How does Terry Pratchett decide the title of his novels

[UnseenTerryPratchett]

I need help with finding a title for a Wattpad story I am writing and I like Terry's titles so I just want to use his technique to decide one for mine. Thanks

[Dotsie]

Well, I should imagine that they just come out of the same brain as the novels themselves. I don't think there's any kind of formula. Sorry!

[Tonyblack]

There have often been stories that he was writing the book under another title and then the final title was chosen later. I'm trying to think of some examples, but can't at the moment.

I don't know how much say the publishers have. I know that with Bernard Cornwell's books (both published by Transworld here and Harper Collins in the US) he has had to change the titles on several occasions. So, for example: Harlequin over here was The Archer's Tale in the US. His book bout Azincourt was going to be called Slaughteryard, but was changed to Azincourt in the UK and Agincourt in the US. His book 'Captivate, Kill and Destroy' became The Fort in both countries.

[pip]

Never mad on the whole changing of titles from one region to another. It only causes confusion in the longrun.

[chris.ph]

ir certainly does when you find a book by an author youve never heard of thats really good then go and buy another book AND ITS THE SAME BLOODY ONE its happenend to me twice now

[ChristianBecker]

Yeah, used to happen when I bought Kishon books. Since they're all collections of short stories, you end up with the same or nearly the same collection under different titles.

On topic: Some titles are puns or allusions to other works, such as Equal Rites, The fifth Elephant and some others. But I wouldn't say there is a consistent theme that unites all the books. So you'll have to use your own imagination, I'm afraid.

[MongoGutman]

Back to titles - they should be easy, but I think a lot of people overthink them. I don't know what technique TP uses, but lets see - I'd say a good way is to ask yourself what the story is actually about and then encapsulate it in as few words as possible, possibly incorporating a well known saying.

A book about cinema - Moving Pictures
A book about witches - Wyrd Sisters (if there's any way you can pinch from Shakespeare do it.)
A book about the postal service - Going Postal

If the setting plays a large part then a phrase or word that brings to mind the setting

A book set in an ancient Egypt like society - Pyramids
A book set in an ancient China like country - Interesting Times.

- Or alternatively you could read your finished story through and go with your best line. I'm pretty sure some people do that, though nothing actually springs to mind.

I don't mean to pontificate, just trying to be helpful.

[Molokov]

I do recall that Interesting Times had the working title Unclear Physics - but I guess because the story became more about Rincewind in the Counterweight Continent and less about what the Faculty Wizards were doing, that Terry eventually went with the Chinese-Curse inspired title. At other times, he has mentioned working titles which did eventually become the final title, and a few times where it's changed (e.g. Dodger's working title was Happy Families).

[Toothy]

One example, Tony, is The Long Earth, which ran with the working title The High Meggas.

[MongoGutman]

Another alternative is just to name, or give the nickname of the strong central character - The Hogfather, Reaperman, The Godfather, David Copperfield, etc.

or the opponent that the protagonist is faced with - Alien, Predator, The Mummy, etc.

[Tonyblack]

I think 'I Shall Wear Midnight' is a reference to the poem: When I am Old.

[Del]

Not all book titles are a referal to the context of the book.....

For example .... I have a book called: The Girls' Guide To Hunting And Fishing

girlsguide.jpg

The contents can be summed up by the author's note in the slipcover....

"I don't admit to myself what I'm doing when I put my bike helmet on and ride over to the bookstore. I pretend that maybe I;m getting myself another Edith Wharton novel. But I bypass Fiction and find Self-Help. Self-Help? If i could help myself I wouldn't be here. There are stacks and stacks of How to Meet and Marry Mr. Right!, and I take my copy up to the counter as furtively as if it were a girdle or a vibrator....."