New Series Title?

[Joe]

Would "The Silent Tempest Chronicles" not work in your mind?

[Joe]

Ah, okay. I thought "The Silent Tempest" might be the nickname for a character (sure sounds like a good one!).

[C.B., Beach Body Moderator]

Joe wrote: "Ah, okay. I thought "The Silent Tempest" might be the nickname for a character (sure sounds like a good one!)."

It does sound like a 40s detective comic book character.

[Owen]

Just so I'm clear, are you considering changing the book titles, or just the series title?

If the latter -- changing the series title and leave titles of the individual books alone -- my opinion is that "[Book Title] - The Chronicles of Ada, Book 1", is better. "The Silent Tempest" is a nice title but it does sound abstract to me and doesn't convey much info regarding the series, so it strikes me as not the best series title.

"The Chronicles of Ada" tells me much more, and I find it more intriguing.

[Safa]

really?? I thought we can have the copy right of the titles we choose for our books.

[G.G.]

yep I was told the same when I asked if there would be a problem that my book was not published under the exact title I had filed. He told me I could file again if I wanted to have the book under the exact title but that since titles could not be copyrighted, I shouldn't bother with it.

[C.B., Beach Body Moderator]

Actually, you can sort of copyright a book name, but it isn't as simple as to copyright what is written inside. (Example: In Canada to copyright what is written inside a book all you need to do to copyright it is... to write it!)

Titles of most things are not normally eligible for protection because they are so short. It doesn't normally allow enough room for 'original creative expression' to take place. For the same reason you cannot copyright a song title, or a slogan, or a word you didn't make up.

Once something becomes an established brand though it is a different story. Something widely recognized is no longer just a title, it is now a brand. That is why you cannot make a brand of pop and decide to call it Coca-Cola. It is now a brand identity - and it is established as that. It is protected by law.

So, you can't call your next book The Lord of the Rings and get away with it. That is established as a brand, and the title is unique enough to set it apart as such because most people you ask about it would know what it was.

The law is still muddy, but the more unique your name is from the start, the better chance you have of this applying to you - or against you.

So if you name your book 'The Machine' - there is hardly a chance it will ever become a brand in the 'oh, that is what that is!' sense. It is still possible though, *cough* Stephen King - The Shining, for example. Under this case all you can really hope is that whatever your title is didn't become a hit under someone else like Stephen, or problems could happen.

Call your book 'The Machine of Hate'. That is more likely, it is still open ended, but it would be an easier case to prove. People that liked the Machine of Hate would know what that is, and it is more unique!

However, if your book is called Mister Fisslewit's Magical Contraptions: The Machine. Then you have every possibility of Mister Fisslewit becoming a brand that you can protect and copyright. (even then though, The Machine part wouldn't be under copyright!

So, you can call your book 'The Philosopher's Stone'. That is a thing that exists out there! Go ahead. Throw Harry Potter or Chicken Soup for the in your title, and you might get right smacked quickly.

Maybe. Gosh, it is confusing.

[G.G.]

Don't you mean Trademark CB?
But while if you choose a name from an already famous book, readers might ignore you for copying and trying to lure readers to your own book using a famous name, I honestly doubt anyone could do anything about it unless you use a Trademark name. That, just like copyright needs to be registered.

Coca-Cola is the name of the company that makes Coke. Of course you can't use it. You wouldn't want people to go to them to buy your product. However, Coke is a trademark and thus protected. Same goes for their logo. I'm sure they spent a lot of money to do just that.

[G.G.]

E.J. wrote: "G.G. wrote: "He told me I could file again if I wanted to have the book under the exact title but that since titles could not be copyrighted, I shouldn't bother with it. "

Good thing to know. I ju..."

Not according to the person who answered me from the copyright website. Titles don't matter. Text does.

[C.B., Beach Body Moderator]

Right. I did mean that!

[J.J.]

sort of an unrelated question, but does the fourth book continue the arc of the first three or does it start a new arc? If you're starting a new arc, you could leave the word "trilogy" in the first three and call book 4 the start of a "second trilogy" or a "sequel to the trilogy."