4 Qualities of Best-Selling Book Titles

Picture of Sylvana
Sylvana
Content Writer @Spines
Contents

Perhaps by now, you have noticed a theme as you venture through the process of publishing your manuscript: being an author is more than just writing a book. Getting your book in the hands of readers also requires thought about marketing to your target audience, and creating a physical product that promises what its content delivers. Although you may have already written a working title before you even finished your first chapter, it is worth taking a step back from your manuscript and considering the power your title has in selling your book – they are the first words anyone will read, and the words they will continuously repeat to their network if they liked the book enough to recommend it. In that sense, your title is more than a name, it is a slogan; short, striking, and punchy. So, put on your ad executive cap and letโ€™s talk about the 4 qualities of Best-Selling Book Titles.

1. Itโ€™s memorable.

First and foremost, if you want your book to be the talk of the town, nothing will spread like wildfire like a title that instantly gets stuck in your brain. There are several ways to accomplish this, but logistically speaking, a memorable title is one that is easy to repeat and understand. Use words that are easy to pronounce. Literary devices like alliteration (โ€œLoveโ€™s Labourโ€™s Lost,โ€ โ€œGone Girl,โ€ โ€œSense and Sensibilityโ€), idiom (โ€œOne Flew Over The Cuckooโ€™s Nest,โ€ โ€œFinders Keepers,โ€) and colloquialism ( โ€œThe Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck,โ€ โ€œWhat Happened To You?โ€) roll off the tongue. The same goes with your consideration of using characterโ€™s names in the title – if Harry Potterโ€™s name had actually been Harrisome Pottiferous, it would have been way harder to say, and therefore harder to remember. If you have written characters with difficult names to pronounce, consider simplifying them or not using them for the title altogether.ย 

2. Itโ€™s short.

One word book titles have been trending, and itโ€™s not hard to see why – the right word can be a powerful worldbuilder. From classics like โ€œ1984โ€ and โ€œDraculaโ€ to new bestsellers โ€œViciousโ€ and โ€œCirceโ€, an evocative name or word already jog the readerโ€™s brain to imagine other places and times. One word titles have the advantage of being mysterious; alluding to the reader that it is undoubtedly the central theme of the book without describing it. This leads the reader to inspect the book cover and book blurb for more clues, successfully drawing them in. Even if you canโ€™t narrow the title down to one word, shorter titles are best: The Author Learning Center recommends a title be 5 words or less. Statistically speaking, shorter titles tend to fare better in sales: case in point, last yearโ€™s New York Times Bestseller list averages between 2-5 words.ย 

3. Itโ€™s evocative.

Shock, Inspiration, Arousal, Humor, Intrigue – these are powerful emotions that serve as tools for luring new readers. Titles that engage a reader emotionally have a strong chance of getting bought and read, and the more powerful the emotion, the more the readerโ€™s attention will be piqued. Letโ€™s browse some book titles that take us for a wild ride:

Shock: โ€œItโ€, โ€œHush, Hushโ€, โ€œLick The Razorโ€

The shock value in these titles are from what images they provoke – or donโ€™t. The mystery of โ€œItโ€ is in its vagueness – as if it is a thing so wretched, itโ€™s unnameable. โ€œHush, Hushโ€ makes you wonder what threat is listening and is a powerful mood setter. โ€œLick The Razor,โ€ canโ€™t help but make you feel dared to do something you probably wouldnโ€™t. These leave you wondering โ€œWhat?โ€, โ€œWhy?โ€ and โ€œHow?โ€ in a tantalizing way.

Inspiration: โ€œYou Are A Badassโ€, โ€œAwaken The Giant Withinโ€, โ€œThe Magic of Thinking Bigโ€

Statements of confidence such as โ€œYou Are A Badassโ€ already give the reader permission to feel the way they want to feel – thatโ€™s why they went in the self-help aisle in search of just that sort of book. Words like awaken, uncover, and release are also ways of commanding the audienceโ€™s attention by empowering them to take meaningful action from within. Words like magic, sorcery, and miracle tap into the excitement of otherworldly endeavors.ย 

Arousal: โ€œOpen Meโ€, โ€œHate To Want Youโ€, โ€œLustโ€

Hey now! The push and pull of seduction in โ€œHate To Want Youโ€, or the openly brazen and vulnerable โ€œOpen Meโ€ are playful, sexy and full of scintillating entendre. Even words like lust, passion, and climax are direct enough that the reader knows exactly what youโ€™re talking about.

