Writing Strong Titles

What's the first thing you notice about a book when you're wandering down the aisles looking for your next read? Sure it could be the flashy cover that first draws your eye, but it's the title that really decided for you if you're going to pick the book up off of the shelf and give it any consideration. 

The right title can make your book memorable, intriguing, and appealing, and more or less grab your reader from the shelf before they even make it to your first page. to your target audience. But where do these titles come from? Here are some tips for writing strong titles for your novel. 

Consider the genre and tone of your novel.

The genre and tone of your novel will heavily influence the type of title that will be most effective. A horror novel, for example, may benefit from a title that is mysterious and ominous, while a romantic comedy may require a title that is lighthearted and playful. Consider the themes and tone of your novel when brainstorming title ideas. My current work in progress is a contemporary romance with themes of domestic abuse and trauma that takes place in a small New England Town during the Autumn season so I chose the working title Shadows in Autumn. 

Make it memorable.

A memorable title will stick in a reader's mind long after they've finished your book.

Though this will be from how they were affected by your work more than just what the title of it was. Think about some of the most famous titles in literature: "To Kill a Mockingbird," which started as "Watchman" and then "Atticus" before being "To Kill a Mockingbird." "Pride and Prejudice" was first called "First Impressions." Who knows if these stories had kept their original names maybe they wouldn't have become as popular as they are. But, these titles are also memorable because they are relevant to the themes of the book or something that happens within the book. When brainstorming title ideas, aim for something that is both memorable and relevant to your novel.

Keep it concise.

Long titles can be difficult to remember and can also appear cluttered on a book cover. While "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" and "The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making" are perfectly fine books - wow are their names a mouthful -  not every author can get away with this, especially if you are new to the publishing scene. Aim for a title that is concise and to the point, but still conveys the essence of your novel. One or two words can be just as effective as a longer title, so don't feel like you need to include every detail in the title.

Use strong language.

Strong language can create a powerful impact on a reader, so consider using words that are attention-grabbing and relevant to your novel. Action words, descriptive adjectives, and provocative nouns can all be effective tools for creating a strong title. If you look up the most common words used in YA book titles right now you're going to see a lot of, Shadows, Bloods, Queens, and Bones and it's ok if you're book has this too, it just might be the thing to make it fall into the hands of a reader who already loves a book with those things in the title and they're looking for a bit more. 

Be creative.

A creative title can be one of the most effective ways to make your book stand out and you have all the tools you need to do it right in front of you. 

Your book.

Consider using a metaphor, alliteration, or pun to create a unique and memorable title. However, you can also use quotes and themes from within your book to help you come up with the perfect title. Though you have to be careful not to sacrifice clarity or relevance for the sake of creativity. The title should still accurately reflect the themes and tone of your novel.

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In addition to creating a strong title for your novel as a whole, you may also want to consider creating attention-grabbing chapter titles. Though it is not at all necessary for your book to have them. Chapter titles can add an additional layer of intrigue to your novel and can help to break up the text and make it more engaging for readers. "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern is not only broken up into parts, but the chapters feature titles of time and locations. The ever-popular Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling contains chapter titles that give you a short glimpse into what is going to happen in that chapter, without spoiling it for the reader with titles such as Firebolt and Murauder's Map. 

When creating chapter titles, consider using ideas that tie into the overall theme of your novel or for that chapter. Use titles to foreshadow upcoming events or to create a sense of mystery or suspense. If you have a chapter titled The First Death, your reader is going to be spoiled in the fact that they now know someone is going to die, but they just might not know who and they'll have to read on if they want to find out. As with your overall title, aim for chapter titles that are concise, memorable, and relevant to your novel. I find any novel that I've written that has chapter titles came from pulling words out of my chapter-by-chapter outline for that novel. 

It doesn't have to be anything overly complicated or sophisticated, one or two words that can be used to summarize the chapter work just as well as racking your brain for hours to find the perfect title. 

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The most important thing to remember about your title is that until your book is published and the ink had already dried - it's not a permanent thing and definitely not something to stress about if you haven't even finished writing the book yet. 

If you're self-publishing the title and design is all yours and just has to be one you believe is going to fit your book and make it stand out. 

If you're traditionally publishing - well you might not actually have a say at all in what your book is called - so either way you don't need to stress yourself out over it. 

No matter what keep writing and keep borrowing the books in your local bookstores.

With love, 

B.K. xo

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