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As a boy I read SHE by H Rider Haggard, because I had enjoyed KING SOLOMON’S MINES.
(Maybe I thought SHE would be about girls? It wasn’t.)
The one word title didn’t give me enough information.
Today I came across this 17 word book title.
‘I Used To Think I Was Not That Bad And Then I Got To Know Me Better’. By Dorothy Rosby.
I’ve read three chapters and – lo- I’m enjoying it. Search for it on Amazon.com
Lesson 1. Don’t let people unqualified-to-advise put you off having a long book title, IF YOU NEED IT.
Why would you need it? Simple. The title should give a strong hint of WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT.
QUIZ: What are these three books about?
1. Dune
2. Yes
3. Shackleton
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OK, lots of people know Dune is sci-fi plus philosophy etc. But the title gives no hint to the newby or the boy or girl wandering along the library shelves.
Yes also gives no hint that Joan Rosier-Jones went to Ireland to discover her family heritage.
Shackleton might be about that explorer chappie. Or is it about John Shackleton, the celebrity speaker. Or Leonard Shackleton? Or Derek Shackleton? Both modestly famous sportsmen.
Lesson 2. If you want potential readers to choose YOUR BOOK give them enough information.
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I’ve studied the art and science of writing HOW TO books. Their titles leave nothing to chance. ‘How To Potty Train Your Puppy’ is a popular seller because it tells the reader EXACTLY what the title says. No mystery.
THINK about your title. But stay with your ‘working title’ until your book is finished. By then a great title will have jumped off the page at you.
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