How do authors choose the titles for their books? Despite all of the information available online to help authors, book title advice is very limited. In fact there is a lot of bad advice, which include:
- Don’t spend too much time on it
- Trust your gut
- The title isn’t very important
How To Choose A Book Title That Will Sell
1. Give Yourself Options
The biggest mistake authors make when deciding on a title is not having enough options to choose from. The easy way to avoid this mistake is to routinely take time to brainstorm title ideas. Writing your book will take time, so set a goal to brainstorm a certain amount of titles each week. Once you have a large list of titles you will be able to narrow them down. By breaking up your brainstorming process into small chunks over several week, or months, you will be able to grow your list with fresh ideas.2. Google Your Book Titles
The next step will be to Google your titles. While you can’t trademark a specific title, it is better to have an original title if possible. A simple Google search will help you identify titles on your list that are already being used. Another benefit of using Google is that you can start to discover what a successful title may look like. Keep an eye on the details of the type of titles that are popular in your genre, such as if they use a subtitle.3. Consider A Subtitle
Have you considered including a subtitle for your book? It is proven that subtitles can greatly increase book sales. The main reason subtitles are so effective is they can clarify what readers can expect if the decide to purchase your book. A great example of a subtitle being used is the book The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy. By including a subtitle the author was able to clarify exactly what the book is about. If the title had simply been The Millionaire Next Door, many people could have mistaken it as something completely different, such as a murder mystery. When you look through your master list if title ideas, see if there are two options that could be combined through the use of a subtitle. Clarity is important when it comes to your title. Since most authors do not have a massive marketing budget to educate potential readers about their book, it is crucial your title makes it clear what readers can expect.4. Make Sure Your Book Title Matches Your Story
Since you should start brainstorming titles long before you are done writing your book, it is important to make sure the title you choose still matches your story once it is complete. A lot can change from when you start writing until you finish your final edit. A title you fell in love with may not be relevant any more.5. Don’t Spoil Your Book's Plot
It may seem like common sense not to spoil the plot of your book with the title, but it is worth mentioning. Try to avoid foreshadowing any critical portions of your book on the cover. Can you imagine if J.K. Rowling named her last book: Harry Potter and the Death of Voldemort? Your title should make people interested to read your book, not spoil what will happen in your book.6. Test Your Top Book Titles With Family and Friends
Once you have narrowed your title options down to a manageable list you will want to ask for outside opinions. While hiring a professional to help may be a good idea, asking family and friends is also an effective strategy.
Make sure to ask them to not only rank your titles, but also explain why they like or dislike certain titles on your list. Normal people will be buying your book, so the opinions of your family and friends are likely to represent what your actual target audience will feel.
The cover of your book is also very important, so you may want to consider including the potential covers with the title. You can find cover designers that will create quick covers for this. You can always improve or change your cover prior to actually publishing your book.
