The title of my serial, The Case of the Syphilitic Sister, has gotten a variety of reactions.
Someone on the Scribophile forum said it was the best title on the site.
But this blog post suggests I change it.
The story was originally called All-American Detectives, which was meant to sound like a comic book (I was probably thinking of Detective Comics, which was a comic featuring Batman, and is also where DC gets its name).
However the editors of JukePop Serials thought it was too generic. The Case of the Syphilitic Sister is meant to sound like a ‘hardboiled’ detective story.
Anyway, I’d be interested to know what everyone thinks.
Stick with it. It does sound like a hardboiled detective novel. The reviewer says to change it, but I can’t really glean *why* he wants it to change. Seems to work as-is, so no real need for change, as far as I can see.
use both
“All-American Detectives: The Case of the Syphilitic Sister”
make it sound like one entry of a series
The current title is fine as it is. It creates a level of mystery and intrigue that the title “All American Detectives” could not. All the latter title conveys is that this will be a story about Detectives, and they are American. The current title gives a better lead into the story for a number of reasons; defining the case gives the readers a small taste of what the story will be about, and, being that it is a “case”, it is understood that there will be detectives and mystery. The title is one of mild titillation; when one sees the word syphilis in context of a mystery, images of either a typhoid mary or marty tale immediately spring to mind, along with the tone of the (likely illicit) sex which led to the disease. People see that title and will immediately ask themselves “Who is the Syphilitic Sister? How did she get syphilis? Why is she being investigated?” No one will find out until the read it, but you’re damn sure they’re gonna be curious enough to click.
Though zombot makes a good point.
I back Zombot’s plan.
I read the first part of the story, enjoyed but I was unable to comment on the site.
I think you have to sign up for an account on JukePop Serials.
I’d say stick with ‘Syphilitic Sister’. For me, it makes your reader ask questions and so get into the story.
Thanks everyone.