Summary

The provided content emphasizes the importance of crafting a compelling title for a book, suggesting that a title can significantly influence a book's success by attracting or deterring potential readers.

Abstract

The article discusses the critical role of a book's title, stressing that it can make or break a sale. It suggests that authors should not be attached to their initial title ideas and should seek honest feedback from neutral readers. The title should be clear, appealing, and memorable to stand out in a crowded marketplace. A subtitle can provide additional clarity and entice readers to explore the book's summary. The author shares personal experience about evolving the title of their book with the help of a mentor, highlighting that the perfect title may be hidden within the book's content and can emerge with time and reflection. The article concludes with actionable advice for authors to review and possibly revise their titles and subtitles, ensuring uniqueness and resonance with the book's content.

Opinions

A book's title is crucial as it is the first element potential readers encounter, and it can influence their decision to purchase.
Authors are cautioned against being biased towards their initial title choices and are encouraged to seek neutral feedback.
The article advocates for titles that are clear and convey exactly what the book is about, akin to menu items in a restaurant.
A title should not only be clear but also appealing and memorable to differentiate the book from others.
The use of a subtitle is recommended to add a layer of clarity and intrigue, working in tandem with the main title to hook readers.
The author's mentor emphasized that a book's true title might not be immediately apparent and may only reveal itself after further development of the book's content.
Authors are encouraged to conduct research to ensure their title is unique and not easily confused with other books.
The article suggests that the process of finding the right title involves a deep understanding of the book's essence, which may require patience and introspection.

You Need A Killer Title, Not A Title Killer

Tips to turn your title into a hook

I’m writing a book about self-publishing on Amazon, and every week, I’m releasing a chapter here so that my Medium buddies can read it…for free!

If you missed the first article, you can find it here. Today, it’s all about titles.

My Learnings About Self-Publishing On Amazon

Your blueprint to self-publish

medium.com

A bad title will kill your book

The difference between a good title and a bad title can be a lost sale. Humans are visual creatures, and they will judge a book by its cover: the first thing they will see is the book and the title, so you must get this right.

You probably started your book with a title in mind. It was probably the first thing you decided about your book, like naming your baby before they were born.

I challenge you to press pause and reassess your title. Because you are biased about your book, you will seek validation to make your ego feel good about your title choice.

Leave your ego aside and try to seek honest feedback from neutral readers who don’t know anything about the story.

Use the following guiding questions:

Is it clear?
Is it appealing?
Is it memorable?

Although I’m not a fan of the famous ‘clear, not clever’ (I prefer clear and clever), clarity rules when it comes to titles: don’t try to go fancy and intriguing.

Think of a menu in a restaurant: the items must be clear enough so that you know what you are eating. If it’s chicken, call it chicken.

Meanwhile, you also want a title that is appealing and memorable so that it stands out from the other books on the same digital shelf. That’s where your subtitle has an opportunity to shine and bring it home for the readers.

Although the subtitle is optional on Amazon, most authors use it as a double-click to give a glimpse into the story and bring an extra layer of clarity. The combination of title plus subtitle is the hook that should lead readers into the book summary.

When I started working on my latest book with my writing mentor, Australian best-seller Vicki Bennet, she gave me honest and constructive feedback about my initial title and said,

‘It doesn’t land well; as a reader, I don’t know what to expect.’

She didn’t like my baby’s name!

She also gave me an excellent piece of advice,

‘Don’t worry about the title now. It’s hidden in the book. You have to give it time to flourish and come out.’

I had no idea what she was talking about, and for weeks, nothing happened. Then, one day, I woke up and knew it. ‘The Flight Home’ was the perfect title for my book. It was always hidden between the lines…

Your title is hidden between the lines.

Assignment

Review your title and your subtitle. Go back to the drawing board and list topics, keywords, and terms related to your book.

Ask a third party who knows nothing about your book for feedback.

Is it clear?

Is it appealing?

Is it memorable?

Do a Google search for books with a similar title to ensure your title is unique. You don’t want to be plain chicken.

Last, let the book speak to you. Your title is hidden there. You have no clue what I’m talking about, but once you know, you know!

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