As authors, we put a lot of thought and energy into what the covers of our books say about what’s inside, because of course, readers do judge. Is it more unfair to choose to read or pass on a book based just on its title? We know that titles matter too; they’re the introduction your novel presents to the world. “Hi, there! I’m …”
Choosing a title for your novel is very personal. Finding something that’s both meaningful to you and captures the imagination of potential readers is no easy task. Just like your child has to live with the name you choose, you’ll have to live with the title you pick. And, depending on the route you go, you’ll have to explain your intent in choosing the name of your book going forward.
There’re many ways to pick a title for a novel. Here are four suggestions of how to think about your options if you’re struggling.
1. Play it straight. Call your book after the main character or the location where the action takes place. Examples aren’t necessary, but here goes: James, Jane Eyre, Oliver Twist, Tom Lake, Gilead. The advantage here is simplicity–no explanations necessary.
2. Play it straight, but with a wink. Annabel Monaghan’s It’s a Love Story is, of course, a love story. And the potential reader will understand that the novel will follow the conventions of a rom com. But there’s a sly smile lurking just below the surface of the title that promises more. The same is true of Karen Dukess’s Welcome to Murder Week. The title points to genre–a cozy mystery–but leaves open the possibility that the novel could go in a different direction. Titles that intrigue, but don’t mislead, can draw in your potential reader.
3. Pick a line of dialogue for the title that sets a tone. There’s an intimacy for the reader to being let in on a conversation, almost like eavesdropping, and it’s a satisfying experience when she eventually reaches that line and understands its import. Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout or Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane are good examples.
4. Jump on a trend, but make it your own. Just like the tropes you find in different genres, there are formulas for titles that become popular. In recent Women’s Fiction, for example, there are these: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, Florence Adler Swims Forever, by Rachel Beanland, Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney. For my new novel, I chose Jessica Harmon Has Stepped Away. The title has the advantage of the familiarity of the composition, coupled with the open questions: what or who exactly is Jessica Harmon stepping away from?Whether you’re an author who picks a title before you’ve written a word of the novel, or one who waits until your book is complete, crafting the name the world will encounter can be a challenge. I hope these thoughts will be helpful.
Whether you’re an author who picks a title before you’ve written a word of the novel, or one who waits until your book is complete, crafting the name the world will encounter can be a challenge. I hope these thoughts will be helpful.
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| photo by Stephen Friedgood |
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