howells/fiction/naming

Generate title options for your book using the naming agent.

What This Does

1. Reads your project materials (README, themes, characters, world)
2. Extracts potential naming seeds (objects, places, themes, contradictions)
3. Generates 8-12 title candidates using proven strategies
4. Searches to verify titles aren't already taken
5. Rates availability and genre fit
6. Provides ranked recommendations

Usage

/fiction:naming                    # Generate titles for current project
/fiction:naming /path/to/project   # Generate for specific project

Output

For each recommended title:

• Strategy used — Object, place, character, theme, etc.
• Why it works — What makes this title effective
• Availability — Clear, Caution, or Taken
• Genre signal — What readers will expect

Availability Checking

The agent searches for each candidate:

• Exact title matches on Goodreads, Amazon
• Similar titles from well-known books
• Potential confusion with existing works

Note: Book titles can't be copyrighted, but sharing a title with a famous book hurts discoverability.

Title Strategies

The agent generates candidates using:

• The Object — Significant item (The Kite Runner)
• The Place — Key location (Wuthering Heights)
• The Character — Protagonist name (Jane Eyre)
• The Theme — Abstract made concrete (Atonement)
• [Noun] of [Noun] — Classic scope (House of Leaves)
• The [Person] + [Location] — Thriller staple (The Girl on the Train)
• The Contradiction — Tension in words (Brave New World)
• The Cultural Echo — References readers know (East of Eden)

When to Use

• Project is ready for a final title
• Current title feels weak or generic
• Preparing to publish or pitch
• Series planning (title patterns that extend)
• Want to validate an existing title choice

After Naming

1. Test favorites with target readers
2. Check domain/social availability if relevant
3. Coordinate with /fiction:cover — title and cover should work together