# What Makes a Title Great?



## Greybeard (Mar 23, 2011)

When browsing through a book store, how often do you look at a book because of its title?  

While most titles are mundane, periodically one stands out and captures the attention of readers.  In your estimation, what makes a title great?


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## Chilari (Mar 23, 2011)

I guess for me, it needs to be intriguing. To be intriguing, for me at least, there should be a question which immediately springs to mind upon seeing the title. The Name of the Wind is a good one for that - the obvious question being "what is the name of the wind?" but then also "who decided what that name was?" and "why does the wind have a name now?" Another example is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - "Who is this girl? Why does she have a tattoo? What about the tattoo? What is special about it?"

I was in the library yesterday having a little browse, and I noticed a book called "Fire". Just Fire. I don't recall the author, and I didn't pick the book up to find out more. It was enough to halt my eyes, because I like fire and it's pretty and two of the stories I have written involve a character associated with fire. I didn't pick it up partly because my next thought was "So? What about it?" - the wrong kind of question. It simply didn't intrigue me enough.

I know in many cases short, snappy titles are recommended, but where they fail to intrigue, short snappiness can't make up for it, whereas longer titles like those I gave as examples, do have that element of intrigue.


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## Amanita (Mar 23, 2011)

For me, it's about certain keywords. Words that (might) indicate that the book is about something that interests me. If the title contains one of them I'm likely to pick up the book. Some of these are "poison", "gift", "apprentice/novice/master" etc, "secret", "prison(er)". There are also keywords that make leave the book in the shelf, such as "chosen one", "sword" or "prophecy".
"Wind" is a word that wouldn't really influence me one way or the other because it isn't clear enough what it has to do with the story. Unlike Chilari I wouldn't really get interested in the title "The Name of the Wind" because it's way to abstact and I don't get any idea what the story is acutally about. 

I have to admit that the "word-approach" doesn't always lead me to the right books though, and I pick up many books just to put them back after a few seconds because they feature something that doesn't interest me such as vampires.


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## Chilari (Mar 23, 2011)

Amanita said:


> For me, it's about certain keywords. (snip) "secret" (snip)


 
My NaNoWriMo novel in 2009, which I am in the process of reworking, is called The General's Secret. I assume you'd at least read the blurb with a title like that then?


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## Amanita (Mar 23, 2011)

> I assume you'd at least read the blurb with a title like that then?


Yes, I would. 

By they way, what do you think about books with the main character's name in the title? I own a really good book that does this but I don't like it too much, once again because it doesn't give any information about the story itself. And the "Person X and..." title was okay for Harry Potter, but it would be sort of weird to see it in another book.
Actually, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" is one of those extremely misleading titles as well because the series contains nothing alchemy-related at all.


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## Meg the Healer (Mar 23, 2011)

I think I shop for the books almost the same way I shop for food. I shop by color... If the cover art looks interesting and the title doesn't seem too "out there", I'll at least read the back.

I ended up reading the entire Twlight saga based primarily on the cover art from Breaking Dawn. At the time, I had no idea what Twilight was or that it was even up to book 4 of a series. The cover art was of a chess board with a White Queen being stalked by a Red Pawn. As I like playing chess (though I get my ass handed to me more often than not), the cover intrigued me enough to ask about the book as did the title Breaking Dawn. It was then that I picked up the series when the clerk handed me book 1. The cover - a pair of arms holding an apple titled Twilight.

Though I'm sure Amanita won't read my stuff becuase it has "Prophecy" in it. The title series is called The Last Prophecy, but each book that I'm writing has a separate title. Child of Light, Demon's Dance, and Unchained and I was very careful about how I picked the names.


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## Ophiucha (Mar 23, 2011)

I suppose the idea is that most children would have no idea what a philosopher's stone was, anyway. I'm pretty sure I first encountered it in Harry Potter - might not have even made the connection to alchemy until that anime (_Fullmetal Alchemist_) came out. I started reading the books when I was seven, though. If you started later, then yeah, that would be a bit misleading.

