Choosing a title for your non-fiction book

You may think that writing your book is the hard part – and it is – but choosing a compelling title can be just as challenging. (After all, short copy is always the hardest to write!) One wrong move and you could attract the wrong audience, or no audience at all.

So here’s a primer on choosing the right title for your non-fiction book. You’ll find out why titles need careful consideration, common mistakes to avoid and what to do if you don’t get it right the first time.

Are non-fiction book titles really that important?

The answer to this question is a resounding yes. Think about it: when you go into a bookshop (or browse books online), the first thing you notice is the book cover. It gives you a vital clue about what lies inside. But the imagery isn't the whole story; it's just a teaser. What makes you reach for the book or press ‘buy’ is the title.

Titles carry more weight than you realise. They provoke, intrigue and entice. They tell us what to expect – a true story, a system, a skill, an exposé – and if they align with the reader's needs or curiosity (and get the right marketing push), they can drive sales and establish your reputation as a subject matter expert.

6 things you need to consider

It’s easy to say you need the right title, but you can’t just pull a line from the book or use a catchphrase that’s only meaningful to you. Here are a few things you need to consider when you’re brainstorming a book title:

1. Your audience

When you started writing your book, you probably had a specific audience in mind and maybe even a draft title. Go back and see if it’s still relevant. Ideas can evolve during the writing or self-editing process and your audience may have shifted too. If it has, think about the segment you’re writing for and what their needs are – and include that in the title.

So, if you’re writing a self-help book, try to address specific pain points, such as overcoming an addiction, making money in the creative economy or how to be liked. Here are some examples: How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy, Real Artists Don’t Starve: Timeless Strategies for Thriving in the New Creative Age or How to Win Friends and Influence People.

If you’re writing a history book or memoir, tell readers what they'll discover about a time period, event or person. For example, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, History’s Most Epic Fails or Guts: A Memoir of Food, Failure and Taking Impossible Chances.

2. The book’s tone or style

If you’ve written an academic book, a humorous title may not create the right expectations for the reader – and vice versa. Make sure your book title reflects the tone and style of the book. For instance, John Olsen: An Artist’s Life suggests that we'll be reading an authoritative biography, while The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck tells us we're in for an irreverent take on self-help books.

3. The genre

Familiarise yourself with popular titles in your non-fiction genre. This will give you a good idea of what’s out there and what the genre conventions are. Self-help books, for instance, usually have a ‘how-to’ component in their titles. Readers of this genre want step-by-step guides or strategies on how to improve themselves.

Other genres may be more flexible, but you still need to make the title compelling. A book called Weight Loss and Wellbeing won’t be as attention-grabbing as The 80:20 Plan: How to Lose Weight Without Missing Out. In this case, it entices readers who want to enjoy their favourite foods and lose weight at the same time. In other words, it's specific about its intended market and speaks directly to their pain points.

4. Competing titles

This expands on the previous point about genre. When you’re researching similar books, pay attention to the book titles and write them down (trust me, you’ll forget them). This helps you avoid unintentional duplication or sounding too similar.

Instead, differentiate yourself by choosing a title that taps into a niche or angle that isn't covered by your competitors. For example, Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life explores a common idea – living a long and happy life – but its key differentiator is what we can learn from super-agers in Japan. It's a concept that isn't often explored, and it's likely to summon a reader's interest!

5. Keywords

These days, readers use short or long-tail keywords to find what they’re looking for online. Whether they use Google or Amazon (which is a search engine in itself), they key in words like ‘how to start a business’ or ‘a biography of Pablo Picasso’ and then trawl through the results. This is something you need to consider in your title or subtitle to help readers find your book.

Bricks-and-mortar bookshops also find keywords useful when categorising or shelving books. If you’ve written a guide on dealing with anxiety and the word appears in the title, booksellers know exactly where it should go (the self-help or psychology section) and it’s easier to promote or pitch to customers.

 

6. Feedback

Getting feedback on your title is critical. It helps you find out what people’s first impressions are and whether the book piques their interest.

If you’re self-publishing, this feedback can come from friends, colleagues, other writers, your social media audience (if they’re likely to be your ideal readers!) and editors. Ask them what the title suggests, who they think it’s for and whether they would pick it up in a bookshop.

If you’re working with a publisher, feedback often comes from in-house editors and the sales team. They’re usually in a good position to know the competition and what booksellers or book buyers are looking for, and they’ll help you shape it accordingly.

Common mistakes to avoid in your non-fiction book title

Choosing a title is not an exact science, and sometimes even publishers get it wrong, but here are some pitfalls to look out for:

• Being too clever. You may want to make an impact with a clever or quirky title, but this can backfire. Not all readers understand inside jokes, wordplay or puns. Stick with simplicity and clarity, particularly if you want to reach readers who aren’t experts. Note: That's not to say that funny or weird titles don't work. They can – if your book is light-hearted or humorous. Take, for instance, Why Your Cat Thinks You're an Idiot and Me Talk Pretty One Day.

  
  

• Being too generic. Some authors err on the side of choosing generic titles. They may do this to tap into a broader market. But generic can mean vague or boring. For example, let’s take A History of Paper. Sure, it might interest a few readers. But what if you called it How Paper Changed the World? More enticing, right?

  
  

• Using a title already in use. Duplications sometimes happen (yes, there are two books – by different authors – called The Alchemist), but it’s rare and should be avoided. Aim for a title that’s different to what’s already out there. If the titles are too similar, it may confuse readers (you don’t want them buying the other author’s book instead of yours) or look like a second-rate imitation.

  
  

• Not having a subtitle. You don’t need a subtitle for your book if the main title stands on its own, but in some cases, the main title may be ambiguous or need amplification. If so, use a subtitle or tagline. For example, No Friend But the Mountains is a striking main title, but we don’t know if it’s fiction or non-fiction. Luckily, the subtitle gives us more information: Writing from Manus Prison.

How long should a non-fiction book title be?

In general, you should aim for up to five words for the main title and up to seven for the subtitle. Shorter is better. After all, you can only fit so many words on a cover before it starts looking cluttered and hard to read.

That said, there are exceptions. Since short words like 'and', 'to' and 'in' take up less space, you may get away with more. Here’s one example with nine words in the subtitle: Release Your Anger: Swear Words and Insults to Colour Your Anger Away.

Can you change your book title after publication?

It all depends on whether you published it yourself or through a commercial publisher. If your book was published on Amazon, you can change the title if you don't feel it spoke to your market, but it needs to be uploaded as a new book and include a disclaimer: ‘Previously published as [title] by [author]’.

If you worked with a commercial publisher and the books were printed in bulk, there’s not much you can do. However, when copyright reverts back to you (check your contract), you can republish it independently with a different title.

Takeaways: Choosing a title for your non-fiction book

Readers make quick judgements when they’re buying books, so choosing the right title requires careful consideration.

When you’re drafting a title for your book, think about these key factors: your audience, the book’s style, the genre, competing titles and keywords. Next, come up with a shortlist and run it by colleagues or editorial professionals for feedback.

Try to avoid common pitfalls, like being too clever or generic, copying an existing title or omitting a subtitle. The key to a successful non-fiction book title is articulating what your book is about simply and concisely, and making sure it (or the subtitle) speaks directly to your audience's needs.

Looking for a non-fiction editor to sharpen your writing, remove niggly errors and help brainstorm your book title? Send me an email or request a sample edit.