Searching Your Book Title

With so many millions of books published yearly, the search for the ideal title can be winding, narrow, exhausting, and stressful.

Been there, done that.

I learned a few lessons.

One is that, usually, the book title comes from what the book is about. True, but not always. Sometimes, the title has nothing to do with the story. "The Postman Always Rings Twice" is a good example.

Suppose your book is about one character, like Tom Sawyer, Barry Lyndon, Anna Karenina, Lolita, David Copperfield, or Tarzan. If this is your case, titling your book with your main character's name would be fine. The title, as the character's name, may become unforgettable. Cross your fingers.

Still, your research may show that your "unique title" is already in five published books. It happened to me with "The Shoplifter." True, coincidences are there, but we must be careful, copyrights et al. It's our book, after all. We don't want it out there missing in action.

So, in conclusion, here are the lessons learned, and I am happy to share them with you:

·      Be creative.

·      You can ask an AI-powered program for suggestions. You may decide afterward.

·      Research until it pains.

·      Read your book. Not once, but many times. But not on the same day. Leave your work of art to cool, read it, and again, leave it under your pillow, and read again when your mind is free and rested—usually, the mind lights when you follow these steps.

·      Be direct. Most great titles are simple.

·      Combine words. Yes. You will eventually develop a great, unique title by combining words.

·      Come up with a surprise title. Remember Val McDermid's "How the Dead Speak"? It calls the reader's attention. That's the idea.

·      Break the mold. Come up with something completely new, absurd, or unbelievable.

·      Suggest something. As I said, the book may not be what the title says but what it suggests.

·      Ask a question that sparks curiosity. "Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road?" Well, something like that. You got the picture.

·      It is vital not to forget about SEO and understand how it works, which is essential for your title to be found quicker in the digital jungle.

Any ideas you'd like to share with our colleague writers are welcome.