Crafting Compelling Book Titles

Your title acts as the grab for your narrative. A crafted title should offer readers a peek into the genre of the book they're about to explore and leave them excited to uncover more.

To develop a captivating title, it's crucial to grasp your intended audience and their preferences. By understanding what captivates them you can shape a title that will attract them and spark their interest.

Let's examine some known books with titles that have captured attention. "A Game of Thrones" is immediately intriguing because people enjoy games and the notion of vying for a throne implies a power struggle. It alludes to a lethal competition, prompting eagerness to immerse in it.

Another instance is "Under the Dome" by Stephen King. The title alone shows me what kind of tale I can anticipate. One packed with suspense and the fight for survival. The idea of being enclosed beneath a dome adds a layer of mystery compelling me to place it in my shopping cart without hesitation.

As evident from these examples, an effective title acts as a lure for readers. It establishes the mood for the narrative and communicates why it is worth delving into. Make sure to spend some time creating a captivating title that will attract your readers and help your book shine in the market.

Now let’s talk subtitles. A subtitle is a supporting title that provides additional information and drives home the main point of your book. While Amazon does not require a subtitle, the combined length of your title and subtitle must be under 200 characters. You do not have to include your subtitle on your cover, but it is often recommended. It must follow the same rules as titles: no claims of bestseller or discounts, references to other books or authors, trademarks, or advertisements. The purpose of a subtitle is to fully explain the content of your book, whether it's nonfiction or fiction. For fiction, it can relate to the story or provide a brief description such as "A Love Story." To create an effective subtitle, remember to be specific and bold in selling your book to readers.

Is it searchable? One of the best places to include your keywords is in the subtitle. With tools like Publisher Rocket, you can easily find relevant keywords and incorporate them into your subtitle. These keywords will also align with what your readers are searching for, making it easier for them to find your book.

Is it reader-friendly? Your subtitle shouldn't be a jumble of words trying to fit every keyword and potential solution into one line. Instead, it should be easy to read and pronounce. Try reading your brainstormed subtitles aloud to see which ones flow the best.

Is it specific? Your subtitle should specifically address the problem or solution you are presenting in your book. Avoid using overly exaggerated language. Instead, keep it concise and informative.

Is it relevant? It's important to have a perfectly relevant subtitle that accurately reflects the content of your book. Sometimes, including popular keywords that are only loosely connected to your book can do more harm than good.

Does it convey the right tone? Every book has its own unique tone, whether it's humorous, serious, or motivational. Use your subtitle to convey this tone to potential readers.

Is there any copyrighted or trademarked material included? Be cautious about using certain words or phrases that may be trademarked by someone else. This is especially important when mentioning brand names in your subtitle.

Do you personally like it? While this may not seem important, asking yourself if you genuinely like the subtitle is essential. Trust your instincts, but also follow the steps outlined above to create an effective and appealing subtitle for your book.

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A Fiction Break

Killed Instantly 

By Liz Dubelman

“En un aparante tirotéo casual de automovil, GuillermoDiaz de once años, fue disparado en la cabeza e instantaneamente asesinado.”

“Instantaneamente asesinado.”  What did that mean? JR tried to figure it out by calling on his high school Spanish, which was usually good enough to communicate with the staff of people that he seemed to require at his house.  The thought of the responsibilities of supporting a staff led to distress, then panic, then rage.  This is how his mind worked: a) the untranslatable phrase, b) all things Spanish, c) his household help, d) paychecks, e) distress about money, f) panic about his inadequacy to provide (or even to speak Spanish), g) anger at the world for – for everything.  

“Instantaneamente asesinado.” The phrase resonated in his head. He’d stopped at the car wash on his way home, and the words had come out of a little transistor radio that sat on a dirty plastic Target table next to a rusty lawn chair in which sat the man whose job was to assess JR’s car washing needs and write up a ticket so he could pay his $9.35. JR was vaguely jealous.  He couldn’t listen to the radio at work.  But this was a fleeting thought.  

He went in to pay.  He handed a pretty young cinnamon-colored girl a twenty and she handed him back a five, five singles, a receipt, and sixty-five cents.  In that order -- the pile of bills, the small slip of paper, and the loose change on top. 

“Let me ask you something,” he said.  “Why do you do that?  Why do you put the change on top of the bills where it’s most likely to slide off onto the floor?  Do you do this for fun?  To see me crawling around on the floor looking for change?”  (Not that this had ever happened, but it could.) 

The young cashier shrugged her shoulders and went back to her magazine.  And JR’s mind wandered again.  Damn it, he couldn’t stay focused.  As he went outside to wait for his car, he began considering the fight he’d had with his wife that morning.  He had no idea what she was talking about or how things got so out of hand.  Libby said they weren’t “connecting” anymore.  What the hell was she talking about?  He dismissed this as “therapy speak.”  He felt like he was Spock in a “Star Trek” episode, and Captain Kirk was trying to explain what it’s like to be human.  He didn’t want to be a first officer.  He wanted to be the Captain.  Fuck her.  Why did she always need more?  

“Instantaneamente asesinado.”  What the hell did that mean?  Waiting for his car, he began to think of his eleven-year-old son.  JR had the persistent thought, “Junior is gay,” and this also made him mad.  Why didn’t it make Libby mad?  Why didn’t she do something about Junior?  

When JR was eleven, he lived for sports.  It was something he and his father could share.  He thought he was going to be a star when he got to college, but he ended up playing very little.  He turned out not to be very good.  He always felt that his father was more disappointed than he was.  Still, not being a very good ball player was one thing, but a sissy?  How did he end up with a poofta son?  Why couldn’t everything be good?

He saw a team of people descending on his car with soft cloths and spray bottles of blue liquid.  His car looked beautiful to him.  It was all clean and shiny.  For a brief moment, he felt O.K.  He had a nice car, a BMW.  That wasn’t bad.  But wait.  He noticed that scrape on the side that he’d gotten from the valet at Cucina Rustica.  

He’d been taking a client out to lunch, and his car came back with the whole left back panel scraped up.  He was in a murderous rage but he tried to keep his cool in front of the client.  The bastard attendant pretended not to speak English.  After many letters and phone calls, JR finally gave up on trying to collect.  Now every time he saw his car he felt sick.  He would have gotten it fixed but it wasn’t his fault.  Also, there had been rumors of cutbacks.  He couldn’t spend money like that anymore.

One of the guys waved his towel and JR went to get his car.  He didn’t tip the guy because he was lost in thought. He had to go home and tell his wife she couldn’t see that shrink anymore.  He couldn’t afford it and they both would be better off anyway.  Couldn’t she see that?  No, he guessed not.  She was going to give him trouble.  There would be yelling and whispered phone calls to that shrink in the middle of the night. The thought had crossed his mind that Libby was having a lesbian affair with her therapist. That would explain a lot.  

As he pulled out of the car wash, JR’s mind was on the confusing idea of his wife and her shrink involved in more than a therapeutic relationship.  He didn’t look, he just pulled out.  CRASH!   JR rationalized that the Geo was going too fast when it clipped his shiny clean BMW.

 “What the fuck were you thinking?” JR screamed, getting out of the car.  “You stupid, stupid bastard.”  He pounded on the hood of the little red Geo like some crazed baboon.  Then, simultaneously, he saw the gun and heard the shots ring out.  He felt calm, and then a warm trickle ran down the side of his face, and he recalled what “instantaneamente asesinado” meant.