Humor: โ€œAre You There, Vodka? Itโ€™s Me, Chelseaโ€, โ€œBeauty Fades, Dumb Is Foreverโ€, โ€œI Am America (And So Can You!)โ€

Whether itโ€™s a play on culturally significant phrases, or intentionally incorrect grammar, humorous titles tend to use layers of cross-referencing and signaling to insinuate their bookโ€™s point of view. By suggesting other art and media in your title, you make the reader feel witty by catching the reference. Implication is a clever way of bringing the reader in your inner circle, giving them the impression theyโ€™re being spoken specifically to them.

Intrigue: โ€œWhere Did The Baby Go?โ€ โ€œCrying in H-Mart,โ€ โ€œHow Stella Got Her Groove Back,โ€ โ€œThe Time-Travelerโ€™s Wifeโ€

Similar to the who/how/why questions youโ€™re left with in titles that shock you, evoking that need to fill in the blanks works with the subtle details (and omissions!) of these title examples. How does no one know where a baby went? What causes someone to cry in a grocery store? Why did Stella lose her groove? Whatโ€™s it like being married to a time-traveler? Reading these titles, you canโ€™t help but brainstorm your own search for a baby, your own healing, your own perspective on long-distance love. You begin to formulate your own theories on the answers to these questions and predicaments – and the book becomes either a validation or discovery of those hypotheses. Either way, these titles stoke enough curiosity that the reader feels the need to dig into the world of the book to itch that scratch.

4. Itโ€™s original.

Your story is inherently unique – so make sure your title leaves the same mark. Whether you have a distinct writing style, or the content is unusual, the title is the place to billboard those differences. Some authors take an innovative spin on this, and come up with their own words (โ€œBossypants,โ€ โ€œIshโ€, โ€œThe Pursuit of Happynessโ€). On the flipside, be on the lookout for referencing other popular titles, authors, or trademarked terms in your own title. Besides the risk of having to lose in SEO competition with ubiquitous keywords, certain publishing companies like Amazon have strict guidelines against their usage.

Best-Selling Book Titles

Best-Selling Book Titles – Final Points

Hopefully, youโ€™re able to come up with a title that has several (or all) of these qualities. But if youโ€™re stumped, never fear! There are several things you can also try:

  • Use an online title generator as a jumping off point.
  • Look for important quotes in your book.
  • Have experienced writers help you craft one (from writing collectives like BookFox, to one-stop publishing services like Spines)
  • Research top-sellers in your genre for clues in wording and structure.

When the hard work of crafting your book title is finally done, youโ€™ll be one step closer to becoming a best-selling author.ย 

Content Writer @Spines
Sylvana has been a key content writer at Spines for two years, specializing in creating clear and engaging narratives. Her work, which consistently embodies Spines’ values and mission, reflects a broad range of perspectives and a commitment to quality storytelling.
Continue Reading
Related articles recommended by Spines

Creating memorable characters for childrenโ€™s books might seem like a breeze. After all, just add a cape, a catchphrase, and a penchant for mischief, right? But in the realm of children’s literature, truly unforgettable charactersโ€”the ones kids will recall years later and maybe even tell their kids aboutโ€”take a bit...

Have you ever reread something you wrote and thought, This doesnโ€™t sound quite right? Maybe your message is buried under unnecessary words, or your sentence just feels awkward. Youโ€™re not alone! Writing is an art, and even skilled writers constantly refine their sentences to enhance clarity and engagement. Whether youโ€™re...

Book reviews hold significant weight in the literary world, serving as a vital component of an authorโ€™s journey. They influence potential readersโ€™ decisions, provide authors with valuable feedback, and shape the overall perception of a book. Whether positive or negative, reviews can profoundly impact an authorโ€™s career and emotional well-being....

There is so much preparation and hard work that goes into writing a book and getting it published – and once your book is out in the world, your work in selling books online continues. While your accomplishment is sure to draw excitement from your peers and your inner circle,...

Pacing in literature is like a road tripโ€”youโ€™ve got your stretches of open highway, where the narrative zooms ahead, and then those winding, scenic routes, where things slow down to let you take in the view. Sometimes, youโ€™re speeding through heart-pounding action; other times, youโ€™re pausing to savor a quiet...

It was a bright, cold day in April, and the blank page stared back at you. The cursor blinks, daring you to type somethingโ€”anythingโ€”but your mind races faster than your fingers. Where do you begin? How do you wrangle that big idea swirling in your head into coherent sentences, let...

Talk with us!
Talk with us!