Today we welcome Peter Jones to the blog, to give us his unique take on finding the perfect title for your book.
Peter Jones started professional life as a particularly rubbish graphic designer, followed by a stint as a mediocre petrol pump attendant. After that he got embroiled in the murky world of credit card banking. Fun times.
Nowadays, Peter spends his days writing, or talking about writing.
He’s written three novels; a Rom-Com (Romantic Comedy), A Crim-Com (Crime Comedy), and a Rom-Com-Ding-Dong (A sort-of Romantic-ish Comedy, with attitude). He’s currently working on his fourth novel, which – if it’s a musical – he’ll no doubt describe as a Rom-Com-Sing-Song. (Spoiler: It isn’t).
He is also the author of three and a half popular self-help books on the subjects of happiness, staying slim and dating. If you’re overweight, lonely, or unhappy – he’s your guy.
Peter doesn’t own a large departmental store and probably isn’t the same guy you’ve seen on the TV show Dragons’ Den.
Over to you Peter…
So. Book titles…
I hate them!
Specifically, fiction book titles.
Why? Because they’re so important, and so much rides on getting
them just right. You might spend 10 months of your life
writing circ. 80,000 words, but unless those half dozen words on the cover
are absolutely perfect, you could quite easily have
been wasting your time.
them just right. You might spend 10 months of your life
writing circ. 80,000 words, but unless those half dozen words on the cover
are absolutely perfect, you could quite easily have
been wasting your time.
Non-fiction
book titles are easy; just describe what your book is about and make darn sure
you have a key-word in there (something that people looking for your book might
type into google). So for instance, a book about finding happiness in this ever
increasingly busy world might be called How To Do Everything And Be
Happy. That would work.
book titles are easy; just describe what your book is about and make darn sure
you have a key-word in there (something that people looking for your book might
type into google). So for instance, a book about finding happiness in this ever
increasingly busy world might be called How To Do Everything And Be
Happy. That would work.
But fiction? That’s a whole different ball of
wax.
wax.
Take for instance my last novel; The Truth About This Charming
Man. Not a bad title. But not particularly good either.
Unless you saw the cover it doesn’t really tell you what the story is going to
be about. Some have argued that even if you DID see the cover, you still wouldn’t
know what it was about!
Man. Not a bad title. But not particularly good either.
Unless you saw the cover it doesn’t really tell you what the story is going to
be about. Some have argued that even if you DID see the cover, you still wouldn’t
know what it was about!
And my novel before that: The Good Guy’s Guide To Getting
The Girl. Terrible title! Awful! I mean okay, it’s quite
funny, a bit of alliteration can’t hurt – and the cover helped a bit – but
having previously published four self-help books, most people assumed it
was another self-help book! What was I thinking
choosing a title like that?
The Girl. Terrible title! Awful! I mean okay, it’s quite
funny, a bit of alliteration can’t hurt – and the cover helped a bit – but
having previously published four self-help books, most people assumed it
was another self-help book! What was I thinking
choosing a title like that?
Anyway, fortunately the same cannot be said for my latest
fictional offering. This time I’ve cracked it! This time I have a title which
is both funny, AND gives the reader a hint of what’s to come. And what’s more I
can’t really take any credit for it.
fictional offering. This time I’ve cracked it! This time I have a title which
is both funny, AND gives the reader a hint of what’s to come. And what’s more I
can’t really take any credit for it.
I met my partner Valerie about three years ago. Val had
just come out of a long term relationship with… well, let’s call him Steve.
It had been an amicable split so it wasn’t uncommon for her to mention Steve
occasionally. I’d say something like, “I’ve made some fresh bread this
weekend,” and she’d say, “Oh, Steve used to do that.” Only bloody Steve
would have made the bread from flour that he’d milled himself. From a
stone that he dug out of the ground. Whilst building his house. Single
handedly.
just come out of a long term relationship with… well, let’s call him Steve.
It had been an amicable split so it wasn’t uncommon for her to mention Steve
occasionally. I’d say something like, “I’ve made some fresh bread this
weekend,” and she’d say, “Oh, Steve used to do that.” Only bloody Steve
would have made the bread from flour that he’d milled himself. From a
stone that he dug out of the ground. Whilst building his house. Single
handedly.
One day I got so cheesed off hearing how fantastic Steve was I
said, “if you don’t shut up about Steve I’m going to put him in a novel and
then kill him off!” To which Val laughed and said, “what would you call the
book? My Girlfriend’s Perfect Ex-Boyfriend?”
said, “if you don’t shut up about Steve I’m going to put him in a novel and
then kill him off!” To which Val laughed and said, “what would you call the
book? My Girlfriend’s Perfect Ex-Boyfriend?”
Well. It was a such a good title, how could I resist?
“No!” said Val, seeing the light bulb hovering above my head.
“You can’t! Absolutely not!” But this was Friday. And you know how this works –
by the end of the weekend we had renamed Steve, morphed him into this
completely unbearable character called Sebastian.
“You can’t! Absolutely not!” But this was Friday. And you know how this works –
by the end of the weekend we had renamed Steve, morphed him into this
completely unbearable character called Sebastian.
We’d also decided that the protagonist would be a
down-on-his-luck school teacher called Adrian, and that his
girlfriend would be a sassy American PR executive called Paige. More
than that a plot was beginning to emerge that was just too fun not to
write!
down-on-his-luck school teacher called Adrian, and that his
girlfriend would be a sassy American PR executive called Paige. More
than that a plot was beginning to emerge that was just too fun not to
write!
Now obviously it’s all made up. But that said, I really hope
Steve doesn’t recognise himself in it.
Steve doesn’t recognise himself in it.
You can find out more about Peter on his website at www.peterjonesauthor.com on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/peterjonesauthor or by following him on twitter @peterjonesauth
About My Girlfriend’s Perfect Ex-Boyfriend
Adrian Turner, Mountaineer, Secret Agent, Fireman… Ade would
dearly like to be any of these things, though he’d trade them all to win the
heart of feisty Public Relations Executive, Paige.
dearly like to be any of these things, though he’d trade them all to win the
heart of feisty Public Relations Executive, Paige.
Instead, he’s a disillusioned school teacher, on suspension,
after an unfortunate incident with a heavy piece of computer equipment. And
somebody’s foot.
after an unfortunate incident with a heavy piece of computer equipment. And
somebody’s foot.
And Paige? Despite being his girlfriend for the past eighteen
months, she still seems to have one foot out of the door and hasn’t quite
committed to leaving a toothbrush in the bathroom.
months, she still seems to have one foot out of the door and hasn’t quite
committed to leaving a toothbrush in the bathroom.
Of course, it doesn’t help that she’s working with her
ex-boyfriend, Sebastian. A man who in almost every way imaginable is better,
taller, wealthier, hairier, and infinitely more successful than Ade.
ex-boyfriend, Sebastian. A man who in almost every way imaginable is better,
taller, wealthier, hairier, and infinitely more successful than Ade.
Is Paige still in love with Sebastian? Why then did she suggest
they get away for a few days? Some place romantic…
they get away for a few days? Some place romantic…
But when Adrian finds himself in Slovenia – with Sebastian in
the room down the hall – he realises there’s serious possibility that he’s in
danger of losing his job, his mind, and the woman he loves…
the room down the hall – he realises there’s serious possibility that he’s in
danger of losing his job, his mind, and the woman he loves…
Appealing to fans of Matt Dunn and Nick Spalding comes this
hilarious romp about love, and the things people do to keep it from getting
away.
hilarious romp about love, and the things people do to keep it from getting
away.
Available to buy here.
