by Anne R. Allen
I’ve blogged before with tips on choosing a book title, but recently I’ve become aware of a few other things we need to consider in the age of online bookselling.
I ruminated about titles over the holidays, when I had a chance to read some titles from my TBR pile, and catch up on a few TV shows I’d missed. I found that some books and films spun out tales that fit perfectly with their titles. Others didn’t.
And it seemed to me the titles that didn’t match their content were harder to remember. And “memorable” should be our number one goal when choosing a book title in the days of mega-competition. So here are some things to keep in mind when making that final decision about your title. (I realize only indies have the final decision on a title, but we can all hope….)
1) Is it Memorable?
These days the competition — in both the book and film markets— is mind-boggling. Today’s market is more saturated than authors of 30 years ago could have imagined. Successful indie authors publish 12 or more books a year. And both publishers and authors are madly republishing their backlists. 1000s of new books launch every day
This means choosing a book title that people remember is essential.
Like it or loathe it, Emily in Paris is a memorable title. It’s not cute or clever or original. But even if you have zero interest in getting near it, you’re probably aware of a TV series called Emily in Paris. The simple title tells us clearly what it’s about, so it sticks in our memory banks.
But “artsy” titles are often harder to remember. The Power of the Dog is an Oscar-destined film, but the title conveys nothing about the subject, setting, tone, characters, anything.., so it’s tough to file in your brain.
At least it was for me. I heard about it first on NPR and thought I’d like to see it, but within minutes I couldn’t remember the title. Ditto the second time I heard further “buzz.” I watched for info about the debut, but I had to keep Googling “Benedict Cumberbatch New Film.”
Eventually, Netflix presented me with a film teaser featuring Cumberbatch looking fetching in a cowboy hat, and I went for it. But half my brain kept looking for the dog. I’m not saying the film isn’t brilliant, or that the ultra-talented Mr. Cumberbatch didn’t do a bang-up job playing the biggest jerk west of the Pecos.
But there were NO DOGS. 🙂
Well, I guess there was one, in the contours and shadows of the mountains that soared above the ranch. But this dog-vison was mentioned only once. In about ten words — never to be heard of again.
2) Is it Audience-Appropriate?
When I thought about it, I realized that The Power of the Dog is probably not a bad title at all. The problem wasn’t with the title. It was with me.
I’m not the film’s target audience. It’s what used to be called an “art house” film. It’s aimed at people who are looking for a cerebral, contemplative film experience. An enigmatic title that suggests dark subject matter is probably just the thing for attracting that audience..
There was a time I included myself in that demographic, but I’m very clearly no longer there. I didn’t hate the film, and I could appreciate its brilliance, but I found it too slow and depressing. I guess I live my life at a faster pace these days, and have lost a taste for slower, contemplative films. That may be why the title didn’t reach me.
But I have to admit I spent much of the film thinking of new titles. I amused myself titling it with different audiences and genres in mind.
- For the Lifetime Channel, naybe: My Mother’s New Brother-In-Law is a Sociopath!
- On Hallmark: Romance in Old Montana.
- PBS: Toxic Masculinity in the Old West
- For an action/thriller audience, maybe Dark Secrets, or Burning Flowers.
This is all silly of course, but we do need to be aware of audience when we’re choosing a book title (or screenplay title.)
It would not be a good idea to title a thriller In Love with a Billionaire Duke or call a sci-fi adventure The Blueberry Muffin Affair.
We need to resist the urge to change it up and choose something shocking and fun, like a dark thriller called Daisy and Susie Go Shopping.
Remember we’re living in the age of search engines, and robot overlords, so we probably don’t want to take that kind of chance. If some robot puts your Daisy and Susie thriller in the Chick Lit category, it may be hidden from your target readers forever.
3) How Will it Look on the Cover?
A wonderful French translator has been working on my story collection, Why Grandma Bought That Car. He says most of the story titles work in translation, but the Grandma thing won’t mean much for a French audience. So he suggested a title that was 10 words long.
I had to explain to him how that many words, plus both our names would stuff the entire cover with text, which would have to be in a flyspeck font. And it would allow for no cover art.
He got it, and came up with a great French title, Rebelle, Rebelle, which I adore.
The best titles stand out on a cover. And remember your name has to be on there, too! And some catchy cover art.
4) Is it in Use?
Titles can’t be copyrighted, but you still don’t want to chose one that’s currently in use, especially if the user is a big seller.
When we published the prequel to the Camilla Randall Mysteries, which I titled The Best Revenge, my publisher only found two other books with that title. Both had been out of print for several years and none were romcom mysteries. So we took the chance.
