Blogger: Janet Kobobel Grant
Can the wrong title destine a book to an early death? Most certainly.
But you can avoid DOA titles by keeping these 3 principles in mind:
1. Avoid negative titles
Most readers prefer positive titles. The desire to read something that’s uplifting, encouraging, or problem-solving resides within most of us.
Oh, sure, there’s the anti-hero 
approach to a title that can work with the right subject (e.g., Bill O’Reilly’s Killing books–Killing Jesus, Killing Lincoln, Killing Patton, Killing the Rising Sun), but proceed cautiously if you tag a negative title onto your manuscript.
2. Avoid brown paper bag titles
These DOA titles result in a potential buyer not wanting to be seen reading the book (and thus would want to create a brown paper bag cover for it). For example, I saw a yet-to-be-released book announced in a recent Publishers Weekly issue and recognized immediately I was staring at one of those DOA titles: How Not to Hate Your Husband After Kids.
The title is a strong choice in that it’s like a nail gun: It blows that nail straight and strong into the heart of many a young mom’s life. But imagine leaving that book lying around the house…Yeah, as soon as the woman pauses and thinks about buying the book, she’ll either download it on a digital reader or pass up the purchase.
3. Avoid titles that are clever but flawed
Several years ago, one of my clients and his wife wrote a great book on marriage entitled Married but not Engaged. As soon as the publisher proposed that title, the authors and I knew it was perfect–and clever.
But, all I can say is see point #1 and point #2. Yup, we managed to break all 3 title principles using 4 simple words. The result? Another of the DOA titles that destines the book to an early demise.
What titles can you think of that broke the rules yet succeeded anyway? Do you have any insight as to why being anti-rule worked?
Can a title kill a book? Click to tweet.
Why some book titles don’t work. Click to tweet.
NOTE: Our agency’s offices are closed for the holidays. While we’ll post blogs during this time, we won’t be as available as usual to enter into the conversation. So feel free to chat about the topics among yourselves. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I love to play with words. I delight in clever phrases. I also delight in a well-written book. And a clever title doesn’t always make for a well-written book (“Levi’s Will” excepted). If I have to choose, I’ll take the well-written book every time.
(says she who can never remember the title of a book or movie)
“Levi’s Will” reminds me of another downer of a title for what was said to be a fine book: “Angela’s Ashes”. The title simply put me off any resolution to read it.
I don’t see Levi’s Will as being a negative title. It does refer to Levi’s stubbornness but also to his will, as in the document read after one’s death.
I love the levels of meaning in Levi’s Will title. It’s a stellar example of a strong title that hints at the quality of the writing in the book itself. By the way, Dale Cramer’s wife came up with that title. We all knew it was perfect as soon as we heard it.
I also took the meaning to be Levi’s Will, as in Levi’s son, Will. Actually a 3-way meaning. Very clever. Which is why Cramer is one of my all-time favorite authors.
Agreed!!
Some books have had alternate titles in the UK and US, which can lead to some puzzlement.
* An example is Nevil Shute’s “Requiem For A Wren”, the rather dark story of a member of the women’s Royal Navy auxiliary whose life spirals into tragedy during WW2. The UK title rather telegraphs the punch; but the US title, “The Breaking Wave”, leads the potential reader to scratch his or her head. An American reader would have little clue of what a Wren was, even then, but “The Breaking Wave” means absolutely nothing. It brings to mind a group of editors brainstorming the just-assigned retitling on the proverbial Wet Tuesday Afternoon In Glasgow.
* Shute was also a loser in an earlier book about a family coping with the bombing of London, “What Happened To The Cobbetts”. It was written before the fact of the Blitz, and while the story was prescient, it was hardly contextual. But at least it avoided the dreariness US title evoked; it was “Ordeal”.
* Since we seem to be doing rather well with Shute titles, how about “Round The Bend”? It’s the story of an aeroplane mechanic in postwar Asia who becomes a religious leader, and the title (both US and UK) implies the feeling that some of the protagonist’s colleagues hold, that he’s a bit touched. But the title meant far more for a UK audience, shown in the nickname bestowed upon the protagonist – Harpic. Harpic was the trade name of a popular drain cleaner at the time, which used the slogan “cleans ’round the bend”.
* But I think that perhaps DOA book titles don’t hold a candle to the appellations given our avian friends. The Hoopoe revels in the Latin name Upupa Epops, but pride of place may go to the Common Bustard, who received a limerick of his very own:
“The Bustard’s an exquisite fowl,
with scarcely a reason to howl.
he escapes what would be
illegitimacy
by the grace of a fortunate vowel.”
These are pretty amazing, Andrew! Were these commercial successes or pretty much flops?
Carol, they were pretty successful; Shute was an established author by then, and he was very well-loved. “Round The Bend” is probably his best book, and may today be the one held in highest esteem by his fans. (Though it must be said that “A Town Like Alice” surpassed it in sales, and received far more attention because of the 1980s TV adaptation. “On The Beach” did well, too, becoming a Major Motion Picture, but it really doesn’t measure up to the rest of Shute’s work from a literary or readability standpoint.)
Your observations on UK vs. US titles reminded me of the Canadian book, The Book of Negroes, which became Somebody Knows My Name when it released in the US. I’d say that Americans find the word “negroes” more offensive than Canadians.
Interesting, Janet. But I think you’re right, that Americans do have a particular dislike for that particular word.
I do find that word somewhat questionable. But we don’t have the same history as the US in terms of slavery, thus “negro” isn’t as bad here.
Notice I said “as bad”.
But the writer, Canadian author Lawrence Hill, is black, and thus, fully aware of the ruckus he had the power to raise. Also, his family are well known for their civil rights work. We’re very proud of him.
One word you will not hear much up this way AT ALL is “Indian”.
Nope. Our Native people have made it perfectly clear that the “I Word” is not acceptable. Aboriginal, First Nations, Indigenous, or Native, are all fine.
Not “Indian”.
But in the US? Not such a big deal, depending who you talk to.
Here in New Mexico, Native American is a safe choice if you don’t know a person’s tribe or pueblo (and you for sure don’t want to confuse Hopi and Navajo anymore than you’d call an Irishman an Englishman). I do have one older Native American friend who doesn’t like the new term and prefers Indian.
*When we adopted our son of African ancestry, I asked a good friend at church, who is black, whether we should use African American or Black. Her reply was that she preferred black while her sister preferred African American. The real insight came from her final comment. “Pick the one you like. No matter what you pick, someone’s going to be unhappy about it.”
Not necessarily negative, but definitely dusty, was the title A.D. 30: A Novel. However, with Ted Dekker’s name attached, it worked and spoke volumes about the book’s content. I believe the author’s reputation can carry the title. Without that rep, this title might have joined the DOA pile.
Davalynn, I believe you’re right about the A.D. 30 title. But any cover with Ted Dekker’s name would sell. The novel could even be called Untitled!
I honestly can’t think of any titles of books that put me off. Well, maybe one. The title “Not A Fan” was a negative, though the book was good.
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If I ever make the switch to science fiction, I’ll likely write one with a negative title: “There’s No Such Thing As Time Travel”. That might bring them (readers) out.
David, I’ve never been a fan of the title Not a Fan, but I’m not the demographic for the book either. Some fiction genres call for negative titles. Suspense, for example, is tough to title without describing some sort of potential mortal danger. After all, the reader vicariously wants to experience a dangerous situation. Science fiction can lean toward the negative title as well.