I like books with very poetic titles. I like to see a metaphor, or some alliteration, right off the bat. As Chilari said, what the title means, what questions it evokes from me that make me want to read more for the answers. I also like big words. Loricate, Anathema, etc. My current project is titled, "The Dust of Dead Desire", for a poem by Algernon Swinburne, so I do appreciate a good literary allusion.

Oh, and I am indifferent to books with a character's name in the title. They won't attract my attention, but then again, I don't think titles really tend to. A good title helps. I'll pick up 'Name of the Wind' before 'Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief' or whatever it was called. But I'm more attracted to the typography and cover image (or, better yet, lack thereof - I like a book with a simple, single image, often something with one color and very minimalistic), if we're just picking books up to skim a chapter of and read the blurb.


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## Amanita (Mar 23, 2011)

> Though I'm sure Amanita won't read my stuff because it has "Prophecy" in it.


If I know from other sources that the book is interesting I don't care about that.  It's only when I'm standing in front of a hundred books and need to decide which ones I'll look at.

Actually, I don't really care about the cover image much at all. As long as it doesn't have naked women with big breasts on it, or something else that clearly shows me that I'm wrong with this book. Usually I look for an interesting title, take the book out, look at the blurb and start to read a few pages later.

Edit: Everyone posting at the same time.  I didn't know much about the Philosopher's Stone when I first read Harry Potter either, I was thirteen. It was one of those books I didn't read because of the title but it's already been extremely popular back then. I still spent a lot of thought on the series later when I did know and I think that Harry Potter-Magic and Alchemy don't really mix well at all.


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## Kelise (Mar 23, 2011)

I don't really read titles at all, unfortunately.

I know that if a title has something in it that reminds me of something I dislike - for example, twilight something - I'll be more likely to pass it over without even reading the back.

Unfortunate, but when I have a few hundred books to choose from, it's just what happens these days.


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## DavidP (Mar 23, 2011)

A title must be created on more than a whim. 

People will Google for it, and search for it in bookshops, so it must have keywords in it. It should be like an SEO exercise. 

If you are writing about dragons that live in a cave, you want the dragon enthusiasts and the cave people who are Googling to find you. That means you don't call it "Mythical Creatures Underground" -- you call it "Dragons and Caves". OK, that is an over-simplistic example but you get the gist.


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## Meg the Healer (Mar 23, 2011)

DavidP said:


> A title must be created on more than a whim.
> 
> People will Google for it, and search for it in bookshops, so it must have keywords in it. It should be like an SEO exercise.
> 
> If you are writing about dragons that live in a cave, you want the dragon enthusiasts and the cave people who are Googling to find you. That means you don't call it "Mythical Creatures Underground" -- you call it "Dragons and Caves". OK, that is an over-simplistic example but you get the gist.


 
I don't know - they've made a movie called Cowboys and Aliens.....because that's what it's about....can't get really more simplistic than that.


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## Mdnight Falling (Mar 24, 2011)

For me... it's cover art... The cover has to catch my eye.. if it's not the cover then the author. I'm a stickler for keeping to what I know LOL I'll look at a title last. Most of the time to make sure it's not in the middle of a series and is the first in the series or in a series at all  I'm an odd ball what can I say x.x!


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## Amanita (Mar 24, 2011)

By the way, is it true that in fact the publishing company decides on a novel's title  and not the author? (I'm quite afraid that they might call my Lenima a "chosen one.")


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## Philip Overby (Mar 24, 2011)

Honestly, I don't care about titles that much.  I agree with the idea that cover art or name value draw me in first.  If I don't know the author, but an author I like wrote a blurb for them, I'll take a look at it.  Amazon has also become a great place to find new books because they give recommendations (although those are pretty sketchy sometimes.)  I guess what interests me in buying a book the most is the back cover synopsis.  If it is vague and doesn't offer much information, I generally pass on it.  

So the title helps sometimes, but even if a book is called something stupid like "Dreams of a Summer Dreaming Winter" or some crap like that, I'll still check it out if those other things I mentioned seem up to snuff.

Also, I don't trust blurbs from Stephen King anymore.  He'll write a blurb for gerbil.


