Today, I am delighted to welcome award winning author, Jan Sikes, to Robbie’s Inspiration to discuss the importance to book titles and tell us about her new book, Ghostly Interference.
Book titles
Hi, Robbie. Thank you for inviting me to your blog today to showcase my new book release. I sincerely appreciate your support and generosity!
Let’s talk about book titles. There are so many things to consider when you give your book a name, and I’m going to talk about some critical aspects.
First and foremost, your book title is a promise to the reader and needs to relate to the book’s subject. We’ve talked about this before with book covers, and the same principles apply to the title. For example, you wouldn’t want to have a sweet, sappy book title for a horror story. That is unless you wanted to show a stark contrast. Of course, with every rule, there are exceptions.
When I wrote Ghostly Interference, my working title was When Two Worlds Collide.
That describes the story perfectly from the first page to the last. An old Roger Miller song by that title depicts the difficulty of joining two opposite worlds…” Your world is made up of things sweet and good. My world could never fit in. Lord, I wish it could…”
So, why didn’t I publish under that title?
When The Wild Rose Press picked up the story and gave me a contract, the first change they insisted on was the title.
They gave the reason that there were too many of the same titles already in publication, making it more difficult to market. You can look at your book like a seashell in a vast ocean with other seashells. And, when it comes to marketing, how are you going to get your seashell noticed?
The simple answer is it has to be different in some way. In other words, it needs to stand out.
Even though I hated to let go of my working title, I understood, after eight years of marketing self-published work, the importance of having something unique.
So, after going back and forth with several different suggestions, the team and I all decided on “Ghostly Interference,” of which there were zero on Amazon. And, it does define a large part of the story.
Sam Jett’s ghost is determined to help his sister, Rena, open up to and find love. He does interfere in many ways. I’d love to hear from you about your process for naming your books. Do you take into consideration how many are already out there by researching on Amazon? Do you make sure it accurately reflects the content of the book? Let’s talk about it!
The Blurb
Jag Peters has one goal in his quiet comfortable life—to keep his karma slate wiped clean. A near-miss crash with a candy apple red Harley threatens to upend his safe world. He tracks down the rider to apologize properly. Slipping into a seedy biker bar, he discovers the rider isn’t a “he”, it’s a “she”, a dark-haired beauty.
Rena Jett is a troubled soul, who lives in a rough world. She wants no part of Jag’s apology, but even while she pushes him away, she is attracted to him. When he claims to see a ghost—her brother—can she trust him? And could her brother’s final gift, a magical rune stone with the symbol for “happily ever after” have the power to heal her wounds and allow opposites to find common ground—perhaps even love?
Ghostly Interference purchase links
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Ghostly-Interference-White-Rune-Sikes-ebook/dp/B08KW1KFMW/
BARNES & NOBLE: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ghostly-interference-jan-sikes/1137871003?
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/ghostly-interference
iTUNES: https://books.apple.com/us/book/ghostly-interference/id1535082886
GOOGLE PLAY: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=PCwNEAAAQBAJ
Find Jan Sikes
Websitehttp://www.jansikes.com
Hi, Robbie! Thank you SO very much for hosting me here on your lovely blog! I truly appreciate your support!
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It is a pleasure, Jan. I finished Ghostly Interference last night and will be writing up my review within the next few days.
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Oh, that is such music to my ears this morning, Robbie! I hope you enjoyed the story!
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I think Ghostly Interference is a perfect title, considering the big role of Rena’s deceased brother, Sam, in this story.
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Hi Pete, thanks for visiting and commenting. I think you are right about that.
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I agree, Pete, and the fact that it’s different is a big help in marketing. Thanks so much for stopping by today!
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Terrific title and another lovely post in the launch Robbie and Jan..hugsx
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Hi Sally, thank you for visiting and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed this post.
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Hi, Sally! Thanks so much for stopping by and I’m glad the title appeals! Have a wonderful day! Hugs!
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What a lovely interview and so nice to see Jan here. Such an intriguing title. Toni x
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Hi Toni, thank you for visiting. I also enjoyed Jan’s insights into her title.
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Hi, Toni! Thank you for stopping by and commenting today. I’m glad the title is compelling!
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Thank you, Robbie, for hosting Jan today. What a great tour it has been. I’m looking forward to the read!
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I finished this book yesterday, Gwen, and enjoyed it very much.
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Hi, Gwen. Thank you for riding along to each stop along this tour and all in the midst of touring with your own book. I deeply appreciate your kind support! Hugs!
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Hi Robbie, Hi Jan,
Jan, I do like Ghostly Interference better because it adds to the intrigue in the story. I am glad you went with the title suggested to you by The White Rose Press.
Robbie, thank you so much for hosting Jan.
Wishing you both a great 2021.
