Crafting Titles

Find a unique title that captures the essence of your novel and makes a lasting impression.

Novelists throughout history struggled to find their titles. They, like us, began with a “working title,” often considering several possibilities before landing on one that fits.

Titles do matter. When you arrive at the right one, everything falls into place. Titles represent what is important in a story, and they convey a tone, an emotion, and sometimes a genre. Titles entice readers or drive them away.

Analyzing classic and contemporary fiction, from all genres, Elizabeth Lyon decodes why an author’s finished title is better than alternatives.

Lyon explains when to consider a character name, a place, a date, a theme, or something else. Crafting Titles identifies keywords that telegraph genre titles and how to find a brand for a series. Imagery and quotations, word patterns and devices. By the end of the process, you’ll understand how to confidently choose the best titles for your stories.

Writing Subtext is booklet #1 in this series.