We have all heard the cliché DON’T JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER. But what about its title?
A title is your first opportunity to grab a reader, an editor or an agent. As I scroll through my queries, an intriguing name will stop me every time.
Don’t waste your opportunity with a boring or complicated title. Put some time into thinking through a title that is original and catchy, yet still captures the essence of your story.
John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men was originally titled Something That Happened. A title that could literally describe any book. Would it have been as memorable if it had not been retitled?
So, how do you craft a title that short, memorable and unique? Your genre will have a lot to do with what you choose. Draw inspiration from books on Amazon or in the bookstore that are similar to yours. Name it after the main character. Alice in Wonderland anyone? Consider a double entendre or an alliteration. Gone Girl caught everyone’s attention and is the perfect title for a thriller. Is your book high concept? Capture it in the title. Snakes on Planes. Is there a central theme or symbol you can capture in the title?
Put the same thought and consideration as a parent would into naming their child. It is your baby, after all.