Shalom aleichem
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Hi Pat, thank you for visiting. I agree that Ghostly Interference has a great ring to it and, having read this book, I think it is very fitting.
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Hi, Pat. Yes, having a publisher forced me to concede some things and I do believe for the better. Wild Rose Press has been fabulous to work with. Thank you for stopping by and commenting!
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I agree with you completely, Jan. Book titles are so important. When I chose my titles for my series, I made sure there weren’t any other books with that title (at the time). For my short story, I could not give up calling it Breathless, but there are SO many stories with that title. I found that by adding “A Short Story” to the title, it pops up immediately. Unfortunately, readers don’t really add that when they search for books. Lol! Still, I wanted that title because it leads so perfectly to the title I want to use for the full novel.
I love your book’s title. I’m happy you changed it. Although your original title would have worked, your current title pulls in the paranormal, which opens you up to more readers. 🙂
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Hi Yvette, thank you for adding your thoughts. I checked after reading this article, and there are no other books out there with the titles of my books and I am pleased about that. Titles are also a potential reader’s first insight into a book, so very important.
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You make a good point, Yvette. The new title definitely pulls in the paranormal aspect of the story. I can understand that “Breathless” was the only title that fit your short story. And anyone who reads it will understand that “Breathless” applies on several different levels. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by! Hugs!
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Thanks for hosting Jan, Robbie. What I’ve loved about her book tour has been the different questions she’s answered along the route. I’ve learned so much about her and the book. It’s hard to let go of our working titles when we’re published traditionally. Now, I no longer title the book. My current WIP is Meg and Luke’s story. Boring yes, but it keeps me from becoming attached. Great tour, Jan!
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Hi, Jill. It was my goal to make each post and each stop along the tour unique and different. It’s been a lot of work, but it has paid off. I love the working title you gave your current WIP and the reason. Maybe I should try that so I don’t get so attached. 🙂 Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment!
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Hi Jill, it is interesting what you said about the working title of your books. To date, I’ve always had the titles of my books quite early in the process. I’ve checked and there are no other books on Amazon with the same titles. I have been lucky in this regard.
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Once I provide a list of at least ten or more titles, my editor and I go back and forth until one is agreed upon. It’s all based on my publisher’s marketing strategy.
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Titles are important. I wrote my first novel, Unseen Motives, under the working title “Willow Lake,” but never intended to keep it. While there wasn’t a novel by that name on Amazon at the time, I did come across a romance series called Willow Lake. I changed the town name to Driscoll Lake and set about finding a title. I had “Hidden Intentions” but there were several books title that. I thought of “Ulterior Motives” but even more titles of the same name. Finally, I used a thesaurus and got unseen for hidden and motives for intentions.
By that time I knew I would write two more books of the series and I wanted cadence. It was easy to come up with Unknown Reasons and Unclear Purposes.
Still enjoying your tour and a big thanks to Robbie for hosting!
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Hi, Joan! Thank you for sharing your titling process. Using the Thesaurus is a great idea for finding words that have the same meaning, but are different. And I love what you said about the series titles having cadence. Great points! Have a great day! I appreciate your support!
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Hi Joan, thanks for joining in with your comments about how you named your series. I found your process very interesting.
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The title sounds wonderful and such a great review, Robbie. Thank you so much for the lovely share.
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Thank you for stopping by and commenting, boundlessblessingsblog!
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You are always welcome Jan.
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My pleasure, Kamal. I have recently finished reading this book and enjoyed it very much. I don’t read romance often so it is something different for me when I do.
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Great Robbie and I too will try reading the book sounds lovely. You are always welcome dear 💖💖💖
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Reblogged this on Ed;s Site..
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Thank you for reblogging, Ed!
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Thanks for sharing, Ed.
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Loved the explanation of the title choice, Jan. Thanks for hosting Jan today, Robbie 😊
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Hi, John! Thanks for stopping by and I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Robbie is an awesome host!
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I did , Jan. Yes she is
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My pleasure, John. I really enjoyed Jan’s article.
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😊
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Nice of you to feature Jan, Robbie. Good luck to her with the book, and I have shared this on Twitter for you.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Hi, Pete! Thanks for stopping by, leaving a comment, and sharing on Twitter! I appreciate it!
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My pleasure, Jan. 🙂
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Hi Pete, thank you for your kind share. Jan is a great person to host.
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Congratulations to Jan on her new book and on this post. It makes perfect sense and the title seems to suit the story quite well. I didn’t use to pay much attention to the existence of other books with the same title when choosing one of my stories, but after writing so many reviews for other people’s books, I must admit that sometimes it’s very difficult to locate a book using the title alone, as there might be many with the same or very similar names, but it’s true that some titles have plenty of appeal.
Using a boring or nondescript title while working on the WIP and finding the right one once it’s ready might be a good option.
