I found
an idea on
this blog that I absolutely love (the blog and the idea)! What is even better, this idea is especially apt for my blog and for me. I am a writer who is exceptionally accomplished at starting a number of brillantly executed novels, but never finishing a one of them. Perhaps it is because I crave the fresh flood of ideas that come as inspiration for a new project. Perhaps it is merely the brainstorming process I love and craze over. Or perhaps I am just a lazy wanna be novelist with a job, a child, a husband, and ten thousand other things I should be doing instead of professionally writing a novel. Just perhaps.
Anyways, I start writing a new novel, I organize the plot and have the beginnings of what I know will be an incredible story all written out. I continue to work on it for a few months here a little and there a little. Suddenly I seem to run out of steam. I put it away to "finish later," which never happens. We all know this.
This collection of unfinished stories is like a box of leftovers from Chili's. At the restaurant you have every intention of taking home that Styrofoam box and indulging in your baby back ribs and fries once more, polishing them off with a hearty lick of the fingers. But honestly, it is never meant to be. You gather your things up from the table, sign the check, and saunter out to the car; your leftovers already forgotten and still sitting on the table. Yep, this is often how my novel writing ends up.
For me this type of writing means I never get to pen out a title for any of my stories. I know, you probably think a title is a natural part of the beginning phase of writing, but it's not for me. For me the title is the polished off ending of every book, paper, review, and homework assignment. It is the hearty finger licking that happens post meal. For example, when I finish
reading a book I press the covers back together and read the front cover for the last time, patting my fully satisfied belly. I remember all of the good and bad times, I run my finger along the embossing lovingly, and then slide the book away on a shelf until another day. When writing I employ the same tactic, writing the title last and making sure it best reflects the whole of what my writing conveys. I did this for every paper from junior high to university. It is my means, my method, and my madness. But with my stories, I never have the chance to get there.
All of that to say, I have a new idea! To me titles are important. Which is why I want to do a review of what my weekly life would look like as a series of book titles. Perhaps I will pick one of these titles to write out longhand the adventures of that day, but the reality is I probably wont. Rather, I will read over these "book titles" and remember exactly my story that goes along with them. That is what a title is really meant to do, right? First grab the attention, and second, make the story memorable once you are finished.
Ready? Go!
"Hello Stranger! Let's Awkwardly Run Into Each Other at Target Several Times and Make Eye Contact"
"Nice Weather, Bad Weather, Nice Weather"
"The Grass I Refuse to Mow"
"Dear Dandelions, Stop Taking Over the Planet"
"10 Ways How NOT to Make a Baby Poop"
"A Weekend Away With Baby Equals a Car Full of Luggage"
"A Baby Who Sneezes Bananas and More Adventures in Solid Foods"
If your life last week was turned into a book what would the title be?
