When the time comes to decide on a title for your book, you may feel ecstatic, unsure, and determined all at once. How can all of the poignant thoughts and ideas conveyed in your book be boiled down to a few words? What if you pick the wrong title and no one reads your book? Is it better to go with a generic title or a controversial title?

These are normal questions to ask yourself at this stage in the process! It is likely that you had one title in mind when you started your project. Then, as the project developed, new titles or variations of the original title came forward. By the end, you may have a completely different title. 

As you get ready to turn in your manuscript, you want to know if the working title you have settled on or are leaning toward is the right one. Evaluating your title in light of the following five considerations can confirm you’ve found the right fit or help you revise your working title to get it where it needs to be.

The title’s tone should match the book’s tone.

Some people want to select a tongue-in-cheek title because they think it will catch a reader’s eye. Or, perhaps you want to pick a title that sparks discussion, so you’re leaning toward one that can be deemed controversial. Selecting this type of title solely hoping to garner readership is generally not a good idea.

First, if a reader picks up the book, reads the blurb, and discovers that the book title doesn’t quite fit with the book’s material or tone, they are unlikely to purchase or read the book.

Second, if the reader only purchases a book because of the title and later discovers that the book’s contents are incongruous with the title, it can lead to unhappy readers and bad reviews (the internet lasts a long time).

So, unless a title that is pithy, snarky, or otherwise incendiary fits your narrative and tone throughout the book and falls in line with the subject matter you cover, it is unwise to use such a title.

Instead, aim for a title that aligns well with the tone of your work. If your tone is lighthearted, select a title that reflects this levity. If your book is scholarly, your title’s tone should reflect the level of scholarship. A mirrored tone will ensure that the readers have a consistent experience from the time they grab your book to the time they finish reading it.

Use vocabulary that resonates with your audience.

Especially when writing for a specific audience, and not just the general public, you will want to use language that your audience will gravitate towards and respect. Not only will the use of field-specific terminology demonstrate membership in the community, it will also earn you credibility. 

This is not an invitation to take yourself too seriously, nor is this in any way saying that co-opting or appropriating language from communities and movements to garner attention is appropriate. Rather, the vocabulary incorporated into your title ought to match the vocabulary used by the community that will read your work and align with the readership level that makes up your intended audience. 

Subtitles must add value.

A quality subtitle adds value by contributing context in a concise and memorable way. This also means that a misguided subtitle risks negating that value. 

A subtitle should not be redundant when read with the main title of the book. Subtitles that merely restate the main title in a different way are not providing context nor are they adding value. They are simply adding words.

Subtitles should not be long-winded. A well-written subtitle provides context in a few extra words. A good rule of thumb is to limit subtitle length to three to five words. Of course, this is not an absolute requirement. If you’re adding or subtracting words from the subtitle, it is likely time to evaluate each existing word to determine whether or not they add value to the overall title. 

Finally, the best subtitles are often memorable. This can be because the subtitle’s quirkiness attracts and maintains the attention of a reader. It can also be that the subtitle memorably conveys unique features of the book. 

For example, you will see that subtitles on casebooks in legal academia vary from “Cases and Materials” to “Cases, Approaches, and Application” or “Law, Theory, and Practice.” Although similar, each subtly conveys the contents of the book and the approach the author has taken throughout. This small subtitle can overtly or implicitly help a potential reader recall the context of your book, including its structure and pedagogy. 

An evergreen, timeless approach is usually best.

You may be tempted to use popular catchphrases, slang, colloquialisms, or other era/generation-specific language in your title. While this may yield short-term benefits via search results, social media attention, and timely discussion, the long-term detrimental effects of such language ought to be considered. 

Language that is limited by time and place will likely remain so going forward. And, as a book ages, so will the title. It’s more difficult for a book to stay relevant beyond the window of immediate publication when the title seems outdated.

Unless the time-bent language is essential or intertwined with the subject matter explored in the text, it is best to choose a title that will ensure your text’s relevance. 

For example, there is a difference between a title like: “That’s Groovy: Exploring 60s Slang and Communication” and “That’s Lit: New Ways to Learn Constitutional Law.” The former incorporates phraseology that is directly related to the book’s topical coverage whereas the latter is attempting to monopolize on the popular word “lit” to garner interest in new constitutional law learning tools. The second title’s connection between the subject matter and the popular phrase is tenuous at best. In a few years the language may actually deter newer audiences. 

Last, but certainly not least, confirm your title is not too similar to competitors’ titles.

A major impetus for bringing your work out into the world is because you have something different to offer. The last thing you want is to complete the creation process only to have your new work be confused with another option, whether in conversation or online search results. 

After you have selected a title, consider it in light of competitors’ titles. Be sure that your title is easily distinguishable. 

Similarly, you will want to compare your book title to titles on your publisher’s list. You do not want your book to be inadvertently or incorrectly linked to something the publisher already has to offer. You likewise want to avoid a title that is too similar to a book on the publisher’s list that covers similar subject matter. Your goal is to complement the publisher’s list, not take away from its other authors and titles.

Bonus Tip: When titles are eaten up with words like “for,” “of,” “from,” or “the,” consider how the title could be made shorter by use of active language and possessives. 

As is the case for any form of writing, it can be tempting to use filler words when trying to elevate your writing — the thought being that more and bigger words indicate a smarter author. 

Style guides and writing experts have shifted away from this mentality over time. The hallmarks of good writing style extend beyond the pages of your book to the cover page. If there is a way to shorten your title to make it easier to say and remember, there is a high probability the shorter version is the better version. 

This view can be particularly helpful if you have a long title and you’re trying to shorten it. You likely have some filler words that you can remove to condense your title. 

For example, say an author is stuck on the title: “The History of Pizza from New York.” The words “of” and “from” are not adding substantive value per se. There are other ways to convey the relationships established by these two words. You could revise the title to “The History of New York’s Pizza,” then to “New York’s Pizza: A History”. Notice that the final version is direct and meaningful. The title’s final version is shorter and easier to recall, but it conveys all the same information as the original. Some food for thought (see what I did there?).

Good luck coming up with your book title. Although a little stressful, the process should be fun. You will know the right title when you find it.