help wanted

[adelaidesean]

I'm pitching a new space opera novel--big, fat, standalone--and it's about a very cool and unusual structure that may or may not be of human origins.

I want to call it Structure, but I'd like to know what you think. Is that title cool or lame?

Me, I loved the way Matter looked on the cover of Iain Banks' last book, but I'm prepared to be outvoted.

ETA - Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts. You're a wonderfully creative bunch! I've decided to drop the definite article and run with Structure for now, but lots of new alternatives are rattling around my brain, and one of them may yet shoot to the surface...

Comments

[sithmagician.livejournal.com]

I like it.

You could also call it "The Structure", but I think the single word has a certain kind of artsy flair about it.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I was considering that option too, so I'm glad you raised it.

[mikandra.livejournal.com]

When you call it 'The Structure', it comes up in booksellers' databases as Structure, The.

Clunky, methinks

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

I'll confess to preferring it without the "the", myself. Thanks.

[taliehelene.livejournal.com]

I love the word Structure - although to me it has a cool, precise and clean sound, and very rational connotations - which are things I don't associate with space opera.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Would its association with a space opera novel incline you to regard said novel in a different light, compared to others of its ilk, or would you think it an odd fit?

That sounds like one of those dreadful marketing questions: "Are you more likely to use Brand X if you are employed in Y industries in the country of Z?" Don't answer if you don't want to. I'm grateful for your feedback already!

[taliehelene.livejournal.com]

Ah, the dreaded marketing questions. If pop diva X brands themselves as ecological and virginal, and pop diva Y brands themselves as emotionally sexual with prominent end of row displays made of non recycled materials, would the lip gloss you wear to JB Hi-Fi contain animal-derived products?

The word Structure attracts me as a reader - but I do think of something technical and spacial when I think structure, not something rocket-blasty yet Wagnerian. Must confess I'm not a space opera reader by default... so you could hook me in with Structure and trick me into buying it!

[ex-benpayne119.livejournal.com]

I like it.

It kind of sounds like the sort of title you'd expect on serious, intelligent SF of the Egan/Reynolds variety as opposed to yip-yar guns in space variety, which is cool, but I like that it also has more accessible resonances... so much of human life is about structure, in one way or another... there'd be lots of room for readers to tease thematic meaning from it... whether or not you intended them :-D

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Ben. Narratives, too, have structure, which is something else I'd be playing with.

[frogworth.livejournal.com]

BIG THUMBS UP. Especially with the definite article.
Come to think of it, "A Structure", with the indefinite article, would be really silly.

Thumbs and also big toes and stuff to a big fat standalone space opera too btw! Not just more SW SF, but a standalone! No waiting around for middle parts and final volumes :) Not that a good duo/trilogy doesn't have its place!

[frogworth.livejournal.com]

SHIT.

Especially without the definite article! Sorry! So I'm with the majority here. *phew*

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

:-) Thanks, Pete.

No waiting around for middle parts and final volumes

And no more writing 'em either! For now, anyway. It's time to shake things up a tad.

[king-espresso.livejournal.com]

Structure sounds cool to me. It's also something that a lot of novels lack, so you should do well there...

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :-)

[frogworth.livejournal.com]

I like the idea that this particular structure actually might be of human origin too... Wouldn't that be an interesting turn of events for a change :P

I also like the fact that all the commenters here are either using South Park icons or, er, muppets ;)

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

I also like the fact that all the commenters here are either using South Park icons or, er, muppets

Ha! That says a lot about the kind of people I mix with.

Excellent, to a one. :-)

[angriest.livejournal.com]

I also like the fact that all the commenters here are either using South Park icons or, er, muppets ;)

I'm personally hoping the structure of the title turns out to have been constructed by Muppets.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

It's the logical sequel to Muppets in Space.

Don't Do It Mr. Williams

[graham.storrs.myopenid.com (from livejournal.com)]

Hmmm. Not so sure about this. I can see why you would have your doubts. 'Structure' - as in 'stonking great construction' - does sound a bit lame. It's only if the word has rich overtones of relationship, organisation, hidden rules, subtle constraints, etc., which will unfold cleverly in the course of the story, that it sounds cool.

I didn't really enjoy Clarke's 'Rendezvous With Rama', but I might never have picked it up if it had been called 'Structure'.

Sorry to be a dissenting voice.

Re: Don't Do It Mr. Williams

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Good to hear both sides of the argument. Thanks!

It's possible that people only read Matter because Banks wrote it. Same with Rama and Clarke, possibly. I'm not in love with that title. Hourses for courses?

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

Honestly? I don't find it particularly evocative. Of course, with the right cover art that might not matter ... but I find the word itself lacks mystery, music or emotional appeal.

But that's just me. *g*

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

You are a very important "me", Karen, so no "just" about it! :-)

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

Ah, you big schmoozer. *g*

Hope the book tour is going gangbusters.

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

Exhausting! I don't know how Kevin J Anderson does it. :-)

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

He's a trooper, all right. But he's had years to build up the stamina!

[damienw]

If you call it "Edifice" (pace Clute et al), then you can call the sequel "Edifice Rex".

(I'll get me coat.)

[seanwilliams.livejournal.com]

These are GREAT titles! If only they fit the book...

[damienw]

All jokes aside, it doesn't work for me. What about "Construct"?

[gloripebbles.livejournal.com]

My immediate reaction is similar to Karen's. It would really depend on what artwork & also (for me) the font used for the word. If it was all shiny, metallic etc etc I'd be going nah-uh but if it was leaning towards looking organic, or organic-based (hinting about the origins) that would possibly get me picking it up to read the back (says she who rarely reads the 1st chapter but random pages throughout the book to see if it's interesting....)

[mistri.livejournal.com]

I like it - it has a definite SF feel for me, and I think I'd pick up the book based on the title.

[mindyklasky.livejournal.com]

Completely in a vacuum (ha - SF joke!), STRUCTURE reminds me of the chain of clothing store for men that has the same name (young, relatively hip - the boys' version of The Limited.) That impression would dissipate with cover art and a decent font, though.

Another vote *against* articles - they don't add to the title, and they take away from the immediacy of the right title.

Good luck!

[bluetyson.livejournal.com]

I'll vote with the bit blah school, for that one. Seen worse though.

Old school? Galactic Structure.

New. Structica.

Muppets in Space? Link hits Big Dumb Object.

[sci-fi-writer.livejournal.com]

I'm with the blah crowd. STRUCTURE sounds very dry. CONSTRUCT is edgier.

title

[(Anonymous)]

Silly me,

And despite having just used the word structure in a sentence in a separate email....

As an author I have to ask, has the book/story been written yet?

If not, then Structure is a fine working title.

But so is any other word.

If it's not written? I'd say write some of it, and see if Structure even fits when you're done.

Perhaps Lattice will be a better fit for the final concept? Or maybe Filigree?

:)
-Terry

Help wanted

[(Anonymous)]

No, Structure doesn't do much for me. A very non-evocative word. The problem is that (Banks's) Matter is a six letter word. The tightness of a smallish word works well for cover design. The definite article helps. I'm sure you'll think of something better. Maybe you consider 'Superstructure' -- artwork notwithstanding, it does have the resonances of an unusual juxtaposition of almost being asynonym of 'megastructure.' It wouldn't win the evocative word stakes.

best,

Jeff