When you write anyhing, you need a title. And in this case: a book title.
Have you ever dismissed a book because of how it was named? I raise my hand. Maybe the title was wordy, too long and or dull, too broad or to unassuming. Eventually, I picked up a couple of the books which I dismissed, only because I heard great reviews about them or the book was about to be turned into a film.
I had a title from the beginning, and just like now, it was the main character’s name. I use the name of a friend and slightly altered it as I didn’t want her to think the book is about her in any way. The name somehow was just so fitting. Back then, my book was still a comic, and the name gave the character as well as a book project the air of superheroesque feeling.
After a couple of revisions, the direction within the pages changed. The characters’ names changed, and the title changed. I not only tested out different names for the main character but the comic book title as well.
The basic idea always was based on a mentalism-mind-bending theme. So I thought it would be fun, and if the heroine of the story could be drawn in a way that it was hard to judge if it was a boy or a girl. I wasn’t sure if I could pull the writing off.
I looked into unisex names. After I made a list, Jessie talked to me. The name was the perfect fit for the girl wading through her own story. So there was only the last name left. In most books, the character grows or changes throughout their own story. In this case, Jessie is learning new skills and discovering a new way of life. As she explores her world, she felt green behind her ears, so I called her Grean.
What are good titles for books?
But how to name the book? After all, the title, along with the cover catch a reader’s eyes. The title is supposed to give the essence of the book, a glimpse of the book’s content.
A good title tells me what genre the book very likely takes place, and what age group the published work would like to attract.
However, over the years, certain genres have overuse specific wordings and structures, that I almost groan at the unimaginativeness of book titles. They do tell me what type the book is, but as well vibrate the feeling that the same plots have been done to death.
Who knew that finding a title could be so hard. Then I sat at my desk, contemplating the title, the book content, and the novel’s future shelf life, I realized that I wanted an evergreen title as well.
A book title decision
Having written “untitled” or “working title” on the front page felt very uncreative. So I decided to place the main character’s name back on the page. You know what. I liked it. For me, the title ‘Jessie Grean’ represents the essence of the book as it is her story.
Have you come across a great book title or ones you didn’t like?
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