1. Starryblu

    Starryblu Member

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    Novel Title of a Novel

    Discussion in 'Genre Discussions' started by Starryblu, Jan 18, 2017.

    Does the title of a novel affect how it is received?

    For example, would it be seen as regular literature, as opposed to a romance novel? Not that I am putting any sort of label on romance, it's just not what I'm going for.

    I'm afraid that the title I've chosen for my novel will affect how it is perceived.

    The title I chose was "Tears Into The Ocean," which does have a meaning behind it, at least in how I am writing it. I don't intend it to be romantic at all. In fact, there will be no kissing or sex scenes. I'm just worried that it will not be taken as how I am intending it. With the title I have chosen, I am wondering if I should re-think it, and give it a new title.

    Thank you for your input.
     
  2. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Maybe? Probably? That's a tough one. I definitely think your title implies romance. If I were to view it on a bookshelf among a bunch of books with only their spines and titles showing I would probably think it was romance and skip over it until something else grabbed me. But then if I was a romance fan I would probably key on it, but you said it wasn't romance, so that might backfire when I started reading. As far as titles go in general, I think they're either catchy or they're awkward. And people either remember them or they don't. Ever see that movie? You know? The one with guy? What was it called again? Damn, good movie, but I can't remember the title.... you get the idea. Obviously books shouldn't be judged by covers, but they are. Same goes for titles, i suppose. Would Star Wars be the behemoth it is now if instead of a catchy title it was called A Farmer, a Princess, and a Dude in a Black Helmet? I have no idea, haha
     
  3. Starryblu

    Starryblu Member

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    lol I get your point. When Star Wars came out, I originally refused to see it. But think about Gone With the Wind. Doesn't that sound like a stupid title? It's kind of like your reference to Star Wars. What else would it have been named? But I do think it's a dumb title.Then again, maybe I'm grasping at straws because I like mine. It really fits, for the story I'm writing.

    Now I'm worried that I'm limiting myself, because I'm not a romance person, and that's not what I want to write. I know it's a popular genre, and people can make good money with it. It's just not my cup of tea.
     
  4. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    Yes, title can certainly affect how it is perceived. If you're working with a traditional publisher, they're going to have input into that. If they think the title is giving the wrong impression about the book, they'll likely ask you to change it. If you're self-publishing, then you'll have to decide for yourself, of course. It does make me think a bit of romance. The good thing if you're self-publishing is that you can change it any time you like.
     
  5. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Agreed. I like elements of romance and even central romantic themes, but the formulaic cookie-cutters aren't my dram of scotch either. I'd go with what you like. Better to have a great title that might confuse a few people than a "safe" title that nobody will remember.
     
  6. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    Titles are an important part of marketing, so, yes, I think they affect how books are received.

    But I'm not sure Tears into the Ocean is automatically romance-y. Women's fiction, literary fiction - enough of an echo of "like tears in the rain" to maybe fit into SFF....
     
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  7. kenc

    kenc Member

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    The Dude in a Black Helmet, His Son, His Sister and Her Lover?
     
  8. kenc

    kenc Member

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    To me it's reminiscent of "a drop in the ocean", suggesting that the tears being referred to might be insignificant when considering the bigger picture - a huge 'ocean' of tears perhaps? Certainly it sounds like it would be a very sad story.
     
  9. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    Tears Into the Ocean sounds ...schmaltzy. It could be very off-putting. You said it's relevant to the story, however. Could you maybe think of another way to express the thought you want to convey? Are you trying to get across the idea that a few tears in an ocean won't matter, or something like that? Is there another way to put it that won't sound so melodramatic?
     
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  10. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    crap, gonna have to watch Blade Runner now...
     
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  11. TWErvin2

    TWErvin2 Contributor Contributor

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    As was indicated, the title a marketing tool, just as the cover is.

    Another thing to consider is if it's a standalone novel, or if it's part of a series. Often a series title will have something similar or identifiable connecting it to other works in the series.
     
  12. Starryblu

    Starryblu Member

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    wow, there are a lot of interesting comments here....lots of food for thought!

    the title is actually based in folk lore, though I want to adapt it a bit.

    there is an old myth where there are tears cried into an ocean, where I believe it is a selkie woman can tie a human man to her? I could have the story wrong though.

    i have a different creature in mind, with a different conclusion to my story. Sort of two lost souls being brought back together, if that makes sense. I wanted the tears, as a way to bring the two people together, but that's just a small detail. I thought it sort of all went together well, I was making it work. So, I do believe the title is a good fit,if I were to go in that direction. Then I started second-guessing myself, and maybe there would be something that would be better.

    my story is supposed to be a mixture of fantasy and real life. I guess with the two souls that are looking for each other, it could be seen as romance. heck, I don't know at this point.

    now I get to sound stupid....you can tell I'm not much of a writer: what's SFF?
     
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  13. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    SciFi/Fantasy - it's an allusion to a line from Blade runner, a Science Fiction movie.