But that was before the “Kindle Revolution.” Now we live in the age of republished backlists and instant book publishing. The last time I checked, there were at least 50 books with that title. My novel can’t be found on Amazon without some other helpful keywords.
This means the chance somebody else is using the name is pretty good. But it’s worth Googling around to see what you can find.
Having a book with a similar title as somebody else can even work in your favor. I remember when Catherine Ryan Hyde had just launched Take Me With You, and a new author debuted with the same title that week. Catherine offered to do a promo together, which gave a big boost to the debut author. But we probably shouldn’t count on something like that happening.
So there’s nothing wrong with a used title, but we should be aware of what’s out there. You don’t want to choose From the Darkness for your memoir title if there’s another book with the same name that’s a Satanist manifesto or some steamy BDSM erotica..
So do a thorough search of the title before you choose.
5) Keep a Thumbnail Image in Mind When Choosing a Book Title
I used to tell authors to avoid one-word titles. But in the age of online retailing, a one-word title can be an advantage in the tiny scope of a thumbnail image of your cover.
You still don’t want a all-encompassing generic title like Hope, Love, Family, War, or Peace, unless you really think you can go toe to toe with Leo Tolstoy. All-encompassing, generic titles can often force you to bite off more than you can chew.
I think in these days of online marketing, a 2-or 3-word title may be the sweet spot.
Keep in mind that a thumbnail is the most likely way your potential customer will see your title.
For more on the nuts and bolts of choosing a book title, see my post “10 Tips for Choosing the Right Title for Your Book.”
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What about you, scriveners? Have you changed the way you choose titles in the era of online book sales? I know this isn’t a complete list. What other tips do you have to add? Do you have any suggestions for a more appropriate title for The Power of the Dog?
BOOK OF THE WEEK
Why Grandma Bought That Car…Soon to be published in France!
Ebook ONLY 99c!!!
“Such an unusual collection of poems and stories. Each story features interesting and rebellious females. Each woman faces a defining moment in her life…and things will never be the same thereafter.“….Michelle Wallace
Your post is perfect timing for me, Anne, as I noodle over a title for my WIP rom com. Saving it -:D
Cat–Good luck with your title search. I hope the story delivers it to you and you don’t have to work too hard.
Absolutely.
My one and only traditionally published book had the esoteric title of “Line 21”. Came up with the title while doing my taxes that year and line 21 on your 1040 back then was where you added any additional income. Only an accountant friend actually got the meaning behind the title.
Fixed it when I got the rights back to it and gave it a title that made more sense with that actual content (a symbiont for a sibling).
Beyond that, coming up with a title that actually pertains to the story is the #2 stress inducer for me (blurb writing is #1).
GB–I can see exactly why “Line 21” appealed to you as a title, and exactly why it didn’t work. One of those “darlings” we have to kill. 🙁
I’ve just bought the English version of Why Grandma Bought that Car. Love the first poem! That’s my evening sorted ????
Jackie–Thanks for brightening my Sunday!! I hope you enjoy the rest.
Anne—Agree that Power of The Dog was a dog of a title. [sorry, couldn’t resist] I liked the film more than you did. Loved the look — gorgeous — also loved the sneaky-powerful ending that was forecast in practically the first line of dialogue. Lethal. Literally.
As to titles, keep em short so they’ll display well on the cover and use simple words so that even robot overlords can understand them. 😉
Ruth–I’m glad you agree about that title. So not-memorable. I agree the cinematography was superb, and the ending was epic tragedy. But I’m finding it harder to deal with depressing books and films these days. Maybe it’s a phase brought on by the pandemic.
And yes, we must keep our robot overlords in mind in choosing titles these days. Keep it wimple so they don’t get confused.
I have a difficult time coming up with titles, but I do know to make them short and unique. My Cassa series books became easy after the first one since Cassa is in every one – and zero competition on Amazon or anywhere else.
Ever thought of retitling The Best Revenge?
Alex–You were very clever to come up with a keyword that is yours alone. Fans know immediately what to expect and how to find you.
Alas, “The Best Revenge” is the perfect title for my book. My heroine gets her power back by writing an etiquette column called “Living Well.” So the last line of the book is “Living Well is the Best Revenge.”
Thank you for this advice, Anne. When it comes to titles I need all the help I can get.
I have a theory that negative words–such as ‘no’ and ‘don’t’–are to be avoided in a title. What do you think?
Leanne–I think the negative factor depends on the genre. The film “Don’t Look Up” is getting a lot of buzz right now and I think it works. But of course, it’s about the end of the world. A negative subject may need a negative title.