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## Donny Bruso (Mar 24, 2011)

My method for picking books seems to be a bit different from everyone else here. If the title or cover art are interesting enough, or if it's an unread book by an author I've previously enjoyed, I'll read the synopsis on the back cover or dust jacket. If that doesn't make me roll my eyes and put it back on the shelf, I crack the book open to about the middle, and start reading a random page or two. If it pulls me in, I'll buy the book. If it doesn't I'll flip to one or two more places and retry. If it doesn't pull me in after three shots, or if the writing turns me off, it goes back on the shelf and I move on.

I do it this way because the middle of a book is more 'average' to the author's writing than the beginning or the end. first chapters are designed to hook you, if properly written, but the rest of the book might suck. Best to just take the bull by the horns and see what there is in the center in my eyes.


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## Kelise (Mar 24, 2011)

I quite like the title to be taken from the book somewhere. Be the final few words at the end of a chapter, or something similar.

I don't often read the synopsis on the back of the book these days... looking at them for some of my favourite books, they're quite ridiculous, and although they're meant to pull you in... well, these days they're often awful.

That's a good idea to read the middle rather than the start though. The first few chapters will always be overworked, to impress their agent/publisher/us. Hrrrm...

And no, the agent/publisher don't choose the title for you - but they will suggest you change it if you've chosen something too similar to another famous work - like Patrick Rothfuss' Name of the Wind was originally called 'The Song of Flame and Thunder' - which they felt was too close to 'A Song of Fire and Ice' by George R. R. Martin.
Looking back, I can see why he would have called it that, since Flame and Thunder - and songs - are crucial to his story... but I also wouldn't have taken much notice of it. 'Name of the Wind' is a fantastic name, and quite singular.


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## Mdnight Falling (Mar 28, 2011)

Amanita said:


> By the way, is it true that in fact the publishing company decides on a novel's title  and not the author? (I'm quite afraid that they might call my Lenima a "chosen one.")



No the publisher doesn't title your book for you.. If you have a publisher that tells you they will name YOUR work.... Walk away very quickly LOL. Bry (Mdnight Rising) he got jacked by his publisher. His cover title is his but the art they did and the font they used made it look like a romance novel... Here look for yourself... Now if I'd been there when he was getting published (I still love you Baby >^.^<) This mistake would not have been made -.- 
Amazon.com: Winter Night Falling (9781424191970): Bryan R. South: Books This looks the cover to a cheesy romance novel if you ask me not a good fantasy novel.. Do not let your publisher pick your title, fonts, cover art.. Those should all be a reflection of you and your work not your publishers


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## kjjcarpenter (Mar 28, 2011)

Hmm. I've heard of cases where the title is changed by the publisher. And unless it's stated in a contract, they have every right to do so, would they not? Of course, they'd be more than willing to accept your title, I mean, you know what the story is, but I can guarantee J.K. Rowling had no intention for "Philosopher's Stone" to become "Sorcerer's Stone" in America. And Peter V. Brett's novel "The Warded Man" is also known as "The Painted Man". I think it's a matter of "Would your title sell?"
I do know "The Kingkiller Chronicle" by Patrick Rothfuss was originally titled "The Song of Flame and Thunder". What would you think is the better title? I personally hate the new one, however, it was done as to not confuse the book with "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R. R. Martin. So it could also be a matter of your title is too similar to another book to be published under that title, remember, the publisher wants your book to be found easily.


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## Ophiucha (Mar 28, 2011)

Yes, I've read many instances of the publishers changing the title of a book for the sake of marketing, although they do generally take your title since, you know, why not? Saves them trouble. I don't care much for Kingkiller Chronicle, but I'd side with the publishers on the Song of Flame and Thunder issue. I'd pick a different title entirely (Kvothe Chronicle, even), or just not name the series and just each book individually. Regardless, I get the intention.

I don't think I would care much if they changed the title of my novel. I'm not in love with any of my working titles (Silent Sempiternity, Underbreath, and The Dust of Dead Desire), and if it'll help sell my novel, go forth.


