Recently, I've had titles on the brain. I'm (allegedly) writing a novel, and one thing that strikes me when I hear you guys talk about your own WIPS is this: you all have titles. I am increasingly wishing I had one of my own, and this has led to the question: what makes a good title? More than ever in friends' houses, holiday homes or libraries I scan the bookshelves, mentally rating the strength of each title I see, so today I thought I'd share some of my title turn-offs and turn-ons. (Basically, I want any excuse to talk about books and make lists.)
Title turn-on #1: Long titles. Just read these titles and tell me they don't make you want to know more. Long titles are always unique and unforgettable, and often promise an amusing or at least unusual read. [The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared review here; The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil review here.] |
Title turn-on #2: Titles in reference to something. Whether it is a poem, rhyme or saying I always love a title that references something. By Light Alone by Adam Roberts is a book I'd never heard of before seeing it in the charity shop, but as soon as I saw the title I knew it was in reference to the Bible verse "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word from the mouth of God." Reading the blurb I saw that it was a book about a society in which humans can photosynthesise light through their hair, in place of food, showing that they live "by light alone". The Pumpkin Eater by Penelope Mortimer references the nursery rhyme "Peter, Peter, pumpkin eater / Had a wife and couldn't keep her / He put her in a pumpkin shell / And there he kept her very well". This rhyme is in the inside cover of the book, and is an interesting choice because being a children's rhyme it is deceptively simple, but it also shows the misogyny prevalent in the book. The Cuckoo's Calling by JK Rowling (writing as Robert Galbraith) also has a poem in the inside cover, 'A Dirge' by Christina G. Rossetti, and "the cuckoo's calling" is taken from this poem. I've not read the book yet but I'm excited to see how this will tie in! Come to the Edge by Joanna Kavenna (review here) also has a poem at the front of the book, which I currently can't find, but it sets the tone for the all book. It's a good poem, too. I'm annoyed I can't find it on the interwebz. [The Pumpkin Eater review here; Come to the Edge review here.] |
Title turn-on #3: state of being titles. These titles always fill me with questions about the past and present state of being of the characters! How green was his valley? What colour is it now?? Were they liars?? When?? What did they lie about?? Aren't they liars anymore?? When he was Joe?? Isn't he still Joe?? What's happening?? ^^ These are all questions that spring to mind when I read this titles. They make me want to know more. Even now I can't wait to read We Were Liars or When We Were Orphans! (I've read the others. They are all AMAZING. Read my review of How Green Was My Valley here and How I Live Now here.) |
Title turn-on #5: Alliteration. I do love some alliteration! For purely phonetic reasons it makes a title sound good. (Notice, though, that these titles are all classics. I'm running a mental blank on contemporaries with alliterative titles; can you think of any? Or are today's author missing out on this title turn-on?) [Pride and Prejudice review here.] |
But, for all the great titles out there, there are many that I view as boring and unattractive. These are my top five title turn-offs.
Note: I've not read all the books in this list, and mean no offense to the authors, publishers or fans of any of these books. In fact some of these books are brilliant; it's just the titles I'm not overly keen on.
Title turn-off #1: Flat, boring one-word titles. There's nothing especially wrong with these titles, but in my opinion, calling a book about the First World War Remembrance and a book about the French Revolution Revolution deserves no prizes. [Reviews here and here.] |
Title turn-off #2: Just the MC's name?? This title trend is a by-product of the "flat one-word titles". I'm sorry, but it's not very imaginative to just name your book after your MC. Again there's nothing wrong with this, and I still really enjoyed these three books, with Emma being one of my very favourite books ever, but it just seems like another title could have been more wow-worthy. [Review of Emma here.] |
Emily x