Lucky is the writer whose book title is known before the first word is written. Other books may tease a vague hint or inclination, and then there are those that refuse to cooperate. At any level. If book titles are a challenge, let’s explore some possible remedies for those defiant or reluctant to make themselves known.
Reflect the Book’s Tone
The title of your book confers a critical first impression for a potential reader. It should provide insight into what the book is about and be a bit of a teaser. It should mention the “big picture” without revealing it entirely. Make it catchy, something that will grab a reader’s attention and make them want to read your book.
The tone of your title should be a reflection of how the author feels about the subject matter. Is the book cheerful? Nostalgic? Is it serious or full of humor? Tone can be conveyed by what the author describes to the reader and how word choices support the tone. The title of your book should be a reflection of what is going on inside. Here are a few examples: 100 Days Happier, Then She Was Gone, and Run for Your Life.
Genre Conventions
The title of your book should fit within the genre category. Let’s look at the three examples I mentioned: The first is a daily inspiration book, the second is a novel (the description talks about the lingering aftermath of a young girl’s disappearance), and the last is a thriller. The titles all seem to fit what is happening between the covers. Choosing a title that fits also helps with marketing and getting your book onto the shelves (virtual or otherwise) of the category where it belongs.
Here’s a title that could be misconstrued, but the author clarified it with a sub-title: One Hundred Heartbeats. This could easily lead a potential reader to think it’s a book about heart health, a nonfiction book. To clarify, the author added a subtitle: A Small Town Romance. Now the reader knows that this is a romance book, and it can easily be catalogued in the right place. Remember, your book title should match its genre placement.
Easy To Remember
It’s a challenge to encapsulate your entire book in five words (or less), but that’s the recommendation. Take a few minutes and look at sites offering books for sale. Check out the titles and see if they reflect the genre and tone of the book. Does it look like a good fit? Sure, font and cover design play a big role, but the title itself needs to be something catchy and easy to remember. Think about titles like Gone With the Wind and Lord of the Rings. If you know these stories, think about how the titles reflect the tone of the book and what is happening inside.
Keywords in your title can give your book elevated exposure to readers. Incorporating keywords in your book’s title can increase marketability and discoverability by readers. Taking a bit of time to do some keyword research can help you discover what terms people are using as they search for a particular book. This can be helpful in your quest to attach the best title possible to your book.
It’s a tricky task, to be sure, and one that involves a significant investment of time, thought, and research. Question the title that jumps out at you right away; it might be perfect, might not. Research it and see if it holds up to the industry standards and recommendations. Nudge the reluctant stories along and beg them for a clue or two. They might be willing to help you out.
Niki Kantzios
Thanks for this useful and interesting reflection on a subject that rarely gets any time. I often come up with the title before I write my book!
Anne
I’m glad you found the blog helpful, Niki!
I usually have the title first, like you. But some are more reluctant to make themselves known. Hence, the blog!
Lee Gramling
In my experience the ultimate decision on a book’s title is that of the publisher. I have, however, been fortunate so far in that my “working title” has usually been the accepted one.
Anne
True, but self-published authors have more freedom in the title department.
Tom Dimauro
Timely topic for me as I complete my first novel. I started with a title and let the story give me a sub-title. However, now I’m re-thinking re marketing and publisher considerations and more importantly, does it set the tone of the book. Thank you for giving me yet another decision to noodle before a mistake is made.
Anne
You’re most welcome! I hope it helps in your decision-making process.