Tuesday, November 27, 2012

November 27, 2012


Hi writers:

I’m out of town this week, on a quiet tour-de-California with my family. Part of my job this week, in addition to enjoying my people and relaxing, is to find a new title for a project that is nearing completion. I love the titling process. I always begin a project with a “working title,” which usually gives way to the “actual title” once it becomes clearer what lies at the project’s heart.

Have a wonderful week, and more in December –

e


PROCESS: FINDING THE TITLE

Notice I say finding, not choosing – this is deliberate, for I believe that the title of a work of art is often INSIDE the work already, a heartbreakingly beautiful phrase or a symbolic word that simply needs to be lifted out and set at the top of the document.

Try this: Reread a finished piece with a pen and mark phrases that pop. On a separate page, play with these phrases, tinkering and trying out different ones as a possible title. Also useful can be to ask friends to read for the “pop-phrases.”


FEATURED VENUE: ONE STORY

One Story believes that stories are best read alone, and so every three weeks they publish a pocket-sized issue containing a single short story by a single author. It is an elegant, simple concept, and their stories never disappoint. They are looking for stories between 3000-8000 words. (In addition to being a terrific venue for sending new work, a One Story subscription is a great holiday gift for a reader.)



PROMPT

What do you have the keys to? (6min)

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