From Dan Janal, via Tim Slavin comes some interesting notes on how to pick a book title.

I’ll just post them verbatim, since they’re full of nuggets of wisdom:

Sam Horn, long time emcee of Maui Writers Conference

How to make titles, taglines pop
Editors/agents always ask, “So what’s your book about?”
Need to pitch project in concise way others can replicate, so people instantly get it and want it.

Not talking about elevator pitches…

If you want to name your business, your goal is to be one of a kind instead of many.
Capitalize on a phrase everyone is familiar with, e.g. Got Milk = Got Yoga

Specific techniques people can use to come up with names, taglines, titles.

How to Valley Girl your product: “It’s a Chucky Cheese for adults.” What is it like?
Who is a role model for your product? Who is a shining example of what your business is all about, what you want to achieve?

Write down five words you would use to describe your topic, business benefits, attributes of your book. Then take one word and work through alphabet. Dalai Lama = Dalai Mama. Two words that get an immediate favorable response.

“Dealing with Difficult People without Becoming One Yourself.” Cute title but still similar to many other titles. Our goal is to be one of a kind not many. Still too close to other titles. A man told her I’m tired of dealing with arrogant clients who think they can do anything they want to.” “I’m a student of martial arts, what your talking about is verbal kung fu.” She responded, “Yes it’s like Tongue Fu.” That’s the name of her new book.

Unique name can become an empire with products, books, videos, and so on: Tongue Sue = for lawyers, Young Fu = Kids.

Great ideas can come from anywhere, even people in the front row not getting what they want.

Think about your topic, business, product and what keeps your clients up at night?

Dialogue title - What is the challenge and concerns of the person who will use your book, product, service. Makes your offer useful.

What do clients say? “I don’t know what I want, but I know it’s this.” What will compel people to pull your book off a shelf?

“He’s just not that into you” catapulted the book into national conscientiousness. Dared to make a bold assertion that flew in the face of what people think.

Dan: How can we test ideas to know which one to run with?
Sam: You can test market your title free, just give your title to people, and do the Jerry McGuire test, when Renee Zellwiger said after his long apology and plea, “You had me at hello.” Your listener either will have an oh response or OH? Apathy or intrigue. Looking for a visceral response: that sounds great (polite, confused, apathetic) or where can I get that? Or laughing out loud.

If your idea does not pass this test, how will people remember or find your book, business, or product?

Titles should be AIRtight:
Alliteration
Iambic pentameter “Jack and Jill went up the hill” beat, cadence, helps memory: “It’s hard to make a difference when you can’t find your keys” is has a beat and plays on the aspirational interests of people who try not to forget things.
Rhyme helps memory, Read more, faster” with subtitle, “Increasing productivity online while saving paper and frustration and time.” Re-ordered subtitle to create rhyme and rhythm.

Most memorable titles and taglines are 7 words or less, Nike, Where’s the Beef? And so on.

Write down 5-10 words you use often to describe your business, book. Ways to play with them to coin new words/phrases.

For example, a book about how sugar influences moods. “Sugar Bitch” is a kick out title, 50% will not buy because they don’t care for that word. They wrote down all songs with “sugar” for example Sugar Shack. “Sugar Shock” is powerful, it mimics insulin shock, resonates.

Sam: book market is saturated, only celebrity names can cut through clutter. Titles that stand out are only way to even get a contract.

Half and Half Words. Draw a vertical line down the center, “my book or business is a little bit of this, a little of that” On one side write down the logical ways to describe your project (left brain), on other side but more emotional, creative, and aspirational (right brain). Take first half of word on one side and combine with one half of a word on the other side. “Chrismakkah” on OC show got lot of media play. “Diabesity” “Adultlescents”

Samhorn.com: articles about how to get writing to get that book out of their head.

Reverse cliches, proverbs with your key words. Reverse or replace words. “Puppy Power” is initial phrase (play on People Power). Chapter titles could be like “Dog Tired” about keeping dogs fit, etc. Table of Contents becomes a selling piece. Don’t just state the obvious in your TOC. “You can teach a new dog old tricks” was his subtitle.

“Life is a Cabernet” “I think therefore IBM” “Go ahead make my eBay” “Do you march the beat of a different Hummer?”

Dan: can you mix approaches in TOC? Valley Girl plus Reverse plus Half/Half?
Sam: the death of any proposal is repetition, the reader starts skipping. Variety is critical. Mix it up so they never know what is next but they trust it’ll be good and useful.

Oh Say Can You See. Recent survey asked toddlers what sounds do barnyard animals make? They said ducks make the sound, “AFLAC.” The power of branding, a nonsensical word. They created an association. GEICO and the gecko, a visual icon. What’s the name of your business, book, presentation? If people cannot see it, they may not be able to relate to it. How will they feel warm and favorable towards your book or product?

For example, a super glue company asked what are attributes of our glue? They said it’s strong. What comes to mind when you say “strong”? Gorillas are strong. Gorilla Glue was the result. Created instant favorable connection.

Need a niche, something to make us unique. Sue Grafton and alphabet titles, she’s not just another mystery writer, she’s the lady whose book titles key off letters of the alphabet. People read for her lead character and to see what word she’ll do for her next book title.

Ask yourself, do we have a lead character? What is the incentive to come back to our website or next book? Where are we building in perpetual long term business into our books and businesses like a lead character in a set of mystery novels? Email newsletters and Articles are one way to keep people coming back.

Dan: When do you decide it’s worth fighting for a title your editor hates?
Sam: Agent said for my first book don’t write in first person, don’t ask questions. I finished book and hated it: too anonymous, impersonal. Went back and wrote the book the way I wanted. Springsteen said “If you write for yourself, you’ll always have an audience.”

Quality is important, and is not enough. A great name that accurately describes your business only keeps us as one of many. The need is for a creative title that’ll help you break out of the pack. “TV is Good for your kids.” and subtitle “No it’s not.” Newsweek. Are you stating the obvious? Or the opposite? Where are you stating the assumptions are outdated or incorrect? Being contrarian is a good strategy.

POP:

Purposeful. Accurately reflect project in favorable terms for our audience.
One of a kind.
Pithy. Precise and concise.

Go to GoDaddy, Amazon, Google for name searches. Francine Ward (www.ncompliance.net) can do an official search. Many titles cannot be copyrighted if they have vernacular “What’s holding you back?”

How to carve out time? Find your third place. Home is first, office second. The third place is best place to brainstorm: Starbucks, library, hotel lobby. One hour a week in your third place at a set time, it is easier to focus and get things done. Pocket of privacy in midst of people. Time to immerse in brainstorming, writing. Time to work on business instead of in it.