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Helping to Change the World…Word by Word

The Steve Laube Agency

The Steve Laube Agency

Helping to Change the World Word by Word

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Home » Writing Craft » Page 25

Writing Craft

En-TITLE-ment: Finding the Perfect Title (Part One)

By Karen Ballon August 17, 2011
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One of the most difficult—and important—things we did when I worked in the publishing house was come up with titles for our authors’ novels. Sometimes it was a breeze, either because the author’s title was spot-on or because the story lent itself organically to a certain title. But more often than not, it was a long process of back-and-forth with the author, marketing, and sales. So how can you, the author, develop a title that works well? Give the following tips a try.

1. Tone. Be sure your title reflects the tone of your story accurately. A whimsical title on a book that is dark and tense will leave the reader feeling suckered or betrayed. Avoid disconnects, so that when the reader is drawn by the title, what they find on the back cover and in the content will only make that draw even stronger. Be sure the title creates a sense of whimsy, tension, danger, romance, mystery, fantasy, the future…whatever best reflects the tone of your story.

Okay, so ready for a challenge? Based on the titles below…

Name That Tone!

The Boneman’s Daughters

Redeeming Love

The Shunning

The Riddlemaster of Hed

A Vase of Mistaken Identity

Without a Trace

Three Weddings & a Giggle

2. Genre. This goes hand in hand with tone. While it’s important to reflect the tone of your book, you also need to be sure the title fits the genre you’re writing. For example, many contemporary novels have a strong thread of romance in them, but you don’t want to put a title that focuses too much on the romance element. Those who read romances have specific expectations, some of which won’t be met by a contemporary novel. The beauty of genre, though, is that we often mix genres. Cozy mysteries, for example, mix mystery with a bit of a whimsical tone. Romantic adventure–self-evident. So you can use that interplay in titles. One caveat: you can offset the genre focus with the cover art. For example, a title like The Longing Heart could be romance, could be contemporary. How the designer treats the cover will clarify genres for the reader.

Name that Genre!

Kidnapped

Sister Chicks Down Under

Deadly Pursuit

The Twelfth Prophecy, A.D. Chronicles

Part two coming next week!

 

 

 

 

 

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Category: Get Published, Karen, Marketing, Trends, Writing CraftTag: Book Business, Craft, Karen, Pitching, Titles, Writing Craft

Show or Tell: How Do You Know?

By Karen Ballon August 10, 2011
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As we discussed last week, it’s okay to tell at times, but in fiction you want to show the important, emotion-laden scenes. That way the reader gets the vicarious experience along with the character. So how do you know when you’re telling rather than showing? Here are a few tips:

Beware the dreaded –ly adverbs.
“Get out of my novel, you –ly adverbs!” Alice said angrily.
Ah-ah-ah! Any time you …

Read moreShow or Tell: How Do You Know?
Category: Craft, Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Karen, show don't tell, Writing Craft

Show, Don’t Tell

By Karen Ballon August 3, 2011
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I’m From Missouri—SHOW me!

Okay, truth be told, I’m from Oregon. But in the 30 years I've been editing fiction, I've discovered a number of issues almost all writers face, regardless of how much they've written or been published. If I had to pick the top issue I see over and over, it would be Show, Don't Tell.

What, you may ask, does that mean? It's actually pretty simple. It's the …

Read moreShow, Don’t Tell
Category: Craft, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Karen, show don't tell, Writing Craft

The Wrong Point-of-View

By Karen Ballon July 27, 2011
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Last week we identified Point-of-View (POV). This week, let’s consider some common POV misteps.

What's My Line?: When POV/voice doesn’t fit the character.

Here's an example. The POV character is male and a construction worker. So is the following appropriate for his POV?

Read moreThe Wrong Point-of-View
Category: Craft, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Karen, Point of View, Writing Craft

Out of Their Minds: The basics of point-of-view

By Karen Ballon July 21, 2011
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Ever been reading a novel, cooking along with the character, when you realize you’re not seeing things through that character’s eyes any longer? Somewhere along the way, something shifted and you’re inside a different character’s head. Jarring, huh? Probably jolted you out of the story, if only for a few seconds while you figured out what happened.

That, my friends, is what you want to avoid at …

Read moreOut of Their Minds: The basics of point-of-view
Category: Craft, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Karen, Point of View, Writing Craft

True Words

By Karen Ballon July 6, 2011
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Several months ago someone challenged me to read an article by Marilyn McEntyre entitled “Letting Words Do Their Work.” Because I respected the editor who made the recommendation, I hopped right on over the the link.

It’s not easy reading. Nor is it a “quick read.” But I’ll tell you what it is:

Powerful truth. If you're a writer, speaker, agent, reader, or simply one who loves--truly …

Read moreTrue Words
Category: Craft, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Craft, Karen, Writing Craft

News You Can Use

By Steve Laubeon July 5, 2011
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Would John Locke Be Better Off with a Traditional Publisher? - Mike Shatzkin analyzes the revenue of million copy e-book selling author John Locke. The math is fascinating. According to Shatzkin, the author is making less than $30,000 per book. It is highly likely a traditional publisher would pay him a lot more for his work. Read the post. You decide.

Twenty-five Rejection Proof Markets - A …

Read moreNews You Can Use
Category: Book Business, News You Can Use, SteveTag: Bookselling, Grammar, Marketing, Publishing News, Trends, Writing Craft

Book of the Month – July 2011

By Steve Laubeon July 2, 2011
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by Steve Laube

Small Message, Big Impact by Terri L. Sjodin is this month's "Book of the Month." I recommend that every veteran and aspiring writer read this book and glean from it.

The key to this book is in the subtitle: How to Put the Power of the Elevator Speech Effect to Work for You. Sjodin defines the elevator speech as:  "A brief presentation that introduces a product, service, …

Read moreBook of the Month – July 2011
Category: Book of the Month, Book Review, Steve, Writing CraftTag: Book Review, New Books, Writing Craft

The Care and Feeding of … WORDS!

By Karen Ballon June 29, 2011
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“Handle them carefully, for words have more power than atom bombs.”
Pearl Strachan
“By words the mind is winged.”
Aristophanes
“The turn of a sentence has decided the fate of many a friendship, and, for aught that we know, the fate of many a kingdom.”
Jeremy Bentham
Amazing, isn’t it? Something so small as words can have such huge impact.

The right word in any circumstance can bring …

Read moreThe Care and Feeding of … WORDS!
Category: Craft, Creativity, Karen, Writing CraftTag: Creativity, Get Published, Karen, words, Writing Craft

The Fear of Rejection

By Steve Laubeon June 20, 2011
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Randy Ingermanson recently interviewed author Mary DeMuth in his "Advanced Fiction Writing E-Zine" and the topic of rejection surfaced. I thought it was very insightful and, with permission, am posting their conversation.

_______________

My friend Mary DeMuth recently published an e-book with the title The 11 Secrets of Getting Published.

Given that the price is only $2.99, I assumed the …

Read moreThe Fear of Rejection
Category: Book Business, Get Published, Rejection, Writing CraftTag: Book Business, Get Published, Rejection, Writing Craft
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