#listen i spend an ungodly amount of time agonizing over fic titles

[decennia]

how do you make up your fic titles

Most of them are based off of songs or phrases I like, a singular concept within the story, or very obscure words I go out of my way to find.

Songs:

Lacrimosa, meaning weeping, or tearful, by Mozart.

The Lion's Roar, about Lynora Lannister's lies, by First Aid Kit.

Million Dollar Man, you're screwed up and brilliant, look like a million dollar man, so why is my heart broke?, by Lana Del Rey

See also: And The Snakes Start To Sing, Maneater, Thriller, and Heart of Glass

Phrases:

A King's Ransom, used literally, figuratively meaning a fortune.

Red Flag, a warning of danger.

Concept:

Pine, the twisted yearning between Coraline & Jasper & Edward. Also, pine trees?

A Funeral March in Eight, based off of the idea of movements within a funeral procession – the concept began with knowing of Hannah & Althea's mother's death in Half-Blood Prince and wanting to incorporate it in a meaningful way, and continues with adding Cedric and a slew of others to the list to create the Eight.

Rage & Retribution, indicative of Katya & Vasilisa's respective journies, Katya coming to terms with her rage, and Vasilisa craving retribution against the Darkling.

Of Saints & Sorrows – Sigrid being the Saint, and Ida's story being the sorrow.

Words:

Aphelion, the point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid, or comet at which it is furthest from the sun. About Salazar drifting from Catalonia, and Catalonia being pulled from Godric.

Vespertine, relating to, occurring, or active in the evening. About Diana's darker nature.

Limerence, a state of mind which results from romantic or non-romantic feelings for another person and typically includes obsessive thoughts and fantasies and a desire to form or maintain a relationship with the object of love and have one's feelings reciprocated. About Romulus and Apolline's relationship.

I also find that using words in Latin makes a good title. Example:

Gloria Regali, the royal glory.

Indomitum, meaning unrestrained, fierce, wild.

Or sometimes, you can just borrow from a film, like I did with Suspiria