I'm changing the title of my first book... again, and I wondered if anyone else is having this problem. I have a series and I'm not trying to make the titles match exactly, but this one I'm changing stuck out like a sore thumb as so different to the others that it just had to go. Trouble is, I have no idea what to replace it with. Do you use working titles? Do you stick to the original title or do you change it as you go?
There just needs to be a title on it when I send it. It doesn't have to be that good, just something.
Oh, and Mark, there are several balcony scenes! Not usually involving Juliet, sadly. But I do have a scene where her name is discussed. Her mother says she was named after the Bard's Juliet (because her father had changed his mind about Portia) and her sister (also with a Shakesperian name - Bianca) laughs and says only indirectly. Juliet was given her name because her father was listening to Dire Straits on the way to the registry office. Ha ha ha!
Or you could do like Murakami with his 19Q4 trilogy )19Q4 Book One, 19Q4 Book Two, 19Q4 Book Three).
:-)
To be honest I wonder how much influence a modern author has over the title of a book. It seems to be so key from a marketing perspective that I can imagine a lot of collaborative effort and much discussion would go into it, to ensure it is an effective sales tool.
I only use rough titles myself and am flexible as to what a final title would be. The title never fixes the story in my mind when I write so I don't need it as a guideline.
However if you feel that you need an appropriate title while you work, and if a wrong title is proving a distraction, then I could imagine it could be something you would prefer to settle early in the process.
Victoria,
From the description you've put, and without knowing what other titles you have, I immediately thought of the title "Peter and Juliet". See if you can sneak a balcony scene in! Too obvious? Yes. Cheesy? Probably....
But I know what you mean about series titles. I am missing a title for my fourth 'series' book and it's like a gaping wound in my imagination. I have heard of publishers changing titles but I suppose a book will need a catchy title to catch a publisher's attention in the first place...