Interesting subject you’ve got going this morning, Anne. (Tip ‘o the hat to Ruth)
It made me do a bit of thinking about choosing titles for books vs. articles. I spent a few years writing commercial copy for websites where we really worked on the titles to ensure they were search engine optimized (SEO friendly), ie. “Top Ten Tips For Buying a Warehouse Stretch Wrapper” or “Death Statistics Regarding Apple Cider Vinegar Overdoses” or “5 Things to Consider When Choosing a Book Title in the Internet Age”, you know – keywords that rank high in the search engine response pages (SERPs).
I don’t think it’s necessary to worry about SEO and SERPs for fiction book titles – non-fiction is an entirely different matter when it comes to titles as they have to immediately nail the subject matter. And I do think you nailed this article in your title and the very wise words in your third paragraph: “Memorable should be our number one goal”.
Garry–You’re absolutely right that these tips are for fiction, not nonfiction. Nonfiction titles MUST cater to SEO and keywords. I probably should have made my blogpost title “choosing NOVEL titles.”
Terrific advice Anne, as always. My titles are very much like the rest of my stories– simply there, and I’ve never really felt much choice about them. Epic fantasy is utterly cursed with a proliferation of “The Blank of Blank” titles anyway, with one of the blanks being a proper noun for something/one in that world you’ll never hear of again. Some smart alecks have already used Game, Lord, Ring and Thrones…
When my publisher asked me to combine two full-length novels into one door-stopper opus I had to really scratch my head for a title. I came up with “Harbingers of Hope” and what do you know but a word as unusual as that still doesn’t come up first on the Zon. Or second…
Will–Each genre has its title conventions. I didn’t realize epic fantasy titles are usually the Blank of Blank, but that sounds right. Harbingers of Hope is a great title on many levels. “Harbingers” is an old fashioned word, so it suggests something historical or long-ago-and-far-away. And “Hope” is so… hopeful. 🙂
Hi Anne — great stuff, here. Like most writerly advice, the 2-3 word sweet-spot title is perfect most of the time. Then there’s always some author/editor/publisher who breaks the rules & does so famously. *The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time* & *The One Where the Kid Nearly Jumps to His Death & Lands in California* come to mind. Thankfully, the perfect 2-3 word titles are easier to come up with than the rambling ones. Thanks again.
CS–Those rambling titles are great fun, but they pose a real problem for a cover designer in the age of e-commerce. How do you fit it on there so people can read it in a thumbnail. Both of those titles came out before the rise of Amazon and ebooks, and I’ll bet no publisher would go for them now.
Two of the toughest tasks for authors are writing a catchy and pithy back-of-the-book blurb and creating a memorable and original title.
For my first novel, the title (“Bead of Sand”) came to me, in the beta reader stage, from a conversation between the two main characters. My mother, one of my beta readers, commented that my working title did not draw interest. She was right.
For my second novel, I noodled around with about 200 variations on a theme, none of which struck home. Then when I wrote one of the chapters to enter in a writing contest, the title of the book became evident, completely unrelated to any of the variations I’d been poking at – “The Sturgeon’s Dance.” In this case, it turned out that the sturgeon (a large fish that “dances” by leaping out of the water repeatedly) represents the joie de vivre that the main character has been seeking.
Keep noodling long enough and the story will reveal its ideal title to you.
Brass Castle–It’s so magical when a novel hands you its own title, isn’t it? Like the gods are singing to you. Sometimes it happens and sometimes it never comes. But I was so glad when my French translator came up with the “Rebelle, Rebelle” title. I knew he was going to do a great job, because the book had spoken to him.
Thank you for the great tips, as always. Can’t think straight today in order to say much more. I enjoyed reading it… but right now I’m fighting Covid – all 3 of us in this household – and my brain is tired.
Patricia–I’m so sorry you’re all sick with Covid! I hope you have a milder case and can be up and about soon.
Thank you, Anne. All 3 of us have mild symptoms but then, we are all vaccinated and wear masks etc… This Omicron has hit almost everyone I know!!!
Very interesting article, Anne. I would definitely have been looking for the dog in the “The Power of the Dog” too!
I’ve written three novels, and I had a different approach to coming up with each title. Each story includes a timepiece as a central part of the work, so I wanted to reflect that. The first book is “The Watch on the Fencepost,” which isn’t catchy at all, but my husband said he liked it and thought it would cause a reader to look twice. The second novel is “Dead Man’s Watch” which is much more in league with current trends, but I wonder if it represents the cozy mystery properly. I had intended to title the third book “Killing Tyme,” but decided that might convey an impression that the book is more violent than it is, So I changed the title just a few days before release to “Time After Tyme.”
