Advice on a story title

[TheWritingGroup]

Grease didn't exactly have exciting action sequences.
That said, your point is valid, it isn't about the title, it's about the entire marketing effort.
We don't have trailers, we have descriptions, and tags.
The title should pique your interest.
The description should provide a sense of the story.
The tags should fill in the details.

So, you're saying Literotica should let us add thumbnails to our stories?

Now that I typed that, I'm not sure it's a joke ....

-Billie

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Now I'm speculating how I'd promote some of my stories if I had Gravelly Voice Guy to do a few seconds of voiceover and a few images to go with...

The only danger with a clear tagline and non-obvious title is that people coming from lists for a contest or event only get to see the title and author, not the description nor the category - so some readers may be unhappily surprised if you don't make them clear at the top of the story.

 

[Senor_Smut]

Now I'm speculating how I'd promote some of my stories if I had Gravelly Voice Guy to do a few seconds of voiceover and a few images to go with...

The only danger with a clear tagline and non-obvious title is that people coming from lists for a contest or event only get to see the title and author, not the description nor the category - so some readers may be unhappily surprised if you don't make them clear at the top of the story.

Fair enough. I don't write nearly fast enough to write for contests or events though!

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Tremors didn't fail because of the title. It was poorly promoted. The producer referred to the trailer as "cringeworthy".
Are you claiming if the title was "Giant worms attack people in the desert" that would have made it a box office juggernaut?
Should Shawshank Redemption have been called, "Andy gets raped in prison and does taxes"?
Maybe they could have gone with the title Stephen King gave the story it was based on, "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption".
Movies rarely if ever have the highly descriptive

Tremors didn't fail because of the title. It was poorly promoted. The producer referred to the trailer as "cringeworthy".
Are you claiming if the title was "Giant worms attack people in the desert" that would have made it a box office juggernaut?
Should Shawshank Redemption have been called, "Andy gets raped in prison and does taxes"?
Maybe they could have gone with the title Stephen King gave the story it was based on, "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption".
Movies rarely if ever have the highly descriptive titles people seem to be advocating for here.

However, upon here sometimes an obscure title can be off-putting, especially if it gives nothing away about the story.

I’ve literally seen the opposite complaint upon this very thread of authors having a go at people for putting down poor titles and poor strap lines.

For a first-time author it’s a significant challenge because you don’t want to alienate your audience with an obscure title, thankfully they’re not a new author and that particular category always has the highest views on Literotica (who’d have thought a free filth website would attract such perverts…Tch! Honestly!)

 

[Kelliezgirl]

So, you're saying Literotica should let us add thumbnails to our stories?

Now that I typed that, I'm not sure it's a joke ....

-Billie

It would be nice.
We'd most likely run afoul of the AI art rules though. I doubt most of us have the artistic talent to create a quality thumbnail otherwise.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

It would be nice.
We'd most likely run afoul of the AI art rules though. I doubt most of us have the artistic talent to create a quality thumbnail otherwise.

I'd be willing to pay for one, or (like my avatar there to the left) use a public domain image.

-Billie

 

[Senor_Smut]

However, upon here sometimes an obscure title can be off-putting, especially if it gives nothing away about the story.

I’ve literally seen the opposite complaint upon this very thread of authors having a go at people for putting down poor titles and poor strap lines.

For a first-time author it’s a significant challenge because you don’t want to alienate your audience with an obscure title, thankfully they’re not a new author and that particular category always has the highest views on Literotica (who’d have thought a free filth website would attract such perverts…Tch! Honestly!)

Everybody's a pervert, it's just some perversions are more accepted than others.

 

[Writer61]

Avatar was one of the highest grossing movies of all time. The title tells you nothing.
Nobody had a clue what "Top Gun" meant until the movie actually came out and it entered the vernacular.
Jumanji made a ton of money with a made up word for a title.

Rocky, Grease, Back to the Future, all really successful, none of them have a title that explains the movie. Back to the Future makes sense AFTER you've seen the movie.

They also had multi-million advertising budgets and well known actors as stars.

 

[Writer61]

I like to use titles that are (I hope) enticing, that suggests something about the plot without revealing too much. I want to draw the reader in.

For example, Man Shags Woman might be accurate description but where's the mystery? That said, my mind immediately leaps to the throught of a story involving two people bonding over seabirds.

In this case how about Express To Happiness or Express to Pleasure? Which connect to a key plot device (the game) plus the result.

IMHO whatever you choose I think express is a great word being nearly sex plus, if this is a mother/son story, there are connotations of giving birth and breast-feeding.

 

[SamBomb]

I'd call it Flying Monkey Express.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

They also had multi-million advertising budgets and well known actors as stars.

And Shawshank Redemption had well known stars and a multi-million dollar advertising budget.
So, the point still stands.

 

[Writer61]

And Shawshank Redemption had well known stars and a multi-million dollar advertising budget.
So, the point still stands.

Which tells you that stars and ads are not a guarantee of a success.

Flying Monkey Express has neither.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Which tells you that stars and ads are not a guarantee of a success.

Flying Monkey Express has neither.

And, has been pointed out several times in this thread, movies are probably not a good analogue for porn stories on this site.

If you want to name your stories "Banging Becky in the Backseat" and the like, by all means do so. I'm sure it's very effective with the crowd looking for a stroker.
However, that isn't the crowd OP is looking for, nor the crowd OP thinks his story will appeal to.
Hence, questions about a more interesting title, one intended to pique curiosity rather than prurient interests.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Which tells you that stars and ads are not a guarantee of a success.

Flying Monkey Express has neither.

It may have neither, but to the point of this thread, 'Flying Monkey Express' is a more compelling title than 'Shawshank Redemption,' IMHO.

 

[Writer61]

If you want to name your stories "Banging Becky in the Backseat" and the like, by all means do so. I'm sure it's very effective with the crowd looking for a stroker.

Nor am I arguing for that.

Suspect we are in violent agreement.

 

[Writer61]

It may have neither, but to the point of this thread, 'Flying Monkey Express' is a more compelling title than 'Shawshank Redemption,' IMHO.

I don't disagree.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I don't disagree.

I was hoping for slightly more violent agreement.

 

[Writer61]

I was hoping for slightly more violent agreement.

Sorry