My idea of a good title is probably different from what a publisher might consider a good title. A publisher is going to want to grab a reader’s attention and get them to pick the book up, or click on it in the case of an ebook. This is an important function of a title, but to me it’s secondary. The primary function of a title is to illuminate a central aspect of the story. A good title will hang in the back of a reader’s mind, and sneak up at some point to whap them.
The epitome of titles, in my mind, is from a book by William Styron called Sophie’s Choice. A title that certainly wouldn’t dissuade potential readers, but alone, isn’t exactly flashy enough to draw a crowd. Without giving too much away (slight spoiler alert), you begin this book about a woman, Sophie, loved by two men and you expect the title reflects her choosing between them. When you discover the actual source for the title in the story, you are profoundly whapped. If a title can make a reader slide the bookmark back in at a certain point, close the book, and simply stare at the title on the cover—as I did with that book—that’s a great title, no matter how many readers it attracts from the book’s place on a shelf.
My title theory was tested with my second story published at Every Night Erotica, “Hot and Cold.” As a stand-alone, I found this title rather bland. I didn’t imagine people would see “Hot and Cold” and feel enticed to read. The story was about a couple huddled under blankets on their porch. Some sardonic banter ignited their passions, and they braved the cold temperatures for sex. I thought the story had subtle back story. This was a couple with a lengthy history that made them close friends besides lovers. I imagined they struggled, at times, with feelings that the passion between them wasn’t as consistent as when they were first together. They love each other, but their sex life was hot and cold. So I stuck with the title because I thought it had the chance to expand this snippet of these characters’ lives into a larger whole. I doubt any reader would have felt whapped by it, but hopefully it helped illuminate that untold back story a little.
You might have the best reason in the world for titling a thousand-page novel, Dull and Boring, but chances are good a publisher won’t like it. A title is ideal if it has flash and substance. If it’s flashy but doesn’t function in tandem with the story, then all the word of mouth will be readers talking about this great book they read. “What was it called?” “I forget, something clever, though.”
