what makes a title work

What Makes a Title Work

A good title carries more weight than people sometimes realize.

It is often the first piece of the book a reader encounters. Before the first page, before the sample, before the description, there is the title. That means it has work to do.

A title should fit the book. That sounds obvious, but it rules out a lot. It should not sound borrowed. It should not aim for drama the book cannot support. It should not be clever in a way that clouds the point. A title may be simple, striking, curious, direct, or suggestive, but it should belong to the work it names.

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Why Readers Respond to Honesty

Why Readers Respond to Honesty

Readers are capable of handling more honesty than publishing sometimes gives them credit for.

Not every book has to be confessional. Not every page has to be severe. But readers respond to honesty because honesty has weight. It suggests that the writer is not hiding behind borrowed language or trying to perform a role instead of doing the work.

That kind of honesty can take different forms. It may be emotional honesty in memoir.

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