3 questions to ask yourself when choosing a title

You’ve got to that point of writing your novel/story/essay/poem/random stream of prose where you need a title. You can’t keep on calling your project by an amusing yet not-particularly-helpful pet name. The Beast. The Book. The Big Fat Mess. It’s time to give it a proper name.

Much like naming a child, there are things to consider when choosing a title for your writing. You don’t want it to grow up embarrassed, after all. You also don’t want to find yourself wondering in years to come exactly what you were thinking (and possibly drinking) when you named your novel. With this in mind, here are a few questions to ask yourself when choosing a title for your writing. Please feel free to add your own title-based tips in the comments box.

Is it mad?

It isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker if you conclude that, actually, your title is a bit mad, but it certainly helps to know if it is. If it is mad to the point of not actually being in any way related to your book then, unless you have a very good reason for it being unrelated, it’s probably a sign you should think of something else. However, if it is mad in a humorous, “this is weird but I like it” kind of way, you could be onto a winner*.

*Alternatively, it might just be you. Ask some other people what they think of the title. If the universal response is “huh?” it’s worth taking note.

Is it intriguing?

One of the main things a title has to do for your book is make people want to read it. “Make sure it isn’t boring” might be pretty vague advice, especially as the kind of titles that resonate differ from person to person and book to book, but it’s still a fairly decent rule to live by.

Is it memorable?

Your title also needs to be memorable. Readers should be able to say “I just read X, it was great.” They shouldn’t be saying “I just read this book about (insert topic here) but for the life of me I can’t remember the title.” You want people to recommend the book so other people will read it, and the title matters for this.

Also, you don’t want to end up forgetting the title yourself. Imagine the mortification that would be likely to occur in five years’ time as you give a talk and then completely fail to remember the title of your own book. Remember that potential shame when naming your book and avoid it at all costs.