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## Mdnight Falling (Mar 28, 2011)

I've read the UK version of the Harry Potter books... The title wasn't all that changed... Most Americans aren't.. Sophisticated enough  Or maybe worldly enough to understand the common Brittish tongue  I adore foreign to me cultures and dear God if it wasn't for England I'd never had the Spice Girls which I still torture people with e.e But yeah like my cousins... for instance,.... Typical average American... Grade 4 reading level.. And I can say this about my own country cause look at the statistics people >.< Most americans wouldn't have understood the books if they'd been kept in their entire Brittish writing format... I swear my 20 year old cousin only knows what Snogging is cause it was SHOWN before it was SAID in the movies LOL. So I doubt Rawling WANTED it changed, but a simpled change like that.. though THAT title change I don't understand why they changed... Everyone's heard the legend of the Philosopher's Stone -.-, but anyway the Brittish common, to american Common was more then likely accepted simply cause Rawling knew she'd love the americans without the changes. As to publishers, they should discuss with you before changes to any part of your novel are made, THAT is common fact, while they have the authority to change it, YOU have the authority to walk away.. Read your contracts before you sign anything... And Bry.. This is for you too cause if you ever sign another contract like the one you did with those gumball machine morons again I'll disown you >.<


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## Ophiucha (Mar 28, 2011)

As someone who is half-American and spent 16 years of her life there, I resent the above paragraph.


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## Chilari (Mar 28, 2011)

I can understand changing slang and spellings in British novels published in the states, because slang is different across the pond and many Americans may not understand it, or may have the same word for a different thing. The obvious examples are the use of the word "***" to mean cigarette and "tramp" to mean homeless person. Other differences include pavement/sidewalk, motorway/highway, rubbish/trash, nappies/daipers. Changing those is logical. However, it is often one-directional. Many American novels published in the UK don't bother to change such words and sometimes even spellings of words like colour/color, etc for the British audience.

Changing titles for a different audience seems kinda odd. Northern Lights became Golden Compass in the USA and in the film version, though Pullman changed the title of the series from the Golden Compasses (on which the US title was based) to His Dark Materials; now it just seems like a misinterpretation of the device Lyra uses, the alethiometer, and makes the publishers look kinda stupid (imho). It also means that if a reader in the UK recommends a book to a friend or relative in the US (or vice versa), they may never find it because of the different title.


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## Ophiucha (Mar 28, 2011)

Don't forget _fanny_. That's a classic.
And yeah, I don't much understand why they only "translate" UK books for American audiences, and not the other way around. In spite of all stereotypes, we generally understand British slang enough to get our way through things like pavement and rubbish. Tramp and the other unfortunate word, though, I get. But only if we're changing fanny for the UK.

Changing the name in a different country can definitely be a pain. About half of the books I owned as a kid were British, because most of my family was British (my dad immigrated to America for his career), so my nonna would send copies of books she liked that were the UK editions, and it could be a bit confusing, although for the most part, by the time I was old enough to read, the internet was catching on and it wasn't so hard to figure out that "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" is called "Sorcerer's Stone" in America, or even anything as difficult as the His Dark Materials back and forth. Google (or AOL, if we're a bit earlier) is your friend, after all.


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## Kelise (Mar 28, 2011)

Luckily, being Australian, we see both worlds almost equally. True, we stick mostly to UK things (thankfully, as I do prefer the spelling for starters), but we see enough of the US to understand the differences. 

I do find it a bit annoying though, seeing things changed to suit the US, but hardly ever the other way 'round.

Ahh well. It's where the money lies, really. But when words are changed to something utterly different, so it'll sell easier... sheesh. I wonder if we as authors, have any power in saying we simply don't want that change?


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## Chilari (Mar 28, 2011)

On the topic of great titles, though, I just read this on the BBC website: BBC News - Genghis Khan dentistry book wins odd title prize Quite amusing. Perhaps the answer for writing a bestselling novel too - make up a really weird title for your novel and experience a 1500% increase in sales after winning that prize.


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## Behelit (Mar 28, 2011)

Title is always the first thing that catches my eye.(But never sells it) This is mostly due to the fact that in a bookstore, the one I've worked at and others I have been to, major retailers, spine the bulk of their stock. I tend to agree with the notion of naming it based upon events, themes, attributes inherent in the novel. I will never chance a book with the name of a character, a pun, or a common romance title like _Sins of a Wicked Duke_. Okay. So the latter is actually self-defeating, but the problem is I know what the sins are and it's not a blatant disregard for his people.

