First published: 11 January 2023 @ 6:00 pm
When it comes to selecting and writing a book title, try to come up with some interesting and unique titles. You want the title to be catchy, memorable, and original. Your actual title can make or break your book’s sales.
Thus, it is important to get a perfect title that will grab the attention of potential readers. Generally, a title is an effective selling tool for your book.
What indicates a good book title?
One of the simplest and most effective ways to get noticed by a potential reader is to use a good book title. A good book name should be memorable as well as it should be able to stand on its own and make the reader want to read more about your writing.
The followings are some clues that indicate a book title is a good one.
Appealing and unique
An appealing title to the reader’s eyes is advantageous. This is seen as unique and catchy at the same time.
For example, if you are writing a book on “How to win friends”, then you could be creative and use the word “Win” on it as a prefix and then follow it with the word “Friends” as a suffix.
Simple
A simple or shorter title is always good. This is because it will be easy to remember. For example, if you are writing a book on “How to lose weight,” then you could choose the title “How to lose weight in 90 Days” as it is simple and easy to remember.
Related to the topic
A relatable title toward the book topic and content is great. Of topic book title only leads the reader away.
For example, if you are writing a book on “How to lose weight”, then you could choose the title “How to Lose Weight in 90 Days: Lose Weight Fast and Easy” as it is going to help you cover all the topics related to your book.
Creative
It is a plus point when a book has an attractive title to the readers. For example, if you are writing a book on “How to win friends”, then you could choose the title “How to Win Friends in 90 Days” as it will make the book more attractive to readers.
On point
A good combination of words and keywords makes the best title. This is because if you are a good writer, you know that lengthy and complicated words aren’t smart.
For example, if you are writing a book on “How to lose weight”, then you could choose the title “How to Lose Weight in 90 Days” as it has a good combination of words and keywords as well as a good length.
There is no exact standard that lines whether a book title is good or not. There are many different methods that you can use to write a good book title, including adding some creative ideas to it to make it more attractive.
In addition to that, a good title must come up if the writer understands how to differentiate one book from another.
A good book title is what draws in readers and motivates them to pick up your book. You may be wondering how you can come up with a great book title; however, there are many ways to think about the process of writing one.
Here are some tips on how to write a book title:
1. Write down the main idea of your book
If you’ve written a book, then you likely have some ideas or concepts that are important to you. Try using those ideas as the basis for your book title ideas. For example, if you’re writing a book about marriage, try writing a title such as “The Marriage Promise.”
2. Keep in mind the genre of your book
Is your book written by a man or a woman? Is it humorous or serious? If you’re writing a non-fiction book, try using words that are associated with that type of work. If you’re writing a novel, try using words that will help give it a more interesting or believable feel.
3. Use the title of your book
If you’ve written a successful book and are looking for a new one, then use the same title as your previous publication as a reference. The idea is to make the reader think of your past book and want to know more about the new one.
4. Take note of a title you like
If you’ve read many books that have similar titles, then use those titles as inspiration when creating your book. For example, if you like “The Fault in Our Stars,” then try using that as a reference for the title of your novel.
5. Avoid using titles that are too similar to other book titles
If you’ve read a lot of books, then it’s likely that some of those books have very similar titles. Can you imagine what would happen if readers bought the book “The Fault in Our Stars” and found out it was the same as another book called “The Fault in Our Stars”? It would likely be a huge disappointment for those readers. So, as an author, make sure you don’t have a similar title to another book.
Tips on selecting a good book title
As an author, if you want a great book title, it should be short and compact. The length of it should be short enough to fit into a small space, but long enough to make the reader think of it and remember it. There are a few more tips and rules on how to select a good book title, which are:
1. Choose a memorable title
The more memorable the title you choose, the more likely your readers will remember it. If you want your readers to remember your book, then try using a title that has a memorable meaning.
For example, if you’re writing a non-fiction book about marriage, then try using words such as “Marriage Promise” for the title.
2. Find a title that is unique
You want a different as well as original title from what the average person would expect to find in a book, or else your book will likely be ignored or passed over by readers. To get your title across, use words and ideas that are new and uncommon, while still remaining inspired by things you know about.
3. Consider the length of your title
If you try to use a long title with a short book, then you risk having an awkward-looking title that is hard to read. On the other hand, if you try using a short title on a long book, then it could have too little meaning for readers.
The main thing is that you have to consider how long is your book, then you will know the proper length of the title.
4. Avoid using too many words
If you use too many words in your title, then you risk having a title that is so long that no one can remember it. Try to find a title that has the right number of words for your book, while still being memorable and catchy. You might as well try to use a one-word title.
5. Use common words
If you’re writing a book about marriage, then avoid using words such as “marriage” or “marriage commitment.” Instead, try using words that are more common and understandable by the average person.
For example, you can use “love,” “love promise,” or even just “promise” to make your title more memorable.
6. Target audience
Choose a title that will grab the attention of readers. If your book is aimed at children, teenagers, or young adults, make sure the title you choose will grab the attention of those intended readers.
Avoid using titles that are too childish for them, or else your title will likely not be understood by your target audience.
7. Aligning with the full content
Make sure the title is in line with the concept of the book. If you are writing a book about sharks, don’t use the word “Sharks.” Instead, try using words and ideas that fit with your book’s content.
8. Avoid a lengthy word
If you want your reader to remember your title, then try avoiding using any word that is longer than three letters. Using a word such as “commitment” in the title of your book would be an example of a word that would likely be too hard to remember.
9. Readable words
Choose words that are easy to read. If you want your readers to be able to read your title, then don’t use any words that take more than one or two syllables to say.
For example, if you’re trying to write a book about marriage, try using words such as “love,” “promise,” or even “promise” as your title.
10. See the bigger picture
Remember that the title of your book is only one piece of the puzzle. The title is important, but there are also other aspects of your book cover design and overall presentation.
Final thoughts
In addition, if you want a simpler way to select a good book title, you can always use book title generators. This is a tool that helps you to create titles for either your fiction or nonfiction books.
The book title generator is meant to generate possible titles. In this tool, usually, there will be a list of titles that are related to your entire book. Thus, you can flexibly select your preferred and original book title.
Feel free to visit The Big Writer website to read more about writing tips!
FAQs
1. How important is a book title, and should it match your story?
Book titles are very important and can play a major role in whether or not a reader chooses to purchase a book. It’s important to match the title of your story with the genre and target audience.
2. What are some tips for coming up with an original title?
When choosing a title for your book, it’s important to be creative. Try thinking about what the title could mean or what it could represent.
3. Can I use a title from another book or movie?
No, you cannot use titles from other books or movies in your book. You’ll want to come up with an original title that will be unique and capture the attention of potential readers.
4. Why is it so difficult to create a title for a story or book?
Creating a title for a story or book can be difficult because it needs to be catchy, memorable, and original. It’s important to think about what the title could represent the whole entire content of the book
5. Is it better to have long titles for novels or short ones?
It’s up to the author to decide what length their title should be. Long titles can be more effective when selling a book, but they can also be more difficult to remember. Short titles are easier to remember and can help draw people in.