MMWUC: You Titled Your Novel What?
If I've read one article about titles, I've read a hundred. While first time novelists going through the traditional publication route don't have a tremendous say-so about their titles, the wave of indie (self-pubbed) writers have total control. Much has been written about the power of titles on readers as they browse the racks at the store or scroll through the endless twitters or online lists for a new read not associated with everyone's favorite word: FREE. Titles can make a break a sale. No magic exists that can derive a perfect title, but for fun the LULU Title Scorer can derive the value of your title.
Also, this article covers some dos and donts for television titles; however, it might be instructive for that new novel of yours. And I don't like your title: Why Jennifer Aniston Barfed on my Date with Her
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Ah yes--the title issue. I suck at them, seriously. One big running thread of the feedback I got at the conference last month (aside from the swooning and offers for immediate representation/publishing, which I gracefully declined in lieu of polishing my masterpiece to death) was that my title sucks. No one said it quite so harshly, but--hey, I listen between the lines.
Titles are hard. Harder than the query, the pitch and synopses all combined. It requires the same skill of summarizing, marketing, enticing, teasing and synthesizing, but then in a max of--what, five words?
I admit it--I'm stumped.
Great post, Rick! And there's a tag waiting for you at my blog, if you care to follow it :)
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