Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Get inspired by the piece itself
• Part 2 of 3: Get Inspired by Other Sources
• Part 3 of 3: Avoid Common Mistakes
• Tips

You may think that the title is a trifle, but it has a lot to do with how people perceive your book. Often it depends on him whether a person wants to read your work or will pass by. Fortunately or unfortunately, if you haven't already made a name for yourself as a writer, the title will appeal to potential readers, no matter how much time and effort you put into writing the book itself. So, no matter how much you want to name your story with the first phrase you come across, it's best not to.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Get inspired by the piece itself

1. 1 Take as a basis the key theme of the piece. A good title should correspond to the book, be appropriate and at the same time memorable.
   • Think about the main theme of your story - revenge? grief? parting? - and try to come up with a name associated with it. For example, if the hero is struggling with difficult memories, you might call the book "Shadows of the Past" or something like that.
2. 2 Link the title to the location. If a particular place plays a central role in the work, you can reflect this in the title.
   • For example, if the most important events in the book take place on the shores of Black Lake, you can simply call it "Black Lake". You can also combine the place and events and name the work "Black Lake Spirits" or "Black Lake on Fire".
3. 3 Get inspired by the highlight of your book. If a certain event plays a dominant role in the story, or it is from it that the development of the plot begins, you can look for the name associated with it.
   • You might end up with something like "What Happened in the Morning" or "Death Among Thieves", for example.
4. 4 Name the book with the name of the main character. The name, which coincides with the name of the main character, will captivate with its simplicity. However, in this case, try to make the name original or memorable.
   • Many great writers have followed this path. Suffice it to recall "David Copperfield" and "Oliver Twist" by Charles Dickens, "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte, "Don Quixote" by Miguel Cervantes, "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy.
5. 5 Name the book with a meaningful line from it. If your story has a particularly elegant or original phrase or phrase that reflects an important element of events or a theme, you can use them as a title or variations on their theme.
   • For example, the titles "To Kill a Mockingbird", "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" or Sleepless in Seattle is based on lines from these works.

Part 2 of 3: Get Inspired by Other Sources

1. 1 Do your research. Choose key elements of the story, such as objects and locations. Find and study information about these places and objects - perhaps you will find a source of inspiration.
   • For example, if the events of your story revolve around an emerald that has been passed down from generation to generation in the same family, you can read about emeralds and find out that this stone is traditionally associated with faith and hope. Then you could name the book, for example, "The Stone of Hope."
2. 2 Refer to bookshelves. Look at which books you have on your shelves and note titles that grab your attention.
   • Write down both the titles that caught your eye now and those that helped you buy the book in due time.
   • Review your list and try to determine what the names you like in common have in common. Perhaps they appeal to feelings, awaken the imagination, and so on.
3. 3 Use allusion. An allusion is a quote or reference to another source: a book, song, aphorism, and even a slogan or trademark.
   • Many authors draw inspiration from classical literature. Thus, William Faulkner called his work "Noise and Fury", taking as a basis a line from Shakespeare's "Macbeth", and the title of the novel "Grapes of Wrath" by John Steinbeck is a quote from "The Battle Anthem of the Republic."
   • Other writers have drawn inspiration from vernacular and dialectal expressions, such as Anthony Burgess, who borrowed the London Cockney phrase "as strange as a clockwork orange" for his A Clockwork Orange.
   • Popular culture can also be a source of allusions, as in the case of Kurt Vonnegut, who took the advertising slogan for Wheaties as the title of the book "Breakfast for Champions".

Part 3 of 3: Avoid Common Mistakes

1. 1 Come up with a name that matches the genre. If you choose a title for a book that definitely speaks of one genre, but the book itself is written in a completely different one, you will not only confuse potential readers, but also alienate them.
   • For example, if the title sounds in the spirit of fantasy, such as "Dragon from the Old Tower", but the story is about modern Wall Street brokers, you will alienate those who choose your book, expecting to read fantasy, and miss those who are interested. novels from modern life, the world of the financial elite and similar topics.
2. 2 Limit the length. In most cases, short and vivid names are more successful than long and difficult to remember.
   • For example, "A Person Who Knows the Dangers of Traveling the Yukon Alone" is likely to attract a potential reader less than "Kindle the Fire" - a shorter title, but it evokes the imagination.
3. 3 Make the title interesting. A poetic name that draws a vivid image or conceals a mystery in itself is more likely to attract potential readers.
   • A poetic-sounding title such as "A Rose for Emily" or "Gone with the Wind" will draw attention to itself with grace, promising the reader the same sophisticated language and style of storytelling.
   • Titles containing vivid images attract readers with their expressiveness, conjuring up certain pictures in their imagination. For example, the title "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil", albeit a long one, immediately creates an image of the struggle between good and evil.
   • A title that hides a mystery may also intrigue the reader. For example, "Something terrible is coming" (in turn, an allusion from "Macbeth") or "Black Cat" do not say anything directly, but arouse questions from the reader, and with them interest in the work.
4. 4 Use alliteration in moderation and with care. While a successful alliteration - repeating sound combinations at the beginning of words - can make a name more catchy and memorable, an unsuccessful one can make it banal and artificial.
   • Subtle alliteration, such as "The Master and Margarita", can add appeal to the name.
   • On the other hand, too obvious or far-fetched alliteration such as "A strange crime in the press center on Presnya" or "Voldemar the Magnificent - the great vampire lord" can easily convince the reader that your book should not be chosen.

Tips

• If the name sounds very familiar to you, it’s probably already been used, and more than once, so discard it.
• If you're having trouble coming up with a name, try brainstorming. Use free writing techniques (freewriting), clusters, list - whatever method works for you.
• Don't make up too long a name. Keep it simple.
• Even if you like the name, don't dwell on it right away. Take a break from it and try other options before making your final decision.
• You can use in the title the name of an item from a book - for example, a magic artifact.