A locale, an item central to the story, metaphors, etc with slightly more descript titles are more likely to draw me in.


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## kjjcarpenter (Mar 28, 2011)

Chilari said:


> I can understand changing slang and spellings in British novels published in the states, because slang is different across the pond and many Americans may not understand it, or may have the same word for a different thing.


 
You think that's bad? There was a movie called "Mad Max" in Australia staring Mel Gibson. It was in English, clear as crystal, but when it went to America, they dubbed it. Yes. They dubbed a movie that was already in English, because they thought Americans wouldn't understand the language.


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## Ophiucha (Mar 29, 2011)

They do that with some British films, too. Particularly if there are characters with heavy Scottish accents.


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## Chilari (Mar 29, 2011)

What I hate is when they remake a British TV show in America and it's identical word for word, shot for shot, just with the actors changed. They did a pilot of the IT Crowd, one of the funniest shows on British TV, which even had Richard Ayoade as Moss (like the original), but with different actors for the other parts. Less funny actors. The woman playing Jen was awful, the guy playing Denholm was Director Vance from NCIS and completely wrong for the role, and the guy playing Roy wasn't even Irish, not even a hint of it, but claimed to be. I don't even know how they planned to deal with Douglas. Only Matt Berry could fill that role. But they never got further than the pilot, which just goes to show how unfunny it was - the British version has had 4 seasons according to Wikipedia, though I've not seen season 4. Have to fix that.


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## Ophiucha (Mar 29, 2011)

I hate that with any remake, even if it wasn't English in the original version (Ju-On and The Grudge are all but identical - even to the point of some of the _original Japanese actors_ being in the film, and some of the lines of dialogue being _in Japanese in the American version_; Quarantine is also a shot-for-shot remake of [REC], save for the fact that it is in English). Honestly, I don't understand that at all. Can't we dub these things anymore, or god forbid, read the subtitles?

Anyway, titles. I tend to pick a title relating to a theme in the novel, that is from a poem or quote vaguely relevant to the novel. My working title is _The Dust of Dead Desire_ which comes from a Swinburne poem ("Anactoria"). It works, given the themes of the novel, but I don't know if it is what I'll settle on in the end. I just hate picking titles so, so much. The only title I've ever used an really liked was "Moonglade", but I never ended up finishing that novel, so...


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## Fodwocket (Apr 21, 2011)

I'm a bit late here, was reading the thread cause I'm having trouble coming up with a title for my book.  Still working on that, but I really like the idea of having a quest in the title, something to make the reader think.  I'm seeing what I can come up with.



Amanita said:


> Yes, I would.
> Actually, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" is one of those extremely misleading titles as well because the series contains nothing alchemy-related at all.


 
They might not really use alchemy themselves, but it's related because the Philosopher's Stone was created using alchemy.  It says in the book that the Philosopher's Stone they're after was created by Nicholas Flamel, who is a famous alchemist who has been rumoured to have made it (outside of the Harry Potter series even, this is an old story).  And that it can be used to give you eternal life, which is what the Philosopher's stone does.  Alchemy might not be a big thing in the book, but it's called that cause Voldemort wants the stone so he can be immortal, and the stone's powers are consistent with how it works in alchemy.

Alchemy itself has two levels.  One is the transmutation of base metals into gold, so it was a practical pursuit and an early form of chemistry, but on the second level it is a whole philosophy, and the gold represented eternal life and wisdom.  So the creation of the elixir of life, or the philosopher's stone, was meant to achieve this.  It's not too closely related to how magic works in Harry Potter, but it's a human art after all, and there's nothing really stopping the two from overlapping.  Would be similar to potion making in a way.

