the HORROR! the HORROR! of a bad title
Feb 23 '01
The Bottom Line Would you send your precious baby into the world named "Eugene Snotgrass"? Let us go, you and I, to take up arms against the oppression of irrelevant titles.
For Epinions.com, a title is your first glimpse of a potential date in a sea of potential dates. Which one(s) do you want to mingle with during those precious moments you spend scanning the site for "just the right" one? Is it too bold, too wordy, too flirty, too cold? Do you want to have a quick fling with this title (and the author) or a long-term relationship?
The title is the NAME you dub on your creation, your baby called the "Epinion". Do you want your baby going out in the world defenseless with the name "Eugene Snotgrass" (my apologizes to anyone with that name)? Or would you prefer "Blake Kensington"? Hmmm? Although you may not believe me, I've personal known a person -- of Scandinavian decent -- with the name Torn Recktal. Ouch is right! While the title Torn Recktal may be catchy, the next question is "how is it relevant" to the person (i.e., the Epinion). Hopefully, in that case, it isn't.
While some will undoubtedly disagree, I believe a title should suggest something that is actually contained WITHIN the body of the Epinion (i.e., is relevant). While the title "MAKE HOT AND SEXY MONEY QUICK" might get people to read you review on the history of medieval nunneries, it may leave people unsatisfied. No one wants that. I tend to ignore those Epinions and subsequently those people when they don't deliver something relevant for me. Maybe I will look the first time, but my long-term relationship with that title (and subsequently with the author) is frayed and precarious.
We spend a few minutes to a few hours laboring over something we want to rejoice, pan, slam, or avenge. We shouldn’t undermine our musings with the mediocrity. I urge each and every one of you to TAKE UP ARMS NOW -- AGAINST BAD TITLES! I may not get there with you, but I believe that we as a community will someday reach the promised land.
So how do we "rectify" this situation? I'm no So-Crates, but here are a few of my humble suggestions:
(1) Have fun! Play with words, phrases, popular sayings. Words are your friend, make sweet love with your words.
(2) As previously mentioned, be somewhat on topic. The title should suggest the content. I will more often return to people who have witty but relevant titles, even if the topic may not be of particular interest to me.
(3) While cleverness counts, don't be too abstruse. If you don't know the word "abstruse", try not to be too esoteric. If you don't know that word either, try not to be enigmatic -- you get the idea.
(4) IS ALL CAPS OK? Well, I don't like it much. The folks at ebay do that a lot. Research has shown that it is more difficult to read ALL CAPS. Our minds distinguish lower-case better. Having said that, I just used some in my title. Should I haven't use it? I took a gamble that it might be the right topic and the right amount. I probably won't use it for a typical review. The jury is out.
That is about all the "advice" I have for now. I did want to make some more sweeping comments about naming with respect of record albums -- Led Zeppelin I, II, III, IV; Peter Gabriel (1st LP, 2nd LP, et.al); and the Beatles "White Album" -- but I'll have to wait until those ideas come to fruition and on topic.
Happy naming mi amigos.
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Epinions.com ID:
bczernik
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Location: Iowa City, Iowa
Reviews written: 19
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Wanna-be poet and troubadour, typically working as an Internet Strategist.
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