Titles
September 19th 2009 19:52
A little over a week ago, one of my Nano friends was talking to me about my 'half-dragon series' as he termed it, and when I said 'Jihad' he did the whole '*shudders*' thing. (The conversation was over MSN.)
It made me think. A couple of years ago, when Jihad first became an active part of my life (before it practically ate my soul, which happened at the end of last year) my mother told me I should rethink the title. I looked at her and asked why. She said something about the war in Iraq and that the word Jihad would be seen as related to that.
This friend told me I should change the title, that Jihad was a terrorist thing. I said no, Jihad means holy war and has been around long before the 'terrorist' freakout of September Eleventh.
Considering the state that the series is in now, the first book of Jihad probably won't be published for at least another three or four years. A variety of short stories within the world of Tamraq will likely be found in various places, if all goes according to plan, but the series itself I have no intention of publishing for a while yet.
I'm sorry but I will not live my life in fear. I will not refuse to use the word that strikes me, that feels right for my story and my world, because of fear. I will use Jihad as the title for my series because that is the title for my series, as it has always been. When Jihad was only one book, that book was entitled Jihad. And I am not changing that.
Yes. every story needs editing at some point along the road. There's always room for improvement. A place to strengthen character, plot, worldbuilding. Many things in a novel or short story or series-just like in real life-are subject to change. But as writers we know that some things are concrete, some things cannot be changed without changing the entire feel of the book/story/series. That is like the name Jihad.
Has a title you chose ever been challenged? Did you agree with the person who challenged it or did you respond as I have?
It made me think. A couple of years ago, when Jihad first became an active part of my life (before it practically ate my soul, which happened at the end of last year) my mother told me I should rethink the title. I looked at her and asked why. She said something about the war in Iraq and that the word Jihad would be seen as related to that.
This friend told me I should change the title, that Jihad was a terrorist thing. I said no, Jihad means holy war and has been around long before the 'terrorist' freakout of September Eleventh.
Considering the state that the series is in now, the first book of Jihad probably won't be published for at least another three or four years. A variety of short stories within the world of Tamraq will likely be found in various places, if all goes according to plan, but the series itself I have no intention of publishing for a while yet.
I'm sorry but I will not live my life in fear. I will not refuse to use the word that strikes me, that feels right for my story and my world, because of fear. I will use Jihad as the title for my series because that is the title for my series, as it has always been. When Jihad was only one book, that book was entitled Jihad. And I am not changing that.
Yes. every story needs editing at some point along the road. There's always room for improvement. A place to strengthen character, plot, worldbuilding. Many things in a novel or short story or series-just like in real life-are subject to change. But as writers we know that some things are concrete, some things cannot be changed without changing the entire feel of the book/story/series. That is like the name Jihad.
Has a title you chose ever been challenged? Did you agree with the person who challenged it or did you respond as I have?
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