| Try These 5 Tips to Get Started | | | | benefit of reading your book. It may not |
| To create the title for his bestselling book, "The | | | | encompass your entire message, but it points to |
| 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live | | | | it in such a powerful or offbeat way that it |
| Anywhere and Join the New Rich," author | | | | suddenly jumps out at you. Again, having |
| Timothy Ferriss created and tested many titles | | | | someone else look through your manuscript is |
| and title variations to come up with that final | | | | helpful because they are seeing and hearing the |
| combination that hit a nerve with his prospective | | | | language you use for the first time. |
| buyers. | | | | 2. See if you've coined a new term |
| To develop the title for his bestselling book, | | | | Next, look for words, phrases, or expressions |
| "Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten | | | | that are uniquely yours. Without noticing, you may |
| Alive," Harvey Mackay reports that he hired a | | | | have coined a new term that will set you apart |
| creative team to hold focus groups to generate | | | | from everyone else writing on your topic. Look, |
| possible book titles. They included "Swim With the | | | | for example, at bestselling books like |
| Sharks" among the 800 titles voted on in the final | | | | "Freakonomics." |
| ballot. | | | | 3. Check out your chapter titles |
| Many great book titles are painstakingly | | | | A great chapter title or one of the headings within |
| developed, and some just happen. But most are | | | | your chapters can also translate into a powerful |
| usually a combination of both--strategy and | | | | book title. You have no doubt already spent time |
| serendipity, science and art, logic and (dare I say | | | | coming up with these. And, while no one by itself |
| it?) pure luck. For the strategy part of the | | | | will summarize your entire book, one chapter title |
| equation, having a systematic process in place | | | | or heading can express a key point that becomes |
| saves you time, money, and the aggravation of | | | | an anchor for your overall idea or approach. |
| pages and pages of ideas that are going nowhere. | | | | 4. Look for pictures and images |
| Here, then, before you move onto book cover | | | | Finally, look for vivid images in your manuscript. |
| design or start looking for a book cover designer, | | | | "Swim with the sharks" is a great example. An |
| is one of the strategies we use most often for | | | | image that like might come from your picturesque |
| coming up with your book title--the first step in | | | | way of talking in your book. If you see an image, |
| creating a bestselling book cover for your book. | | | | grab it and see if it can be used as a title. Again, it |
| You can use the "Look to Your Book" title | | | | may not sum up your entire message, but it does |
| strategy to confidently come up with a great list | | | | give people a strong visual that they then |
| of book title ideas for any book--non-fiction or | | | | associate with you and your book--a great first |
| fiction. | | | | step toward creating a powerful brand. |
| How to "Look To Your Book" | | | | 5. Use Other People's Words |
| Manuscripts are one of the most overlooked | | | | One more place to look for words and phrases is |
| sources for a great book title. Either on your own | | | | in the testimonials you are collecting for your |
| or with help from someone else who can bring | | | | manuscript, or in any advance reviews or |
| new eyes to your text, read through your | | | | feedback you are getting for your book. Like the |
| chapter titles, each chapter, and the Foreword if | | | | Foreword, testimonials and reviews are written by |
| you have one. You are not reading for content, | | | | other people who talk about you and your book |
| but for individual words and phrases that capture | | | | differently than you do. They may see things that |
| the essence of your book in some compelling | | | | you don't, or they may describe your message or |
| way. Keeping the two bestselling book title | | | | approach in sharp, colorful ways. Look through |
| examples above in mind, here are five | | | | their comments for words and phrases that could |
| book-title-starters to look for in your book: | | | | make a great title. |
| 1. Listen to the way you say things | | | | As a friend of mine used to say, and what is true |
| Sometimes in your own writing you can find an | | | | in most situations, the solution is close at hand. So, |
| especially bold, concise, or even poetic way of | | | | "Look to Your Book" as one more way to create |
| saying something. It may be a phrase that speaks | | | | a book title that is as powerful and unique as your |
| to a need for your book. It may relate to a | | | | message. |