Choosing a title for your book

The choice of the perfect book title is one of the most important and challenging parts of the writing process. In this post, I share a few key methods for selecting a title, align these to some better-known books, and also take a deeper dive into the titles of my own WIPs!! →

The selection of an appropriate book title is one of the most important—but sometimes also the most difficult—components of the writing process. Along with the cover, the title is the first part prospective readers see of a book, so it needs to grab their attention. It needs to be relevant to the story within the book’s pages, it needs to be consistent with the genre, and it needs to be unique and distinctive enough to set it apart from other books. That’s a lot of things that a title needs to be able to do!

I’m not surprised that so many writers find it a challenge to come up with a title that perfectly fits their story. Personally, I actually quite enjoy the process, and often come up with a title before I even start writing. It helps me construct a “vision” of sorts for the book. With the recent announcement of my newest WIP, I thought this would be a good opportunity to share the key methods for choosing titles that I’ve discovered throughout the years, and align these with some better-known books. By no means is this list comprehensive, but it’s a start. Enjoy!

Distilling the essence of the story

Possibly the most difficult yet effective way of selecting a book title is to distil its essence—its beating heart—into a handful of words. This works by drawing upon aspects like underlying themes, key conflicts, or repeating symbols or motifs. Some examples of this include:

• A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab: In this universe, there are Londons of many shades: Grey, Red, White…and, when the MC takes a wrong step, they may see a return of Black.
• Red Rising by Pierce Brown: This is a tale of rebellion, where the lowest caste, known as “Reds”, rise up against the society which has oppressed them for centuries.
• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: The mockingbird is a recurring motif in this very famous story, but many agree that the title also refers to the loss of innocence which is explored in the book.

Using characters as inspiration

Characters are what drive a story, so using them as inspiration to formulate the title of a book is perhaps an obvious choice. However, there are a number of ways in which characters can inspire a title, both explicitly and more implicitly. Some examples of this include:

• Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan: This very popular MG series makes explicit use of the main character’s name and connection to the Olympian gods who play a central role.
• The Cruel Prince by Holly Black: Those who have read this book will appreciate who the titular “cruel prince” is, but the element of mystery to those who’ve yet to pick it up certainly works in its favour.
• Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor: I didn’t even realise this beautiful title was inspired by a character until I got to know Lazlo Strange and understood why everyone calls him a “dreamer”.

A special setting, event, or object

Crafting a title from a significant setting, event, or object within the story is a common occurrence, particularly in genres such as fantasy. This can be a simple yet effective way of selecting a title that is both relevant to the story, as well as unique and distinct. Some examples of this include:

• City of Bones by Cassandra Clare: Sounds spooky right? Those familiar with this world will know that the City of Bones is simply another name for the Silent City, where Shadowhunters are laid to rest.
• There Will Come a Darkness by Katy Rose Pool: This enthralling title is inspired by the secret prophecy, foretelling an Age of Darkness, that drives many of the events throughout the series.
• The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson: Simple yet intriguing, this title actually takes its name from a book called The Way of Kings that exists in this world, and which influences key characters’ actions.

Significant lines and dialogue

One of my personal favourites is to draw a book title from a significant line or a catchy piece of dialogue within the story itself. These often double-up as a title which distils the essence of the story (see point #1), but that’s not necessarily a requirement. Some examples of this include:

• The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson: A contemporary YA novel, whose title is taken from the line “That’s a misconception, Lennie. The sky is everywhere, it begins at your feet.”
• A Thousand Perfect Notes by C.G. Drews: A novel whose title is taken from the line “She faces him, speaking clearly, and he hears her this time. ‘You are worth more than a thousand perfect notes.’“
• The Wise Man’s Fear by Patrick Rothfuss: A fantasy, whose title is adapted from the line “There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.”

Tried-and-tested title formulas

You may have noticed a recent trend in formulaic-type book titles, particularly in certain genres such as YA fantasy. Personally, I’m starting to find these a little repetitive, but at the end of the day they’re popular for a reason. You can’t go wrong with them. Some examples include:

• The [X] [Y]: Titles that follow this formula include The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson, The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater, The Iron King by Julie Kagawa, and The Fever King by Victoria Lee.
• [X] of [Y]: Titles that follow this formula include Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas, Chain of Gold by Cassandra Clare, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson.
• [X] of [Y] and [Z]: Titles that follow this formula include Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor, House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas, and Girls of Paper and Fire by Natasha Ngan.

When it comes to selecting titles for my own WIPs, my preference is to find a phrase or combination of words that has multiple points of relevance. That is, I like to blend several of the options outlined above to create a title that is meaningful, multifaceted, ties the story together, and sounds good. Seem a little ambitious? Well, I won’t deny that it is, but I’m pleased with the titles I’ve come up with to date. Let’s take a look at a few!

What do you think makes a good book title? How do you choose titles for your own WIPs? Have you ever used any of the methods outlined above?