3 Guidelines to Create a Great Book Title

Ever seen a really great book title and think to yourself, “Damn, I wish I’d thought of that”? Happens to me. All. The. Time.

There have even been times where I’ve thought of a great book title for a client, only to discover it’s already taken. While there’s no crime against having the same title as someone else, it’s not very helpful for SEO. And tends to make you look like a copycat.

In 2021, I was helping a client develop his book title. We thought we finally had one settled and then just as we were finishing up the line edit on the manuscript, we found out that a famous personality was starting a podcast with the same exact title. This was going to create brand confusion for him on top of the SEO problems and so, all of a sudden, we now had to come up with a new title.

You might think that most people start the book writing process with a title in mind, but that hasn’t been my experience. In fact, of all the books I’ve worked on, only a handful have had titles. Usually, I’m helping the author name their book, so I guess I should call myself the Book Godfather or something.

A quick caveat: I’m really talking more about nonfiction titles here. So if you’re working on a fiction title, cool. Do whatever you like. But if you’re in the throes of writing a nonfiction business book or a memoir, these guidelines will help you narrow down the options so you don’t end up with a lackluster—or confusing—title.

Guideline 1: CLEAR > CLEVER

I’m putting this one first because it’s my own cardinal sin with titles. Which is why I wrote a book about Writer’s Block called PurgaStory. Everyone loves how clever the title is. But does the title help people discover the book and buy it?

Nope.

The temptation to be clever will always be there. Don’t fall for it.

Now, if you can be clear and clever, go for it. But it’s difficult to pull off.

If you just can’t shake the urge to be clever, then you better make sure your subtitle is clear. This can be particularly helpful for memoir, such as The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls. The simple but clear subtitle “a memoir” clarifies that it’s not a fantasy about a literal glass castle.

(Dibs.)

Guideline 2: MEMORABLE

A key filter for a any title idea is whether it passes the memorability test. Will people have to write down the name when it’s recommended to them? Or will it stick with them until they get in front of their computer later on?

Typically, this means keeping the title on the shorter end.

And yes, you might say, “But what about a book like How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie?”

Sure. For every “rule,” there’s an exception. But also, that book was written long before SEO and subtitles were a thing. Were it to come out today, it would probably take the Freakonomics approach and be called Winfluencer (ooh, dibs again).

Guideline 3: ON MESSAGE

Another mistake I see made with prospective titles is straying from the message of the book. Often, this is connected with the desire to be clever. Aspiring authors gets a title idea stuck in their head that they love for its cleverness, but it’s not on message.

For instance, when my dad was writing his book about facility maintenance for churches, his original title was “A Safe Harbor.”

The problem with the title, of course, was that it wasn’t actually on message. It even conflicted with the subtitle. Eventually, he agreed that the title wasn’t on message and changed course. Though his final title—Facility Management for Churches—is certainly less poetic, it’s definitely more on message (and more SEO-friendly).

The importance of your title can’t be understated. Beyond your cover design, it may be the very first thing that grabs your reader’s attention. It’s easy to both overthink and under-think a title, but if you use these three guidelines, then you can create more of a balance and find a title you love.

If you’re still struggling with a title, then book a free 20-minute Q&A and let’s chat about it.

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