Any tips on how to pick the book’s name and make it attracting ?

justawritingaid:

Did you know that authors don’t get to title their books unless they’re super established and the publishers 100% agree with the title?  BUT that’s only in the traditional publishing world and this is still a relevant question to anyone who’s just writing for fun or self-publishing.

There are lots of different ways to approach a title, so here are some of the directions and general tips:

– Originality matters to a point. You don’t want to fall into cliche territory or copy a well-known title, but you don’t want something so convoluted that it’s too long or just weird (unless that fits the tone of your story).

– It depends on genre. Titles obviously have to reflect the book content, so it makes sense that there would be a difference based on genre.

– Make a list and narrow it down. It’s unlikely that you’ll come up with the “perfect” one at the start, so maximizing your choices is a smart idea. You can even ask for input from beta readers or friends. 

– Titles should reflect tone. This can also be related to voice or point of view, but you don’t want to make your readers think the story will be funny when it’s really sad.

– Use specific wording. Just like writing, if not more important here, specificity matters. Stronger words can make a title stand out, even if the title is just a singular word. 

– If your title can have two meanings (that make sense for the story) do it! Typically, the second meaning comes out after the reader has finished the story.

– Don’t let your title give away your plot. Yeah it might be clever to have a plot-relevant title, but you have to be very careful to make sure it doesn’t spoil everything. 

– It can be simple. I know plenty of books with a single-word title, but the most successful ones still have meaning to the story. The single word was chosen for a reason, and often is a word that has unique implications to the story. 

– Make your reader think. Not all titles have to be straightforward, though this still means your story has to back up the title. Try and approach common elements from a unique angle or play with double meaning.

But… the reason I gave you the titling fact at the beginning is because titles have an element of marketing to them, which I am definitely not trained in. My tips are still relevant, but if you’re trying to actually sell a book, I really recommend you speak to someone who has title marketing experience. Once you reach the business world, it’s not about “what fits”, but “what sells”, and finding the balance between those two things isn’t easy for all books. 

Good luck with your title!