Thanks, Robbie!
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You make an excellent point about the review aspect and the title, Olga. It is frustrating when you can’t find the book you need to leave a review. Thank you for stopping by!
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Hi Olga, thanks for popping past and commenting. I enjoyed reading about your experience with deciding on a book title. I’ve always had my title right up front, but that may change in the future.
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Great book title and the plot sounds like one that would keep me hanging onto every page, wondering what will happen next!
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Hi, Christy! Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the story!
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Hi Christy, thanks for visiting. This is a great romance, I really enjoyed it.
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I’m horrible with titles, Jan. With my first book, I decided on the title 5 minutes before I sent it to my publisher. The second book title came to me before I started writing it. Credit for the third title goes to my editor. Ghostly Interference sounds perfect for your book!
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Hi, Teri. Titles can certainly be tricky, to say the least. I love it when the title comes before the story, and that has happened to me with short stories. I do think “Ghostly Interference” is a good fit for this book. Thanks for stopping by!
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Hi Teri, I seem to remember you struggling to come up with a title for Subject A36 and it ended up being such an appropriate one in the end. Thanks for adding your experience with book titles.
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Even titles for poems or artwork are difficult. It might be the hardest part. Thanks for the insight into how publishing adds even more complications to the mix. (K)
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Hello, memadtwo. I think titles can certainly be a challenge sometimes. Thanks for stopping by!
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Hi Kerfe, I can imagine that deciding on a title for an artwork is also difficult. With poems, sometimes I have a title before the poem and it guides me, other times I struggle for a title.
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I should try starting with a title. I like that idea.
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Interesting insight on book titles. New Knowledge for me.
Wish Jan the best her book.
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So glad you enjoyed the post, thoughtsnlifeblog!
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Hi Bella, I’m glad you enjoyed this post. Have a lovely evening.
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Thanks. You too
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What a great book tour. You-all put a lot of work into this. Best of luck with the new book.
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Hi, Jacqui. It has been a lot of work doing this extensive tour, but it is worth it to get the word out about the book. Just a few more stops and I wind the tour up next week. Thanks for coming along!
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Hi Jacqui, I agree, Jan has been everywhere in the blogosphere this past few weeks. I am sure she will reap the benefits.
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Titles are SO important, yet sometimes, the hardest thing to write! I like Ghostly Interference; it sets the tone straight away…and that cover, man, that’s awesome!
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Awww, thank you, Jessica. I’m glad the cover grabs you. I thought the cover design person did a great job. Thanks for stopping by!
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Hi Jessica, I also think this cover is very striking and I love the colours. Jan also hit on a great and eye catching title.
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I got a kick out of your discussion of titles. When I was just starting out in college, my first creative writing professor was very dismissive about the importance of titles: Don’t worry about it. Choosing a title will give your editor something to do.
I think his actual point was that we needn’t concern ourselves with titles to sell a story or a book until we’d learned the craft of writing one.
You’re right, of course, about their importance now in such a crowded marketplace.
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Hi, Liz. I love what your professor told you. 🙂 And it was right on, as I found out. Thanks for stopping by!
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Hi Liz, I wonder if this is still the same or if titles have earned a place in the creative writing curriculum now. I think I must ask Prof French when I next speak to him. I think the title is very important, as is the cover and blurb. Thanks for visiting and enjoy your weekend.
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You’re welcome, Robbie. I’ll be interested in Dr. French’s response to your question.
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Hi Jan.
Just picked up my copy of Ghostly Interference and looking forward to reading it.
Congratulations on your book launch and tour.
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Oh, how wonderful, Shirley! I hope you enjoy the story. Thanks for your support!
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This is a great book tour, Jan. Congratulations! Thank you, Robbie, for promoting Jan’s book.
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My pleasure, Joy. This is a great book.
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Thank you for stopping by, Joy! It has been an awesome book tour!
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Although I am a songwriter, I found this discussion very helpful. I’ve never checked to see if one of my song titles has already been used — but I will henceforth! These days, because there are so many songs with the same titles, a significant amount of “metadata” is electronically glued onto one’s song when it is distributed so that it can (one hopes…) be accurately tracked regarding downloads, streams, etc. I have been experiencing a related challenge, however, which is that there is another person with exactly the same name who began releasing music after I first uploaded videos on YouTube. So now I am in the process of clarifying which recordings/videos I have released so that they can be connected with MY identity and which need to be connected with the other Will McMillan… Ahh, the power of names and naming!
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Oh, wow, Will! What a dilemma. I think having a unique title would be helpful in keeping things like that straight. I’m so glad my post was of interest to you! Best wishes for getting everything fixed! And, thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment!
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This is very interesting to me, I never really thought about titles in relation to songs, but what you say here makes absolute sense.
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