More on Finding the Title of Your Book: Excerpt From My Book: A Friendly Guide to Writing & Ghostwriting

It takes many months, often years, to complete a manuscript to your satisfaction, so why would you tack on a random title as an afterthought? If you’re submitting your book to a publisher, they need encouragement to pick up your manuscript from the ever-growing pile on their desk. If you ‘re self-publishing, the title will attract followers and readers – or not. It’s important to avoid getting married to a particular title. It usually changes along the way. I’m not saying that a good one will put you on the bestseller list, but a bad one might prevent it.

If you don’t know what title you want, I encourage you to choose what I call a “working title,” something that will remind you what you’re writing. While you’re writing, it can be overwhelming. You can feel like you’re at sea, grasping for something to hold onto, something that will connect you to your story. Your title choice will most likely change but it’s good to have something to refer to while you’re working. In most cases the perfect title is embedded in the text so stay open and you’ll most likely find what you’re looking for.

Here is a list of working titles of bestselling books that the author changed before the first printing. They’re fiction and I’m mostly talking about non-fiction here, but they demonstrate my point.

• Trimalchio in West Egg became The Great Gatsby.

• Strangers From Within became Lord of the Flies.

• The Dead Un-Dead became Dracula. 

• All’s Well That Ends Well became War and Peace.

• Fiesta became The Sun Also Rises.

• Second Hand Lives became The Fountainhead

And my personal favorite:

• The Jewboy, Whacking Off, and A Jewish Parent Begins His Analysis became Portnoy’s Complaint.

If the authors of the above books had refused to consider the title changes, there’s no telling how their books would have fared.

Here are some tips on choosing one:

1.  Make a list of possible titles.

2.              Read them out loud and listen to how they sound.

3.              Run them by someone you trust.

4.              Make sure your title is connected to your topic or story.

5.              Be flexible. Be willing to change the title if you find something better or if someone else does.

6.              Use catchy turns of phrase.

7.              Look at the title in print and see if it fits as snugly as you think it does.

8.              Read through your text carefully and see what jumps out at you.

9.              Keep a possible title in mind, a working title, while you're writing the book. That will help you stay on track and choose the right one when you’re finished.

10.           Deliver what you promise.

Here is a true story about the last item on the list.

I had a legendary client who wanted the word “secrets” in her title. I like it it was provocative and we included some revelations that would delight her readers. I felt confident that the book would sell well, but the evening before we submitted it, she slashed the manuscript to pieces, omitting the juicier parts. I I suggested we change the title, but she stood firm. When the book was published, it made the bestseller list because of who she was, but it dropped off the list in one week when readers didn’t find any secrets. Her title didn’t deliver so no one referred it to their friends.

Things to avoid when you’re choosing a title:

1.              Words that are difficult to pronounce

2.              More words than a reader can take in at a glance and remember

3.              Confusing phrases

4.              Ideas that have nothing to do with your topic or theme

5.              Clichés

6.              Smart ass expressions

7.              Double meanings that can confound a reader

8.              Choosing a title that someone else has used in the recent past

9.              Giving away the ending in the title

10.           Ignoring reasonable suggestions

When you look up a book on Amazon, there is a directive to “Look Inside.”

Here are some examples of winning non-fiction titles that drew people in and made them want to see what was on the inside:

UNBROKEN 

WALDEN

IN COLD BLOOD

INTO THIN AIR

EAT, PRAY, LOVE

THINK AND GROW RICH

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED

If you’re not sure whether you have successfully engaged your reader, try your title out on your friends. They might have some ideas for you but don’t let their ideas get you in a dither. It’s your book and your decision so consider suggestion and don’t kowtow to anyone else. Believe in yourself. If you wrote an entire book, you can find a title that delights and satisfies you.