITLE!


I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


Ok guys, here's your challenge! I've been writing this book for about nine months now and I still have NO TITLE! Nothing I come up with seems to fit. So here's the deal: I'm going to post a synopsis (spoilers abound, if you're actually invested in reading it) and you guys, being the awesome, creative people you are, can give me title ideas! Ok? Ok! Here it goes!
 
       In the middle of World War Two, four extremely different teen boys arrive at a British boarding school to attend the final semester before graduation. Herschel is a Polish Jew, an aspiring writer and ghetto escapee haunted by a tragic past. Erich is German, an agressive ex-Nazi Youth who was forced to leave the country to escape a crime and initally despises his new roommates. Jim is a wreckless but intelligent American with no goals and no purpose who left his sheltered life in search of adventure.  And Gabe is an British-born Italian, a passionate violinist, and knowingly but not openly homosexual, having left Italy after being betrayed by his first lover.
    Due to their late enrollement, they are all placed in the same makeshift dorm: a boiler room with two sets of bunks. Each boy fails to understand the circumstances of the others until they find themselves united against an enemy dorm. Eventually, they form a strong friendship as they each let the others understand where they come from.    Then, as the year goes on, the boys begin to break into ever closer, particular pairs. Herschel and Jim become partners in crime, so to speak, as they attempt to take the school by storm. Their friendship is tested, however, when Jim falls for Herschel's sister, Rebecca, who came to England with Hesch and (unbeknownst to her brother) works as a call girl at a London nightclub. As she let's Jim in on her brother's secrets, Jim distains how much Hersch has been hiding, and the grudge makes him all the more eager to start up an affair with Rebecca.
    Meanwhile, Gabe and Erich lose a bet which results in their work as fire wardens, causing them to spend a good deal of time together. As they become closer, each learning the other's tragic story, Gabe begins to suspect that Erich may also be gay, and Erich begins to feel something for Gabe that he has never felt before. Neither one knows how to fight the sexual tension between them, but they both know the consquences of giving into their feelings. When Gabe acts on his assumption, Erich is too conflicted to know how to respond.
    All this is told in  the first person narrative of each of the boys (though Hersch's is represented in journal entries). Weaving through the direct storyline is a third person narrative of the boys' reuniting in a Polish ghetto two years after the events at school. Hersch is doing everything he can to avoid becoming involved in the rebellion again, Erich has returned to his calling as a soldier for the German forces, and Jim and Gabe have snuck in, trying to find their lost friends. Though they boys need each other more than ever, old grudges, affections and conflicts are rekindled when all four become involved in the uprising.
      So that's it. That's loads of info and if you want a taste of what this looks like, head on over to my page. It's currently titled "Passover" but I'm scrapping that title since I can't fit the actual refernce anywhere in the story as well as I thought I could. Anyway, think think think! I need a title! :-)

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


Originally posted by emily
Ok guys, here's your challenge! I've been writing this book for about nine months now and I still have NO TITLE! Nothing I come up with seems to fit. So here's the deal: I'm going to post a synopsis (spoilers abound, if you're actually invested in reading it) and you guys, being the awesome, creative people you are, can give me title ideas! Ok? Ok! Here it goes!
 