As Starconstant pointed out to me though, calling it the Sorcerer's Stone is a bit misleading (and that name has always annoyed me even before the book) because sorcery is a vague term and alchemy is its own thing.  And honestly if I were American I'd be a bit offended about the changes - and I know American's who are actually.  I didn't know the British slang when I was young either, but I learned because movies and books in Australia don't take them out.  Most of it you can pick up via context, and what you can't you look up.  And I always liked doing that, cause I like learning about other cultures.  It's a shame not only that the US is denied that, but also that publishers assume they're incapable of figuring things out so it has to be localised or dumbed down.  Seems a tad insulting.


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## deilaitha (Jun 13, 2012)

Also, think about words that have multiple meanings.  I was talking to my sister once about the tentative title for a book I was working on, in which a culture's fate is determined. 

"I'm thinking 'The Seal of Doom'", I said. 
She burst out laughing. "What, does it take place at a zoo?"
"No," I answered indignantly.  "A seal--like you know, a seal on an envelope?" 
But it was a lost cause.  She started clapping her hands together and going, "Oart, oart, oart!"

Yeah.  Words with multiple denotations--not a good idea.


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## T.Allen.Smith (Jun 13, 2012)

This is a good topic.

Generally I like it when a title comes from lines of dialogue within the book itself. Something poignant or a point that is at first confused by characters and means something else entirely.

I wish I could think of examples but I'm drawing a blank at the moment.....


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## Ireth (Jun 13, 2012)

I quite like the title of my vampire novel WIP, _Low Road_. It's a reference to a Scottish folk song, Loch Lomond, which you might recognize ("Ye'll take the high road, and I'll take the _low road_, and I'll be in Scotland afore ye..."). Though Loch Lomond itself doesn't feature in the novel at all, it is set in Scotland, and the protagonist does walk a metaphorical "low road" a well as a literal one -- the low road in the song signifies death, and the protagonist, being a vampire, walks that path in the first chapter when he is killed and rises from the grave. The literal road he walks on during the course of the plot leads him to a very literal low place, an underground city full of other vampires.

I hope to possibly write a sequel or a prequel with the punny title of _High Stakes_ -- stakes being a common method of vampire killing in Western folklore, and also referring to the metaphorical gambling the protagonist will have to do to preserve what's left of his humanity: when surrounded by vampires who feed from humans, how can he work to preserve what's left of his human soul while trying to live peacefully among them? When faced with temptation to drink human blood himself, will he succumb or resist? That kind of idea.


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## Agran Velion (Jun 14, 2012)

I've always felt the Title's main purpose should be for me to pick up the book. I've always liked Titles that make me go "What the hell?" when I'm looking in a bookstore. There are countless books there and most only have their spines seen, so a good title is really what makes me investigate the book. I like short, snappy titles, usually that either leaves a question in my mind, or (even better) makes me have NO IDEA what the book's about. 


"The Duke's War" Okay I'm guessing there's a Duke and a war somewhere in there. 
"Deafening Silence" -Wait, what? How is that possible! *Picks up book*


Although I feel that the cover art is far more important to selling the book than the title. I remember glancing at a "A Game of Thrones" COUNTLESS times, but never bothered picking it up because the cover-art (A simple sword) did not interest me. 



So to me, the title (and art)'s main purpose should be to sell the book. I can discover the symbolism and theme once I actually read the book. 


Sorry for random jumble, I haven't had my coffee yet.


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## Mindfire (Jun 16, 2012)

I declare that this website needs an official "Title Workshopping" thread. Who wants to start one?


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## T.Allen.Smith (Jun 16, 2012)

Mindfire said:
			
		

> I declare that this website needs an official "Title Workshopping" thread. Who wants to start one?



Awesome idea... Wish I had a title ready for working.


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## Mindfire (Jun 16, 2012)

T.Allen.Smith said:


> Awesome idea... Wish I had a title ready for working.



Someone alert the mods. This needs to happen.


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## Ireth (Jun 16, 2012)

Mindfire said:


> Someone alert the mods. This needs to happen.



Seconded. ^^ That would be incredibly useful.


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## Elder the Dwarf (Jun 16, 2012)

Feel free to message one of them but they are pretty good about checking the threads.  They'll see this soon.


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## Robert Donnell (Jun 16, 2012)

Well I had a great title "Shattered Worlds!"  which exactly reflected what was going on in the book.  

