If You Like Your Title For at Least 10%, it’s Probably Greater than You Think

Sigh. I'm not getting along with my titles most of the time. I find them generic. Like I’ve seen it a hundred times already, from other writers. Especially from top writers.

That’s where I’m wrong. The fact that I’ve seen this sort of title many times before shows the fact that’s a great title. It got used by many others before me, so it’s perfectly good.

The only thing that changed is my experience and perspective.

When you see titles, as a writer, you see them from a writer's perspective. Not a reader's perspective. That’s what makes you picky about them.

And when you’ve seen 10.000 titles already, you earn experience about them. You give attention to every single word in a title, which readers don't do yet.

You are not the only one having this problem, I promise. It’s me as well. But together we can escape this trap. It brings writer’s block, and blocks are bad.

Be a reader, not a writer

You just finished your story.

You stand there looking at the title.

You don’t like it.

That doesn't mean your title is bad.

Judge your title from a reader's point.

Did you find your title informational? If you cared about the topic you cover as a reader, would you click on the article?

Make these two questions that matter. If the answer is yes to both of them, you are doing something right.

Send your title to a non-writer friend.

I have a friend that she isn't related to writing. If she doesn't like something, she will tell me about it.

The other day, I sent her 3 titles of upcoming pieces I’m trying to write about. She found them all interesting when I found them all banal.

Friends will be honest with you, so they are the best choice when it comes to frustration about picking a title.

Write first, add power words later

You’ve seen plenty of times that power words are effective for attractive titles.

Yes, that’s true. And yes, you should add them more often than you think.

But when you are about to brainstorm a title, you should aim at making it appealing first. Then squeeze a power word in it.

Try 3–5 alternative titles, keep the one that seems to draw the eyes of the reader.

Titles are the alpha and the omega in a story.

They are the wrapping of the candy which is your story.

Don’t overthink about them, though.

Forget headline scoring websites.

I stopped using headline analyzers a long time ago.

Since then, I’ve published in the Ascent a story about not using technology for 15 days, which got curated.

I upped my views, my curation rate, my earnings.

You shouldn't aim at hitting 80 on your title every time. It’s pointless and it’s a wrong way of measuring a title, after all.

The algorithm doesn't think like people do.

Final Thoughts

You are experienced. You are pickier than in the first month of writing. Take a look at your titles back then, and you’ll want to change them as fast as possible. They’ll look forced, mechanical. This is because you thought about them too long.

And you are doing the same, just for different reasons this time.

This time, experience and wrong perspective are driving your titles.

Next time, try to treat your titles as a reader first. You won’t lose valuable time struggling with a title.

I've been trying to do it myself and look where it got me. Now, I'm not wasting more time than I need and my titles are both catchy and clickable.

The truth is, I'm not caring much at all. I write what I want to say, throw some power words from muscle memory, enjoy life.

Originally published on Medium