.: A Strategy For Coming Up With A Great Book Title
Go into a bookstore and browse through the titles in the bestseller section. Book publishing companies hire high-priced people to come up with a title or “headline,” because book publishing is a big business; therefore a lot of contemplation goes into making their titles as commercially-viable as possible. Many well-known and highly successful books started out with other titles. According to Dan Poynter, the father of self-publishing:
• Tomorrow is Another Day became Gone With The Wind.
• Blossom and the Flower became Peyton Place.
• The Rainbow Book became Free Stuff For Kids.
• The Squash Book became the Zucchini Book.
• John Thomas and Lady Jane became Lady Chatterly’s Lover.
• Trimalchio in West Egg became Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.
• Something that Happened became Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men.
• Catch 18 became Catch 22
While you are at the store, notice how the other browsers pick up a book, scan the front and back cover, and then put it down again before going on to another book. The whole process takes about two seconds each. That’s all of the time you have to make an impression on a potential reader. In those two seconds, you must appeal literally to three of the five senses that human beings have, sight, speech, and hearing, and figuratively to the last two, touch and smell.
1) Sight: When someone first comes in contact with your book’s title, it is usually by seeing it on the front cover. So your title must be aesthetically appealing.
2) Speech: If a person stumbles over the words, it will add to the difficult in marketing your book. Even if you are writing only for family members and friends, and you are giving away your book for free, there is still an element of marketing.
3) Sound: Business philosopher Jim Rhone says in order to have effective communication, you must “Have something good to say, say it well and say it often.” Your title will be heard often, but will it be good and will it be said well?
4) Touch: Touch also means to “relate to” or “to have an influence on.” Figuratively, your title must allow itself to touch or be touched by being able to relate to your readers or have some type of influence on them.
5) Smell: Your title should figuratively give off an aroma. In other words it should project “a distinctive quality or atmosphere.” If the aroma the title gives off suggests that very little thought or concern was given to it, people will assume that the rest of the book is the same way.
On a recent Publisher's Weekly Bestseller list, out of 20 books, one had a one-word title; five had two-word titles; four had three-word titles; five had four-word titles; three had five-word titles; one had a seven-word title and one had an eight-word title. The point is, most honchos at major publishing companies believe that the simpler/shorter the title, the better. None of the titles were complex.
Article keywords: title, titles, bestseller, book, publisher, publishing, successful books, self-publishing
Article Source: http://www.articles32.com
Marvin D. Cloud is founder of mybestseller.com which publishes, market and sells, personal bestsellers. Visit www.mybestseller.com and claim your free Get Off The Pot Writer's Workbook.
.: New Writing Articles
1). The Secret Behind Ghost Writers
Ghost writers perform a valuable service to busy writers as well as use the opportunity to get their own works published.
2). Proofing - A Critical Function Not to be Overlooked
Business people universally agree that mechanical mistakes detract from the professionalism of communications.
3). Tidbits On Monetizing Blogs
Blogging for profit has increased in popularity since its inception. The irony is that the original blogs were not at all designed with profit in mind.
4). Blogging Communities Bring Benefits To Bloggers
Blogging communities can be extremely difficult to understand.
5). A High Percentage Method to Get Published
One way of getting your written word published is to be a contract writer.
6). How To Find Freelance Writing Jobs
Whether you are a seasoned writer or an aspiring writer freelance writing is a great way to get more writing work. Find out how you can go about getting freelance writing jobs.
7). Techniques For Writing A Great Eulogy
Before you start to write the eulogy, think about the person and their life. You might want to include a memorable event you shared or mention their passions in life - or not...
.: Top Writing Articles
1). Letters of Recommendation – Writing Tips and Strategies
Copyright © Shaun R. Fawcett
In addition to standard letter-writing dos and don'ts, there are a number of basic guidelines that apply specifically to most situations related to the writing of letters of recommendation. These are usually more "situational" than "how-to" in nature.
These recommendation letter guidelines are important to both note and apply, since writing letters of recommendation is always a somewhat tricky and delicate matter.
2). Go With the Flow: Write With Transition Words and Phrases
Copyright © Shaun R. Fawcett
One of the most common weaknesses I see in day-to-day writing is poor logical flow from one idea or point to the next. This usually takes the form of a bunch of seemingly unrelated phrases thrown together with little or no sense of sequence, continuity, or relativity.
Although the overall subject may be obvious, the words to describe it seem to be scattered on the page like an almost random set of unconnected thoughts.
3). Letters of Recommendation Defined
Copyright © Shaun R. Fawcett
As I point out on the main page of my recommendation-reference-central.com Web site there is a great deal of general confusion about the differences and similarities between letters of recommendation and letters of reference. For instance; which is which, and why? How are they different? In what ways are they similar?
It's confusing enough for the average person who only has to write one of these letters every once in a while.
4). Letters of Recommendation - Writing Power Phrases
Copyright © Shaun R. Fawcett
As a result of writing literally hundreds of letters of recommendation over the years, I have learned that there are certain common elements and approaches that are applicable to almost all such letters.
If you look closely at most recommendation and reference letters you will notice that there are certain "types" of phrases that recur over and over again, throughout the various letters.
5). Techniques For Writing A Great Eulogy
Before you start to write the eulogy, think about the person and their life. You might want to include a memorable event you shared or mention their passions in life - or not...
6). Letters of Reference Defined
Copyright © Shaun R. Fawcett
As I point out on the main page of my Web site, recommendation-reference-central.com, there is a great deal of general confusion about the differences and similarities between letters of reference and letters of recommendation. For instance; which is which, and why? How are they different? In what ways are they similar?
It's confusing enough for the average person who only has to write one of these letters every once in a while.
7). Improve Your Writing in Eight Simple Steps
This articles explains how a student can improve his or her writing by following eight simple steps.