The Journey of a Book Title
- Wendy Decker
- Apr 22
- 2 min read
Coming up with a great book title can be a tricky endeavor. The title needs to capture the essence of the book, be memorable, and unique. In 2009, I landed an agent, and though he loved my book, he suggested I change the title, which at the time was: COMING UP ROSES. He commented that the title was old-fashioned. I didn’t argue as I was so excited to finally find an agent, I would have let him title the book himself. In any event, I changed the title to ANY WAY THE WIND BLOWS. The agent loved it.
After a fun-filled round of manuscript submittals by my agent, which ultimately resulted in twelve pleasant rejections, he suggested I write another book, as this one was “shopped.” So, I worked on another book, but I could not put my baby to rest. And I decided to change the name yet again and seek an independent publisher. Fortunately, I found one and changed the title to SWEET TEA. The publisher did not comment on the title, but I wish she had. Though sweet tea was a major ingredient in the book, I later found, there are many books with the same title.
SWEET TEA is a young adult, coming-of-age novel. The book’s premise is about a sixteen-year-old girl who discovers her mother is not just quirky, but she's mentally ill. Even though the reader will learn how sweet tea is integral to the story, the title does not suggest this. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month in May, I figured I’d give everyone a heads-up and share the book’s journey.
Currently, I have just completed my latest novel, and I’m working hard to come up with a title that can stand on its own.
ความคิดเห็น