1. In my opinion, the title can make or break a story. Besides the description, it is what helps draw a reader to the story.

2. If I am writing for a contest, the title can be the prompt or a derivative of it. More often, the story or my concept of it dictates it's title. I have used a fragment of dialogue for a title. One time a contest host said (in jest) that the story could not contain the word 'cucumber '. Well, I just had to...I made the title "R. E. (Bobbie) Mucuc".

3. More often than not, once I have the story concept, I know what I want the title to be. So, it depends on how long it takes me to envision the story.


Jim