       In the middle of World War Two, four extremely different teen boys arrive at a British boarding school to attend the final semester before graduation. Herschel is a Polish Jew, an aspiring writer and ghetto escapee haunted by a tragic past. Erich is German, an agressive ex-Nazi Youth who was forced to leave the country to escape a crime and initally despises his new roommates. Jim is a wreckless but intelligent American with no goals and no purpose who left his sheltered life in search of adventure.  And Gabe is an British-born Italian, a passionate violinist, and knowingly but not openly homosexual, having left Italy after being betrayed by his first lover.
    Due to their late enrollement, they are all placed in the same makeshift dorm: a boiler room with two sets of bunks. Each boy fails to understand the circumstances of the others until they find themselves united against an enemy dorm. Eventually, they form a strong friendship as they each let the others understand where they come from.    Then, as the year goes on, the boys begin to break into ever closer, particular pairs. Herschel and Jim become partners in crime, so to speak, as they attempt to take the school by storm. Their friendship is tested, however, when Jim falls for Herschel's sister, Rebecca, who came to England with Hesch and (unbeknownst to her brother) works as a call girl at a London nightclub. As she let's Jim in on her brother's secrets, Jim distains how much Hersch has been hiding, and the grudge makes him all the more eager to start up an affair with Rebecca.
    Meanwhile, Gabe and Erich lose a bet which results in their work as fire wardens, causing them to spend a good deal of time together. As they become closer, each learning the other's tragic story, Gabe begins to suspect that Erich may also be gay, and Erich begins to feel something for Gabe that he has never felt before. Neither one knows how to fight the sexual tension between them, but they both know the consquences of giving into their feelings. When Gabe acts on his assumption, Erich is too conflicted to know how to respond.
    All this is told in  the first person narrative of each of the boys (though Hersch's is represented in journal entries). Weaving through the direct storyline is a third person narrative of the boys' reuniting in a Polish ghetto two years after the events at school. Hersch is doing everything he can to avoid becoming involved in the rebellion again, Erich has returned to his calling as a soldier for the German forces, and Jim and Gabe have snuck in, trying to find their lost friends. Though they boys need each other more than ever, old grudges, affections and conflicts are rekindled when all four become involved in the uprising.
      So that's it. That's loads of info and if you want a taste of what this looks like, head on over to my page. It's currently titled "Passover" but I'm scrapping that title since I can't fit the actual refernce anywhere in the story as well as I thought I could. Anyway, think think think! I need a title! :-)
 YOU COULD CALL IT: WAR OF THE WORLDS!! :D THAT'S ALL I GOT!! haha lol

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


The only ones I can think I can think of are Strange Bedfellows . . . in reference to War making strange bed fellows or The Enemy of My Enemy (Is My Friend) Good luck.

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


Perhaps War Brothers, War Torn Brotherhood, Fighting the war; Fighting the Love. Thats all could get from the synopsis. Hope they help.

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


Emily,

    This sounds like a great story, and maybe the title should have somthing to do with the internal conflict they all seem to have amongst each other and about life. Like the 'Internal Conflict" or maybe " The Ongoing of an Internal Conflict". This will no doubt get your readers interested in what its about and why they are having such conflicts within their lives.

 If I think of any others, I will come back and post them.

jen

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


-The Four Winds -Crossroads -Threads -The One I Knew -Back Then -Story of a Young Boy -Lost Boys -The Day We Were Young -Gray Snow

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


Maybe you could choose a reference to something that seems unimportant, but really has a profound impact on all parties involved.  Right now I'm thinking about To Kill a Mockingbird: from the book's synopsis you'd have no idea how it garnered the title.  It's something you need to read and understand.

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


It depends on whether you want a simple title, or an elaborate one.
If you want a title that will cause the reader to think, or something obvious and clearly related.

Is there a quote before the starting of your novel?
If there is, I suggest you use an excerpt from there as your title.
If there isn't, then I suggest you find a quote and use an excerpt from that.

If you want to keep it really simple and accessible, you could think of just one word or emotion that sums up or defines the text for you and that could be your title.

Hope that helps :)

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


umm... my guess:
When Four Become One

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


Four roads into war.
The young soldiers?(I dunno lol)
I vote for crossroads, mentioned before. 

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


escape to awareness

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


-War of the boys.
-Partners in crime.
-The betrayal.
Hope the helps =)
good luck ! :D

Re: I need a TITLE!

13 Years Ago


Roads less Traveled, Brothers in Arms, The Other War, Destinies Choice, Dorm Storm, Dorm troopers, Wings over the dorm, Our War,Battles of the senses, Just a few hope they are good for you.