How important is book titles?

[OperaDivaAlix]

Evening fellow writers, My current submission ‘Flight Of A Skylark’ is buried somewhere in Pete’s slush pile and back log. Awaiting it’s turn. ‘Flight Of A Skylark’ has had at least several names before this one - Queen Of Hearts, Grisaille Heart, Winterfell, Roses and Thorns to name a few from the top of my head. I’m still not 100% sold on this one either. I would love to know some titles of your works. How the name came about and in your opinion how important are book titles? Do you think the title plays a big part in its success from book shelves to selling?

 

[Richard Turner]

Glad to see someone else from Wales, but also glad your message doesn't repeat the bad grammar of the post title! I think titles are very important, but a great deal depends on who you are writing for. I keep hammering away at the cliff face which is the thriller market, and I'm pretty sure none of your titles would qualify in that genre. Grisaille Heart sounds contrived. Winterfell sounds interesting, but the others sound like clichés. To me the ideal title should be one that is intriguing and puzzling at first, but becomes clear as you read the book. Hope that helps.

 

[OperaDivaAlix]

Thank you Richard and Noswaith dda from the North. ‘Flight Of A Skylark’ - is a fantasy. Shakespeare’s Sonnet 29 inspired its name. Have you heard of it? Such a powerful piece.

 

[Richard Turner]

Thanks for reminding me - I've just re-read it: fantastic. However, 'at break of day arising' carries a lot more punch than 'Flight of a Skylark'.

 

[Barbara]

How about just simply Skylark? The other names that you mention sound like a romantic novel to my ear, not fantasy. Or 'Wings of the Skylark' to stop any comparison to 'Flight of the Phoenix'.

I think a good title is essential. In my view, titles are the main eye-grabbers for catching the readers.

My titles usually come from my MS, i.e. a word from the text, or an expression. I recently had what I thought was a perfectly reasonable title for my next novel, so googled it and found out it was the name for a Hollywood movie in 2016. I must have had a blackout that year. At least it confirmed my choice.

 

[Amber]

I think they're important. However, if you get a publisher, they'll change your title if they feel like it.

I don't usually know the title when I start writing. I have a story I started last month which is now being called Dragon. A good title hasn't occurred to me yet. I have another story I call Sihara. I'm not sold on the title or even the name of the country. I'm waiting for a better one to occur to me. I'm pretty sold on the title The Pursuit but I waited for it to show up. Also, have a story named Jack which I most likely won't change ... and one called Daughter of the Night ... which I also won't change. But with the exception of Jack ... not the first title.

So.... suppose I wait til one feels right.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

I think that book titles are crucial, and have previously posted about it. Think about how you choose a book to read, be it in a shop or library—sure, some books are displayed with their cover revealed on a display stand or in piles—but, most are shelved with only their spines showing, and the would-be reader has to decipher the title with their head tilted. The book title is the first hook to grab their attention, so it had better be compelling!

I also think that chapter titles are more enticing than numbers or nothing at all. I'm currently reading an engrossing thriller, called The Lying Tongue, written by Andrew Wilson, which eschews chapters in favour of section breaks, hundreds and hundreds of section breaks. I'm enjoying the story, but feel a little lost from the lack of navigation points, which offers little sense of progress.

 

[Howard]

I think that book titles are crucial, and havepreviously postedabout it. Think about how you choose a book to read, be it in a shop or library—sure, some books are displayed with their cover revealed on a display stand or in piles—but, most are shelved with only their spines showing, and the would-be reader has to decipher the title with their head tilted. The book title is the first hook to grab their attention, so it had better be compelling!

I also think that chapter titles are more enticing than numbers or nothing at all. I'm currently reading an engrossing thriller, called The Lying Tongue, written by Andrew Wilson, which eschews chapters in favour of section breaks, hundreds and hundreds of section breaks. I'm enjoying the story, but feel a little lost from the lack of navigation points, which offers little sense of progress.

Yeah Pratchett was a swine for that! Whole books created as just one long body of text with barely a paragraph gap to give you respite. It was impossible to know when to stop reading those things!

As to chapter titles: I agree, I like them too, but I only seem to see them in children books or books with a high slant of comedy. I cannot think of a 'serious' work that I've read that had them. Odd, that.

 

[OperaDivaAlix]

“Flight Of A Skylark” has chapter headings and nine illustrations