Coming up with the titles is as interesting and challenging as writing the story!
Kay–I love those titles. Especially Time After Tyme. Very creative idea for a series, various aspects of time.
Working through a gritty manuscript and watching (listening) to Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri when your blog alert email came through… I paused all else and started reading — and then cackled wildly at the connection…
Love your updates after musing on things that all writers need to know/think about. Great post as always!
Maria–The writer must have had a strong advocate to get the studio to keep that whole title. I’m sure a whole lot of marketing people wanted it to just be “Three Billboards.”
Thanks for this terrific post. There is a lot ot digest here. I will be posting the link on my blog.
Rosi–Thanks for sharing. I hope it helps with your title-choosing!
I don’t usually enjoy dystopia but I loved “Don’t Look Up”. I think it was the comic injections that helped.
And your reply really makes a lot of sense to me. A good title should reference the genre and hint at the plot.
When my publisher and I were looking for a title for my first mystery/thriller back in 1996, the publisher suggested Scandal which was okay if a little bland. So, my brother suggested “S Is For Scandal” which was a take on Sue Grafton’s best selling Alphabet series and she was only up to L at the time. It was cheeky and of course, I didn’t do it but could have (I think) since there is no copyright on titles or title concepts.
Anyway, more recently, it was suggested I change the title of my psychological thriller Payback to something less Jack Reacher-is. I sat down and devised a method of finding a new title (which I blogged about) Anyway, the title is Fool Her Once. Any thoughts? Anyone?
Joanna–I don’t know how readers would have reacted to the Sue-Grafton reference. Probably best to steer away from angry fans.
But I LOVE your title. Fool her Once is in that 3-word sweet spot, and it’s memorable.
Thanks for this. I have had the title before I started the novel. It’s a little long, but I love it. I feel it’s memorable. So thanks for the article. Great validation. I’m following my instinct on this one, and hey, if it doesn’r work, and because I’m an Indie Author, I can update it.
Valerie–If your title is a bit long, you can work with your cover designer to minimize the art, or make it misty in the background, so the cover can be mostly text. Lots of cover design is text-heavy these days.
This is good to know. I have contracted a very talented, and experienced designer. I had always decided to not skimp on editing or design. It means less books to publish per year, but I prefer quality rather than quality. As you are aware, being a Indie author (and a new one as I am) it’s a slow burn.
Valerie–Self publishing is starting a business. It sounds as if you’re on the right track!
A great, and useful post. Thank you.
By the way, I have no like button on this post on my tablet.
V. M.–Wordpress had an update on the 1st, and it’s created many bugs. I hope your “like” button will reappear.
Much food for thought here. I have been working on this trilogy for so long, the titles have become ingrained. When I started the project, cover art and thumbnails was/were not on my radar. I will need to have a good think. At least they’re short!
As for Power of the Dog, you’re not wrong. I also had trouble remembering the title and just searched for ‘dog’. Thankfully it popped right up and I really enjoyed the film. I love it when a film surprises and satisfies, even if it is a dark subject. And hey there was a dog in it, a lovely black and white shepherd; of some sort of herding dog, I presume. For those who haven’t seen it, nothing happens to the dog! But I will admit I did google the title phrase and related verse bc I didn’t get what they were trying to convey. It makes sense now, but still, I was confused. Maybe falls into the category of Far Too Clever By Half. I understand it is based on a book of the same title that was published in 1967. Simpler times.
Lissa–It’s good your titles are short. They’ll probably be just fine.
I think you’re right that the Power of the Dog was too clever. It Would have worked perfectly in a 1960s literary novel, though, which is what it was. I did see that Border Collie, but it didn’t get enough of a role to pass the relevance test. 🙂 I agree it’s a brilliant movie and Cumberbatch deserves lots of awards (Lost to Denzel in the Golden Globes last night though.) It’s just me. I’m at a stage in my life when I can’t deal with downers. But I suspected it was a downer, so it’s my bad.
Finding the right title can be maddening. My Mayhem Series (Wings of Mayhem, Blessed Mayhem, Silent Mayhem, I Am Mayhem) is a lot easier than my Grafton County Series. Since I used a one-word title with a double meaning for book one (MARRED), my publisher insisted I continue. Ugh. Drives me crazy.
Sue–Those Mayhem titles are great. We know the genre and subject right away and your fans recognize your brand immediately. The double meaning ones take a little thought. Clever, but they may not work as well as a keyword like “mayhem.”
