I named my last novel, “Good Mail” because it’s about a woman addicted to catalogue shopping. She craved good mail every week without knowing which packages would arrive on any given day. The intermittent nature of gambling provides its appeal. Instant gratification won’t fly. If you knew the roulette ball would land on red every five times, you would not be at all excited about playing roulette.
I checked my working title on a website that rates various titles in sales draw. “Good Mail” didn’t fly, but a title with “gambling” in it did. I renamed my novel “Gambling for Good Mail.” It’s a bad title, I’ve since discovered from the many rave reviews I got for the novel and pans for the title. I no longer trust that web site.
Naming non-fiction is easier. To make a title work, write one that gives your reader what he wants immediately. Not what he needs, but what he wants. People don’t want advice even if they need it. They want specific results fast. Steve Harrision of BookMarketing gives the example of Dr. Leman’s latest book on parenting. Instead of “How to Discipline Your child,” the subject of the book, he titled it, “Have a new Kid by Friday.” This is followed with the sub-title: “How to Change Your Child’s Attitude, Behavior, and Character in Five Days.”
I named my current novel, “The Underbelly” to indicate the story is about social classes but sub-titled it, “Dr. Jacquelyn and Mrs. Hyde” to show that the story contains an obsessive character as well as humor. I can’t figure out how to include “Be thoroughly Entertained in Two Days.” When it’s published I’ll let you know if my title works.
What works for you?
Tags: Book titles, Naming a book
March 15, 2009 at 11:10 am
When I first wrote my novel it started out with a completely different title, for both the book and the title of the main character. Then I changed his title to Dragon Sage. Thus the title of the book. Then, since the book turned into a series from the one story, I knew I had to name that particular book, so it became “Bane Wars”. But, to me, it didn’t convey the story and sounded corny. Not only that, it already told the book story more than I wanted it to. Finally, based on aspects of the story, who’s responsible, what the results were, and the overall story, it is now called Blood and Bane; Book One in the Division Series. For me, it was a long process as the books grew. I usually start with one, and as the book “matures” a final title comes up. Mentioning the title on twitter or other places also helps with input.
March 16, 2009 at 9:17 am
Thanks for your comment. I’m new at Twitter. I like your suggestion.
Evy