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Looking for help with my title
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I like it. It's easy to say and just the title makes you wonder "What's 20 years away?".I agree with Martin. Unless you have a specific reason for using "20" instead of "Twenty", I think it might look better as "Twenty Years Away" on a cover.
I'm with everyone else hereTwenty Years Away
My preference is for words not figures, but 20 could be more striking.Have you played with other options eg Twenty years later ie something happened then, but this is now?
Twenty years away sounds ambiguous, that maybe it is twenty years in the future.
I like Twenty Years Away rather than Twenty Years Later, because it plays on his physical distance from home, his emotional distance from his family, and the chronological distance he has put between himself and his old life. It all works together very nicely.
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Either way, it's a great title. I would keep "Away". "20 Years Later" is as flat. "20 Years Away" piques the interest due to the odd coupling of space and time. I think readers who dig "900 Miles" would gravitate toward it.
I really like it! For me, the ambiguity is part of the appeal. What's twenty year away? Is it literal or figurative? It makes me want to find out more. I'd definitely spell out the word "Twenty," since most style manuals call for spelling out numerals at the beginning of a sentence, and doing otherwise looks like an error to me. Unless you have a specific, stylist reason for doing otherwise--like a clever pun or play on words, for example.
I like it. I too would prefer twenty spelled out; however, if you come up with a clever book cover idea that would work better with a number, well that's totally different. But the thing with numbers, is that people don't always know what to use when searching. What I mean is that if I tell you about a book I loved called Twenty years away, and you'd want to buy it, you may not know whether to spell it or not. You may need to do a bit or research on it. Either way, I'd add the counterpart in the description maybe...would that help find the book with more ease?Also, in a list, do numbers find the same spot it would hold if spelled? Would it come first before alphabets, or after Z.
I agree that “Away" is better than “Later." It denotes a countdown of some sort and builds anticipation.In terms of spelling out 20, you could spell it out in all descriptions and put the number on the cover if it looks better.
Btw - My fiancé is British and lives with me in California so this feels close to me! Luckily, his dad is okay :)
Mod
I agree with the others, Twenty Years Away is a good title, unusual and more eye-catching than Twenty Years Later. I think it's up to you regarding the numbers or word for twenty, whatever you feel more comfortable with.
I like the original "20 Years Away." I suppose the spelling out of "Twenty" is more literary, but my feeling is that if it's a contemporary or futuristic book that "20" can lend itself to our modern sensibilities of quick texting and headlines. If the book is set in the past, I would spell it out. Do you have a cover design? If so, try both out to see how they make you feel. Perhaps a poll of the folks here on the cover might help as well. Just a suggestion or 2. ;->
I agree that the 20 should be spelled out, but when it says 'Away' I think it's in the future, not the past. Maybe Twenty Years New, or Twenty Years Knew...not sure, just throwing it out there. The premise sounds interesting!
"Away" is awesome! The reader wants to know what you're talking about and will be compelled to pick it up and read the back cover.
I think away is best because it means the protagonist was away twenty years, which is exactly what happened. Later would also be ok but less specific since it could just happening twenty years later with everyone never have been away... (does that make any sense?)
Yes it makes sense. But like Jennifer above, 20 years away sounds to me to be in the future, eg 20 light years away. Not that there is a lot of past to pick up, which is the concept. 20 years gone?Whatever, if most people like 20 years away, and would associate the meaning that someone had been gone for 20 years and come back, then it's good.
But twenty light years away isn't future, it's distance.Twenty years gone by?
Gone twenty years?
Twenty Years Gone. Twenty Years Past. Or just Twenty Years.
I agree with the title. I think it's interesting and intriguing to have "away" instead of "later".
Sorry I arrived here late. I love the title and like everyone else, love it with Twenty spelled out. Very compelling blurb too. Good luck!
*Away* - I like the ambiguity. He's been gone, but it's the present and future he's facing.
I prefer Twenty Years Away....Spell out Twenty and Away opens a door for many questions by your future readers.
Casting my vote for Twenty Years Away. It already piques my curiosity.
I'm with the majority here. Twenty Years Away is a pretty good hook. It's intriguing and makes one want to peek inside. I know I want to read further.
I agree away is much better than any of the other words that might replace it. It describes the situation well, and it also sounds unique enough to arouse curiosity. As for the number I wouldn't spell it out. I would go with 20 Years Away. Like someone mentioned above, the number has potential to make your cover fun and it does a lot for the setting of the story. Maybe there's a rule about spelling numbers out, but that only makes it stand out more when you break the rule! :)
It is unique and will be easy to find on Amazon.