Unfortunately there was already a book with almost the same title already on the shelves, it happens Dolly Parton and Shenna Easton released songs with the same name at the same time, ( 9 to 5).

So I am now thinking of changing the title, cleaning up the book and re-publishing.

I am thinking Steel Enema or Shatter Event as a new title.


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## Ireth (Jun 16, 2012)

Robert Donnell said:


> I am thinking Steel Enema or Shatter Event as a new title.



Steel Enema? All I have to say to that one is OUCH.


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## Mindfire (Jun 16, 2012)

Ireth said:


> Steel Enema? All I have to say to that one is OUCH.



What is this I don't even


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## Robert Donnell (Jun 16, 2012)

Yes, but you won't forget it.


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## Mindfire (Jun 16, 2012)

Well that's true.


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## Ghost (Jun 16, 2012)

Robert Donnell said:


> Yes, but you won't forget it.



I haven't laughed this hard in a while. Thanks!


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## Robert Donnell (Jun 16, 2012)

At least you didn't spray milk out your nose.


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## Helen (Jun 17, 2012)

Greybeard said:


> When browsing through a book store, how often do you look at a book because of its title?
> 
> While most titles are mundane, periodically one stands out and captures the attention of readers.  In your estimation, what makes a title great?



It's a billion dollar question and I don't know the answer.

I know I was at the airport yesterday and I picked up a book called BRANDWASHED.

The combination of words just said everything.

That's where I'd start to _try_ and answer that question.


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## Steerpike (Jun 17, 2012)

I don't read blurbs, so Title and Cover probably take on a heightened role. I like titles that raise questions in my mind, as Chilari noted above (with Name of the Wind and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo). The ways in which a title can raise questions are numerous, some more explicit than others. I tend to buy quite a few books from authors I've never heard of, and having an intriguing title certainly helps in that regard. If I'm looking at a book by someone I already know I like, the title is not going to be important to me, I'll buy it regardless.


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## Jo of the South (Jun 20, 2012)

I like when titles sound interesting, original, and are relevant to the story. Who doesn't like a good title? I mean who wasn't immediately interested with titles like "The Hunger Games" "Lord of the Rings" or "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"? If Rowling had just gone with "Harry Potter" as her title would anyone had really noticed? I sure wouldn't.


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## Chilari (Jun 20, 2012)

Mindfire said:


> I declare that this website needs an official "Title Workshopping" thread. Who wants to start one?



Good idea. I'll see what BD says.


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## Lillian Crowe (Jun 20, 2012)

I like this thread a lot, since I have trouble coming up with names for any piece.

I used to judge a book based on the cover art quite often, but then I read somewhere (and I have no idea whether this was true, or still is in the ever-changing world of publishing) that authors, particularly new ones, don't have much control over what art got put on the cover of their books. So now I try to judge a lot less by the cover. If I think the title is catchy, I'll read the blurb. If I think the blurb isn't too standard, I'll open the book to a random page.

Unfortunately, I don't have any set criteria on how to determine whether a title is catchy or not. If it makes me say, 'hmm' or 'cool!' then I'm in - but we all have a different idea of what's cool or intriguing. Hopefully a title workshopping thread will come up soon and be of great benefit to us all.


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## kennyc (Jun 20, 2012)

I love titles and have hundreds of them, now I just need stories that fit them!


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## Mindfire (Jun 20, 2012)

Chilari said:


> Good idea. I'll see what BD says.



The great mods have heard us!


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## Black Dragon (Jun 21, 2012)

An official title workshop thread has been created.  It seems to me that the Brainstorming and Planning Forum is the most appropriate place for it:

Title Workshop

Only members with 5 or more posts can view it.


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## Addison (Jul 24, 2012)

I've found those....great I can't remember what they're called. That thing when the same letter starts words in order. Like..."Victor Varney is very vain." Or like Lockhart's books "Voyages with Vampires", "Break with a Banshee", "Gadding with Ghouls", "Holiday with Hags", "Travels with Trolls", "Year with a Yeti". In a way the title has to be catchy like a song. Sort of like learning to recite shakespeare without putting the class to sleep. So in my opinion it's not what words you choose but how you put them together.


