There is a pseudo system I use for brainstorming ideas and it simply starts with a letter from the alphabet. :) Every few weeks or so, I grab a yellow pad or whatever text editor on my phone/laptop, and write each letter of the alphabet on it's own line. Then a few days later, I'll go through the list and come up with a title for each letter. A week or so after that, I'll jot down a logline, theme, or idea for the titles. Give it a try. It works for me. Ironically, the more the story ideas/concepts get developed, the title ends up changing.

I am absolutely terrible at titles, so it would definitely be a good idea for me to work on them some. I pitched to an agent last year and when she told me the title was all wrong I practically sobbed "I know! It's awful, isn't it?" I still got a request for a partial, but practice might make perfect ^_^

One of the titles above is the same as one for a rewrite of mine save for an extra 's'. When I heard about the spec sale, I groaned, but my story is very different, especially in tone, so I will move forward with it. At least I know my title is marketable. If there can be two Autobahns...

I personally love coming up with titles. I'm not always good at it but every now and then one sticks and it feels right. The title of the latest script I'm busy with is the actual metaphor for the entire story.

I would go so far as to say that great titles alone can sell a story (consider Cameron's 'Alien$'). But it's very difficult to do, because you need to include the whole story premise into a much smaller space than a logline, and I think most of us who've worked on those up until the very last moment of The Quest knows how tough that can be. I included a title for one of my submitted loglines and that was 'Dark Sun Rising'. I think that is a very captivating title and I hope Scott thinks so too :)

That's a cool idea. Here's one I've mentioned before, not strictly for titles, but as the anecdote will demonstrate, it worked in this case. The very first screenwriting class I taught was on the UCLA campus. For one session, I brought two hats and a stack of 3x5 inch index cards. I gave ten cards to each participant. On five of them, I asked them to write a profession / job. They put those cards into one hat. On the other five, I asked them to write a location. They put those in the other hat. I mixed up the cards, then went around the room, and each writer pulled a card the first, then the second hat. I kid you not, one of them drew these two cards: "Kindergarten" "Cop" The movie had come out several years earlier, but think of the serendipity of that! Hey, whatever it takes to kickstart and fuel one's story concepting process.

Julia, don't beat yourself up about it. I know lots and lots of writers who have horrible times with titles. One I know simply never titles his original scripts or his pitches, unless someone he knows comes up with a good one. This is another good reason to go through Halliwells as you not only get to read 27,000 loglines, you also get to consider 27,000 titles.

Romona, as long as your story is different, not a problem.

That's another great value in having a title: Can help keep you focused on the central theme or conflict of the story. Good point, Trennon0!

"Dark Sun Rising" is evocative, yes. I think my favorite title story is when author Peter Benchley was in his agent's office and the publishers of his new novel were on the phone screaming for a title because the book was about to go to press. Novel was about this giant white shark that terrorized a small coastal village. Benchley had been frantically writing out title after title for weeks. Finally in that moment when the pressure was on, the agent slipped a piece of paper over to Benchley. On it, one word: "Jaws" The rest, as they say, is history.

I'd love to hear some of the titles that you liked Scott, and particularly if they are titles that made you think twice about the logline.

Yeh, would be interesting, but he's pledged to keep such details secret.

The ones that make the final four, those we keep on ice throughout the whole "Quest" process. Perhaps some of the others that made the preliminary list, if they agree, will allow me to post them for discussion.