As others have noted, picking a good title can be frustrating. My second fantasy novel I titled “Witchery” because there’s a distinct difference between witchery and witchcraft. But I tried many other options before deciding I couldn’t do any better and still reflect the contents. Now with your observation about thumbnails, which I had not thought about, I’m more satisfied with my choice.
Thanks again, Anne.
Fred–It’s a great title. Perfect on a spooky cover.
Another excellent post, Anne! I need to remember this when finally deciding on a title for my college memoir. Right now it is: Making Success Happen: The Power of Perseverance, too long according to your tips here.
Thanks for all you do to assist writers. I’ve shared the post online. All best to you!
Victoria–Thanks! Keep brainstorming titles and think short. Maybe “something and Perseverance”?
You are so right when it comes to visualizing the title at thumbnail size! That is how books are purchased these days, like it or not. Interestingly, you didn’t tackle the notion of titles with unpronounceable words. Some sci-fi titles contain the names of fictional worlds/planets/kingdoms etc that are unpronounceable without some real effort. The author may love the name which has a hidden meaning etc., but a potential reader may bypass the tale in favor of something they can tell a friend about. Also, Power of the Dog is the title of a series by Don Winslow. When I heard about the Cumberbatch movie I thought it was an adaptation . . . Wonder if a lawsuit is pending.
Carmen–Thanks for adding a #6! NO Unpronounceable titles!! I agree 100%.
I didn’t know Don Winslow had a “Power of the Dog” too. Titles can’t be copyrighted, so there probably won’t be a lawsuit, but they should have thought of that. Didn’t follow my rule #4
Hi Anne,
What a helpful resource, I have been working on a book too, and choosing the best title is the biggest challenge I have. I will be keeping all your tips in mind when I finally settle on a title. Thanks a lot for sharing your insights about the title, and why it is important to choose a good one at this age. I gained a lot of insights from this article, and I will implement your teaching and tips in my process.
John–Best of luck in finding your title. Do read my previous post on the nuts and bolts of choosing a title. The link is at the end of the post.
Hi Anne,
Very interesting topic in your post today. I enjoyed reading it. Since I am about to dive into the world of self publishing soon, these hints are perfect. Most of my titled works are short 2-3 words, but my first novel is a bit long (five words). A good point, that we must all remember readers will be looking at postage stamp sized covers, so the simpler the better for sure.
Good luck with your FRENCH version of your stories/poems… the theme sounds fun!
Michael–Merci beaucoup. 🙂 I’m not saying 5 word titles are impossible. A good designer can do amazing things with a cover. But it’s good to keep cover design in mind.
Hey Anne!
It was a great article! As a writer and a book lover, I found this article to be very thoughtful to me. I think you have shared some valid information in choosing the right title for a book. As I’m working on a book now, giving it a suitable title is a huge challenge which I’m going through. Thank you for sharing these valuable tips. This will help me in giving the best title for my book. And, Looking forward to read
“Why grandma bought that car”
Hey Anne!
What a great article! As a writer and a book lover, I found this article to be very useful. As I’m working on a book, giving it a suitable title is a great task. Thanks for sharing these valuable tips in choosing a title for a book. I will surely keep your teachings and tips in mind and will work on it. I have gained a lot of knowledge from this article and I will share this with my fellow friends. Looking forward to reading “Why Grandma Bought that Car”
Joanna–Yes. Choosing a title is hard, and it’s much harder in the age of e-commerce. But you can do it! Thanks for picking up my book!
Spoiler alert for The Power of the Dog: I should be working on revisions, but I can’t stay out of the sideline about the film, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I worry about insulting people by telling them what they already know, so I beg forgiveness if I do this.
I thought that learning what “the dog” is in the final lines of the film masterfully connects directly to the initial lines of the film. While I do see how the film could be a downer, it’s also a great revenge story, with much to say about the meaning of strength and what makes a “man.” I confess I like many (but not all) “art films,” but one thing fascinating about this one is how it encourages us to look at the wrong thing and miss what’s really going on right in front of us. As for the title, I was so curious I just had to see what it was about, and at the end, I went, “Ah.” I now have a copy of Thomas Savage’s book on which the film is based and plan to begin reading soon.
Vanderso–Great analysis of the film! I agree with every word. (Except maybe that the final words justified the forgettable title, although I see how they do in literary terms.) It’s a great art film. I just wasn’t in the mood for a downer film right now. I won’t see King Lear again. I’ve seen enough productions to know it’s great, but it leaves me feeling like jumping off a bridge. This is such a tough time for a lot of us emotionally, so I felt I should warn that this isn’t for people who need something uplifting.