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## Ireth (Jul 24, 2012)

Addison said:


> I've found those....great I can't remember what they're called. That thing when the same letter starts words in order. Like..."Victor Varney is very vain." Or like Lockhart's books "Voyages with Vampires", "Break with a Banshee", "Gadding with Ghouls", "Holiday with Hags", "Travels with Trolls", "Year with a Yeti".



That's called alliteration.


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## Addison (Jul 24, 2012)

Thank you Ireth.


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## Ireth (Jul 24, 2012)

You're welcome.


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## Rullenzar (Jul 26, 2012)

Honestly, when I'm at a bookstore browsing I don't even care about a book title. It's just there for me. I tend to choose my books by authors I enjoy and trust to be good, or if they are in the section I'm drawn to (mystery/fantasy). Subconciously I probably have words that set me off and pick up a book but I don't know them nor do i care to find out. I tend to pick up books and read the backs to decide wether or not I would be interested. 

Normally, if it's by an author I enjoy reading I don't even go that far. I just pick it up, give it a glance, and off I go lol.


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## Reilith (Mar 12, 2015)

I found a system I really like. I spend a good deal of time on goodreads, looking for books, since I can find everything there right from my chair, which fits my lazy bum and the fact that I live in the god forsaken country of Serbia. That's why most of my books come from English sections at a few good bookstores, annual book fair and the internet. 
At goodreads I just type what I am generally looking for, or browse groups of a certain genre and then go from there. I look at the name, the writer, the cover and rating, if something, whatever it is attracts me, I'll look at the synopsis and then read a few high and low rated reviews of the book (without spoilers), then finally decide should I invest time into reading it or not. I got to my new favourite from Brandon Sanderson that way. Or I get a recommendation from someone which makes me research about it in the same way. Or something is hugely popular so I wanna check out what it is about.
I rarely just pick up a book at a bookstore.


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## Stephyn Blackwood (Oct 18, 2015)

Something I always enjoy when seeing a series in a book store, is when all the books have similar titles. It helps me link them, and also makes it a lot easier to put them in order. My favourite example would have to be Joe Abercrombie's _Shattered Sea_ novels.
_Half a King_
_Half the World_
_Half a War_
And I always loved this titles, cause the idea of the story was conveyed, but it was great how the titles were often worked into the story as quotes from the protagonists i.e.
'I may be half a king, but I swore a whole oath.'
'What do we do when half the world is turned against us?'
'Only half a war is fought with swords'

You get the idea.... But titles like that, they're what grab me.


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## Heliotrope (Oct 19, 2015)

I read somewhere (having trouble finding the link now) that publishers prefer titles that pose questions, like mentioned earlier. 

Some good examples include: 

The Silence of the Lambs (Oh, oh, what happened to those poor, innocent lambs?) 
Gone With The Wind  (Gone where? What is gone?) 
Presumed Innocent  (What do you mean _presumed_? They weren't actually innocent? What did they do?)


Or, they prefer titles that incite conflict: 

The Hunger Games implies conflict in a few ways, firstly 'hunger/starvation' and 'games/competition'. 
The Game of Thrones (again, 'Game' implies competition, 'thrones' implies territory/kingdoms). 
The Maze Runner (implies getting lost, having to make choices etc. But also having to do these choices quickly. There will be no sitting around in this novel).


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## Miskatonic (Oct 19, 2015)

Hopefully I figure it out soon enough so I can come up with one!


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## S.T. Ockenner (Jan 12, 2021)

Amanita said:


> Yes, I would.
> 
> By they way, what do you think about books with the main character's name in the title? I own a really good book that does this but I don't like it too much, once again because it doesn't give any information about the story itself. And the "Person X and..." title was okay for Harry Potter, but it would be sort of weird to see it in another book.
> Actually, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" is one of those extremely misleading titles as well because the series contains nothing alchemy-related at all.


Yes, but it has the Philosopher's Stone in it as a plot-relevant object.


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## S.T. Ockenner (Jan 12, 2021)

Mindfire said:


> Someone alert the mods. This needs to happen.


T. Allen Smith is a mod.


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