Finally, some novel-related news to post . . . I have a shiny new title! The novel formerly known as The Frame Game is now called TOKYO HEIST. So different! It will take me a little while to get used to the change. I keep looking at the new title like it’s my new sports car sitting in the driveway. (Okay, I don’t have a new sports car in the driveway. Or even an old one. I’m just saying).
It’s funny how things evolve. I’m sure I would never have sat down, years ago, penned TOKYO HEIST on a title page, and written a novel accordingly. You see, once upon a time, this was a relatively quiet book, full of descriptions of art and contemplative moments. Through years of revision, I gradually learned how to turn up the volume where it needed to be turned up. I found more opportunities for action and excitement, while still being true to the characters and the story’s emotional core. And so, in the book’s current form, the title feels apt. Still, it is strange to let go of a title I used for nearly six years.
Do you begin projects with a title in mind? Does your title evolve with your story? Do you find it easy or agonizing to come up with a title?