The magic ingredients of an unforgettable title
The title of your novel, your short story, your masterpiece – is critical. It’s your first foot forward, the very first time your reader meets you.
What are the magic ingredients of an unforgettable title?
A title has got to reflect the theme/s of the book, be a hook and ideally be a kind of paradox or pun. And it’s got to be memorable and fresh!
Something in the Water now available for pre-order at Amazon. Click on the image!
That’s a lot to ask from 1-5 words. So it’s important to find one that grabs you, but really hard to do!
I tried out over 50 working titles on my upcoming novel, Something in the Water.
I began with the Wisdom of Solomon. That was my first love and lasted the longest. I tried on and then passed by Drop in the Ocean, Stolen Thunder, The Hardest Word and Swimming With Angels. I smirked at To Krill a Mockingbird and giggled over The Humpback of Notre Dame.
Ask your beta readers for ideas and feedback, ask your friends, ask yourself after you wake from your dreams – collect every possibility and then choose the one that feels right.
I don’t know if the title of my upcoming novel is unforgettable. I hope so. It’s the one that felt right to me.
That’s all we can do. Good luck!
What titles did you try out – and then discard – for your most recent masterpiece?
What do you think is important in a great title?
Leave a comment (click on the link next to the date above) and let me know!
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I agree, Ben. The title to a novel or short story might not be immediately obvious but when the right one does occur, you know at once. If you don't get that gut feeling for it, it's not the right title.
Hi Sally, yes, so far the one-that-feels-right is the only method that seemed to work. But if there are others I'm always looking for new methods to try!
Usually the title is the very last thing I come up with for a book. Sometime, during a rewrite usually, a title will just come to mind.But other times I will have the title even before the first draft is done. That is usually when I know what the book is before writing it.
You are right that the title is so very important as it either encourages someone to pick the book up and read about it or lets them drift on by to the next title.
Although it was time consuming, I also had a lot of fun trying out new titles on my book over time. I tried small surveys of local friends and also larger outreach to followers on facebook. The comments returned always made me smile.
