Your Title Can “Sizzle,” But Your Subtitle has to be the “Steak.”

Don’t expect would-be book buyers to understand what your book is about if you don’t tell them. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is very bad advice for publishers, because something has to compel buyers to pick it up.

Design isn’t the only thing that makes a great cover; you have to have a great title too. An appropriate title. A unique title. Take your working titles, pick up the phone and call your voice mail. Say a few sentences about your book and then listen to your voicemail as if you were listening to a radio program. We often see people who can’t even remember their own book title because it’s a play on words, or is difficult to say, or is impossible to decipher over the airwaves. Does your title contain an acronym? Make sure the letters don’t rhyme with other letters that are close and might make another word when put together. Why? When you have taken the time and money to publish your book, people have to be able to find it! If they can’t understand you or they misunderstand you, you lost your precious marketing dollars.

Lisa Pelto, President
Concierge Marketing
and Publishing Services