June Has Crept Up & #IWSG Has Arrived

June? Already six months into 2018? How does that make you feel? Have you followed through on some of your resolutions if you made any? Are you scratching your head about where those six months have gone?

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How about the INSECURITIES? Got some? Well, if so, you've come to the right place. 

Welcome to June's #IWSG First Wednesday of the Month. 

This was Alex Cavanaugh's idea and it has grown each year. 

Our co-hosts this month are the awesome  Beverly Stowe McClure, Tyrean Martinson, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!

The Question (optional) is

What's harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names?

My answer is TITLES. Sometimes they're quite evident, but most of the time, not so much. The characters kind of name themselves. And they are particular, I can tell you. One even corrected my spelling of her name recently. Of course, she was right. Her name is better starting with a C than with a K. Drat! I hate it when they prove me wrong.

I learned my lesson about titles with my first book. I had this "dynamite" title, Bad Ass Attitude, and there was no doubt in my mind that it was perfect. The publisher didn't think so. They said it might be offensive and changed it to Sliding on the Edge. I'm still sure my title was better. Offensive? What do you think?

So tell us a bit about your INSECURITIES today or your NO INSECURITIES if that's the case. Opt in or out of the question, but join in whatever way works for you. 

NOTE: IN JULY, WE'LL BE POSTING ON THE 3RD! 

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Whatever you do, don't forget the #IWSGPit. 

8:00 am - 8:00 pm Eastern Standard Time 

And, there's more. Here's the next great ANTHOLOGY opportunity for authors. The genre is young adult romance. The theme will be announced September 5. 

Titles

Every year, thousands of books are published.

According to a study on consumer behaviour, a potential buyer holds a book in his hands for approximately 3 to 5 seconds. So your title has about 5 seconds to make an impression.

So what makes a great title? The basic rule says that it should be simple, catchy and memorable. A title such as The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test is not really simple, but it is certainly catchy... with regards to it being memorable... *shrugs* but this book is regarded as “an American classic that defined a generation” and the 2003 edition of the book says "over 2 million copies sold"

Here is an opinion, which I tend to agree with, on what makes a memorable title: “It’s something that combines the familiar and the unfamiliar in a way that is both visceral and verbally stimulating. Take, for example, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — a great title, as it combines these various elements flawlessly. It offers a striking image and has great rhythm.”

Then you get book titles that are an entertainment in themselves. Never mind the content.  Consider this title: The Deluxe Transitive Vampire: The Ultimate Handbook of Grammar for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed, by Karen Elizabeth Gordon. Phew! This conjures all sorts of images. Actually, this is a playful and practical grammar handbook  that addresses classic questions of English usage with wit and the blackest of humour.

Some of the world’s most famous books with great titles include: To Kill A Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby and Lord Of The Flies

As a writer, do you find it difficult to give a title to your book? How do you go about doing this? What is your favourite book title of all time?