    Sorry - I was too nerdy!
     
  14. Starryblu

    Starryblu Member

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    Thanks so much, actually I was thinking that might be what it meant.

    And no need for sorry--my thoughts are that a person can never be too nerdy!
     
  15. Cave Troll

    Cave Troll It's Coffee O'clock everywhere. Contributor

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    IDK, it sounds like a tragic story about a sailor, if I may be honest. Though cover art and back
    blurb play a factor as well. I think which ever way you go about pubbing it, you should put in
    a little disclaimer stating that it is not a Romance or clarify the genres as General Womens Fiction
    (Or The best genres fit for where you want it to be) if you epubb.

    Though I am a the kind of weirdo that likes to read the blurb, and make an informed decision.
    Have to anymore with how lazy some covers art is so blah and plain, you can't really tell what
    the heck genre it is until you get all the information.

    Either way, best of luck and hope it works out the way you would like it to. :supersmile:
     
  16. Selbbin

    Selbbin The Moderating Cat Staff Contributor Contest Winner 2023

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    I wouldn't read it. It sounds melodramatic and cheesy. To be brutally frank.

    In my opinion, titles are critical. They're hard to get right but sell the mood and style of story. It's what people use to choose your book over another. You don't judge a book by it's cover, but that is how you pick them.

    Blade Runner was mentioned and that's actually a good example. It's from the title of an unconnected book, The Blade Runner by Alan E. Nourse, about black market medical supplies. The film is based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, which was just going to be called Android or worse, Dangerous Days (both bad titles) so they paid out for the rights to use Blade Runner because of it's catchy, edgy feel. It's a great title even if, in the context of the film, it's meaningless.

    Unfortunately, your title sounds like a cheap romance with bad poetry, regardless of it's mythical origins.
     
  17. Selbbin

    Selbbin The Moderating Cat Staff Contributor Contest Winner 2023

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    To Cry in the Sea?
     
  18. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    I sometimes think, when in doubt, title your book with a single word—or the name of a character or location. It's hard for any single word, name or place to sound cheesy. Not only that, it's usually easy to remember and easy to talk about a book with a single-word title. If you're the sort who can think up fantastic, complicated titles without turning a hair, that's fine. But if you're not, I'd say go with something simple instead.

    What is the most pertinent single word that reflects what your book is about? Or what about a character's name? Or the name of a place that matters in your story?
     
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  19. Rosacrvx

    Rosacrvx Contributor Contributor

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    Agreed.
    I also agree with @Selbbin, it's sounds like a romantic novel. I'm not criticising romantic novels. The point is that the title is misleading. A romantic novel reader could pick it up and be disappointed, while your target audience may never be interested enough in the title to pick it up in the first place. A blurb could be helpful but many online selling sites don't even show you the blurb, not a single line of it.
     
  20. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    Holy smokes - which online sites don't show the blurb?!? (I need to be sure I avoid them...)
     
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  21. Rosacrvx

    Rosacrvx Contributor Contributor

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    I've come across some where they only show you rows of covers and titles and you have to click on them to get to the blurb. Yeah, they're awful. I never judge a book for its cover or title and it's very annoying. I would prefer a list with at least three lines under each title. Otherwise, I'll only have the genre/subgenre to guide me, and it's like fishing. You really must want to buy a book to go through all that trouble. (And that's why many of us never do and rely on friends' recommendations instead.)
     
  22. sprirj

    sprirj Senior Member

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    Yeah straight away I thought sci fi (blade runner again) more than romance. But also I think a tragic drama more than romance. It would depend on the visuals too. If you had a picture of Saturn on the cover and a space ship you might get a lot of blade runner fans pick it up, or if you put a pretty man and/or woman on the cover, it might be mistaken for romance.
     
  23. EdFromNY

    EdFromNY Hope to improve with age Supporter Contributor

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    My first thought on reading the title, Tears Into the Ocean, was of some kind of tragic tale - someone with a terminal illness, perhaps.
     
  24. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Any particular reason you're using "into" instead of "in?" Tears in the Ocean sounds like a more natural phrase in my opinion. Tears into the Ocean sounds like it needs a verb somewhere.
     
  25. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    Tbh I think it depends more on cover art and classification that just the title, I mean consider

    "The mermaids singing" sounds as if it could be romance or nautical, turns out to be a very violent crime book (Mcdermid)
    "Old man's war" clearly its about a war, but what war and what old man turns out to be sci fi (Scalzi)
    "Taming a seahorse" again could be romantic or nautical or fantasy - turns out to be a detective story (Parker)
    "The eagle and the snake" could be fantasy, could be historical fiction about the roman legions - turns out to be an action thriller about the french foreign legion (Boyd)

    and so on - title alone doesnt determine either reader interest

    "Do androids dream of electric sheep" has already been mentioned, but personally i think the prize for most uninformative title goes to "In the electric mist with the confederate dead" by James Lee Burke
     

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