Comments/Thoughts on my title

[Martin Gill]

This is tricky to get feedback on without everyone reading the book yet, but I'm spinning on my title. So here goes.

Current title - "Driftwood".

Context - Its historical, heavily mythologically influenced fantasy set in "Viking" times. It blends real history and geography with fantastical, though relatively low fantasy elements from Norse and Finnish myth. Its about a girl who's washed up on a beach and rescued by a merchant shipmaster who christens her "driftwood" for a while. She's more important than she wants to admit. The driftwood theme weaves in through the book in other ways.

I didn't want a typical meaty-thewed "Sword-Raven King of Valhalla" kind of title as, well, I don't... but I've also tried hard not to have any of the POV characters cut in the stereotypical dark age historical fic vein of throbbing, mighty warlords unslayable in battle.

So with a title like Driftwood, what are your reactions?

I have a plan B but I want feedback first on Driftwood please...

 

[Ihe]

I like it. Nice ring to it, and I like one-word titles. Fitting name to a person washed up on shore too.

 

[EJDeBrun]

It's a good title! So good I had to Google to make sure something else famous hadn't already taken it. Looks like it's free so I would snap that one up.

 

[Gonk the Insane]

From what you've said, it sounds like the natural choice for a book title, and it ties in well with the plot and main character. Does your plan B do the same? I'm guessing that Driftwood is probably the title that fits in with the content best, so I think that's probably the one to go with.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

There are quite a lot of Driftwoods on Amazon and it might get buried. Could you add another word to narrow the search? Discoverability is everything.

 

[farntfar]

There are quite a lot of Driftwoods on Amazon and it might get buried.

I thought maybe you could make it 2 words ('Drift wood') for that problem, if it still fits the story, but actually an amazon search on 'Drift wood' just comes up with all the 'Driftwood' titles anyway.

It's a nice title though.

 

[HareBrain]

It's so clearly a good and fitting title, I almost suspect this thread of being nothing but a fake question to generate early publicity.

There are quite a lot of Driftwoods on Amazon and it might get buried. Could you add another word to narrow the search? Discoverability is everything.

I can think of one circumstance where it would hurt -- if someone had heard of the book's title, but not the author (or couldn't remember the author). But is that common enough to worry about? Are there any other times when it would matter? (I can't imagine many people searching for stories featuring driftwood without having a particular book already in mind, for example.)

 

[crystal haven]

I like the title.

 

[The Judge]

Being the contrarian I am, I'm not so sure. "Driftwood" is a lovely word, and it fits well with Norse mythology and customs, as well as being the name of the main female character, but I'm not convinced it works for a Vikingesque novel. (For some obscure reason -- Deadwood perhaps? -- it's screaming Western to me. ) And though the cover and blurb will fill in the gaps, it would be handy if the title could reflect something more obviously of the time or place.

For myself, I'd be looking at adding another word to it, though I can't think of anything that works to bring in all the elements. (Driftwood Child?) Alternatively, if this is going to be more than one book, have Driftwood as the series title and give this an alternative eg Foundling Ash, Book One of the Driftwood Trilogy.

Having said all that, I'm complete rubbish at titles, so you're safe in ignoring everything I've suggested!

 

[Venusian Broon]

Just on the title my impression of what a novel 'genre' was, like TJ my first thought was Western, because of Deadwood. And then (possibly because I've just read The Beguiler!) my second guess would be Romance. I suppose, analysing it, because it feels 'drifty' and ephemeral to me.

But also like TJ, I'm useless at titles. So take that into account

 

[Boneman]

Moody Blues song called Driftwood - very good it is, too. Weirdly, I like the title but it says nothing of the book, at first glance. But it's very relevant, obviously... I like TJ's idea, but it's prolly not a trilogy! Norse Driftwood?

 

[Phyrebrat]

I agree with the like-ability factor of the story. But I also see the point in Jo and TJ's comments.

But... I'm atypical when it comes to most questions like this because I can't say a title has any appeal for me. I'm thinking now that the only great title I can think of is Salem's Lot. It just oozes darkness and other-ly meanings. But It is pants as a novel title. So is - really - Carrie or Christine. My favourite book has the worst title in history; The Elementals has nothing to do with Air, Earth, Fire or Water.

Like I said, I am unusual but titles are meaningless to me in terms of choosing a book to read. I want to know genre (pref gothic horror) and subject (haunted house). In that regard if I knew those two things but the book was called Flumdoo, a Spackle of Radiators, I'd pick it up.

pH

 

[Vaz]

I love it as it's my favourite of favourite Travis song's!

v

 

[KC York]

I agree with others that it's a good title, but comments that the single title in competition with similarly named books might get lost in the throng does ring true. I get that adding another word or making it into a phrase ("A Girl Named Driftwood" etc.) disrupts the elegance of the single word effect, but it's worth considering. If there is another personality trait of hers to add in there or, possibly, a subheading, it might help with discoverability? "Driftwood: Girl of the Cold Sea" or "Songs of Driftwood" (which has the nice play of, is this her singing, or songs about the girl known as Driftwood?) etc. On its own, though, it is very evocative.

 

[HareBrain]

Apparently the Norwegian for Driftwood is Rakstokkar, and maybe the Old Norse is too. I think that would look good on a cover with added emphasis:

Rakstokkar!

Who could resist that? Plus no Amazon conflict, I'll bet (though I can't be bothered to check).

 

[KC York]

Apparently the Norwegian for Driftwood is Rakstokkar, and maybe the Old Norse is too. I think that would look good on a cover with added emphasis:

Rakstokkar!

Who could resist that? Plus no Amazon conflict, I'll bet (though I can't be bothered to check).

Okay that is freakin' EPIC !!

 

[tinkerdan]

Or Drivved

Rakstokkar!

Or Ajoupuu

On a really obscure note::

Ash & Elm

 

[Lumens]

Rakstokkar!

I am Norwegian, and I have never heard that word. It sounds swedish though. The Norwegian word I would use is: Drivved

Edit: @tinkerdan beat me to it.

 

[Lumens]

Also, it is worth keeping in mind that modern Norwegian has little in common with the Norse languages. If you want Norse words, Icelandic is a better choice since it is much closer.

Sorry for double post.

 

[Ursa major]

Rakstokkar!

Sounds like a great name for a book that may just be filling the shelves of a book distributor....