6 Ways to Find Your Novel’s Title
This guest post was written by Isobelle Lans of Inspired Creative Co.
Why is it that we can write an entire novel, but when it comes time to give it a title, we struggle to string a few good words together? It should be easy, right? We know our book better than anyone.
I am one of those writers who struggles to title their books. I’d rather write ten books than think of a title for one. So, if you’re anything like me, use these six tips to find the titles hiding inside your story.
1. Character Names
Does your protagonist have a catchy name? Would naming the book after them (or any other characters) tell the reader a lot about the story? Often, using character names is a great way to give your book a memorable and punchy title.
There are so many excellent examples:
Percy Jackson & the Olympians
Emma
The Raven Boys
The Great Gatsby
2. Themes
Another option is theme. Do your themes have a major influence on the plot and characters? Are your themes the backbone of your story? Perhaps there’s a lesson that needs learning in your book, and this could make the perfect title.
For example,
Pride & Prejudice
Atonement
War and Peace
To Kill a Mockingbird
3. Your World
Your world may hold the answer to finding your book’s title. If this is significant to your plot, it may be a good choice. In many books, particularly fantasy and sci-fi, our worlds are extremely memorable and may be the best choice for a title.
For example,
Alice in Wonderland
Neverwhere
1984
Dark Shores
4. An Event
If your book revolves around a specific event, this might be a good choice for your book’s title. This will likely be the most memorable aspect of the book, so using it as a title will keep it in the reader’s mind.
For example,
The Hunger Games
The Night Circus
The Scorpio Races
Around the World in 80 Days
5. An Object or Place
Perhaps your book features an important object or place. Your character’s main goal of the book may be to retrieve an item or find a certain place. This may be yet another clue for a good book title.
Examples are
The Fellowship of the Ring
The Book of Lies
The Amulet of Samarkan
The Invisible Library
6. A Concept
Maybe your book is a little harder to define, so instead you could use concepts taken straight from the book. These might be prominent words or physical things that reappear often.
For example,
Woven in Moonlight
Rebel Waves
Sky in the Deep
From Blood and Ash
Thinking up a brilliant book title is no small feat. There may be a great deal of trial and error involved. My suggestion is to go through your book and find any words, objects, places, names, and themes that stand out. Then you can begin to go through them and see if any of them can be paired together to make a strong title.
Isobelle Lans is a UK-based fiction writer, editor and book coach. At Inspired Creative Co., she works with writers at all stages of the writing journey to help them hone their storytelling skills and write their best books. Isobelle believes in nurturing a writer's talent and personalising her approach to editing and coaching to each individual. You can connect with her on Instagram where she shares writing advice and insights, or you can learn more about her on her website.