Choosing a Title for Your Book

As book designers, we’re rarely asked to help with the wording of a title. That job is already done–or at least nearly so–by the time a cover design assignment comes to us. Our job is to work with whatever we’re given and make it look great. That’s the challenge and part of the fun of what we do. But after handling hundreds of book titles over the years and having watched successful book marketers develop their titles, we’ve been learning some things, we think. So here are a few observations that may be helpful, at least in the non-fiction category.

The right title for a book will balance three considerations more or less equally, forming three-legged support for a solid non-fiction book title:

1. The Editorial Consideration
Does the proposed title accurately communicate what’s really in the book? Titles chosen for cleverness, shelf impact and even (sadly!) visual typographic appeal do not save a misleading title. Some defend obscure and cryptic titles by appealing to a subtitle that will “clear it all up,” not usually a good idea, but more about that in a minute.
Tip: Ask around. Show your title ideas to people unfamiliar with your project and see if they “get it” without explanation.

2. The Marketing Consideration

Does the title speak directly to the needs and interests of the intended market? In the ad business, the master headline writers always say “get the benefit into the headline.” A book title really is a headline. If it’s interesting and appealing (cleverness is a plus but not always necessary) the book shopper takes a second look-at the subtitle, perhaps, maybe the back cover. Speaking of subtitles, it always seems easier to get clarity and appeal into a subtitle than a title.

Tip: Write your ideas for title and subtitle, then try switching them around, making your subtitle into the title. I’ve seen publishers go this route many times, usually to the benefit of the book cover.

3. The Design Consideration
Does the title you’ve chosen lend itself to clear typographic treatment? This is tricky and is the business of a professional book designer for sure. We pride ourselves, after all, in our design solutions to vexing title problems! But there are some vexation-avoiding guidelines:

• Stay away from one-word, very-long-word titles. “Postmillennialism” for a type-only blockbuster prophecy book may not have the visual impact you were hoping for. There must be another way to title that topic! Maybe not….
• Avoid extremely wordy titles. Too many words all the same size make for a dull cover.
• In a series of books with matching graphics and title space (Bible study series, etc.) invent titles more or less the same length-all 3-5 words, all one-word, etc. for all the books in the series.

Tip: Ask your cover designer for his or her take on which of two or three proposed titles might end up looking better. But again, never decide at the expense of editorial clarity or marketing appeal.

Hopefully some of these thoughts will get you going down the path toward just the right title for your new book. Good luck!

—Terry Dugan, DUGAN DESIGN GROUP

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Terry Dugan
Dugan Design Group

Terry Dugan is a book lover and book designer. Books are our medium, our passion, and our continuing fascination. Christian book cover and book design has been our primary business for a long time, and we have created hundreds of covers in every category for publishers around the country and around the world.

Tags: cover design, title
Posted in Design, Editorial, Marketing

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