How to Write a Book Title (15 Expert Tips + Examples)

• Mar 21, 2024
• 8 min read

• Tags: Fiction, Language, Nonfiction, Novel, Writing Tips

Want to write a perfect book title that immediately grabs attention? In this article, we’ve given 15  amazing strategies to create the perfect title. 

With this, we’ve also mentioned useful tools that can give thousands of book title ideas for your book. Whether you want a title for a fiction or nonfiction book, these tips and tools will help. So without wasting time, let’s dive into the details! 

Top 15 strategies to write the best book title  

Here’s how to write a book title that readers love: 

1. Use unique or unusual words 

Some ways to do this are: use a thesaurus and combine two words to make a unique word (for e.g. Freakonomics, Spoonbenders). If your main character has a unique name, you can write the name as a book title (for e.g. Frankenstein, Oliver Twist). 

2. Utilize literary devices 

Some literary devices that you can use are: 

• Alliteration- The same sound is repeated  (for eg, Gone Girl). 
• Antithesis- Opposite ideas are expressed (for eg, War and Peace). 
• Paradox- A phrase/ statement that contradicts itself (eg, The Sound of Silence). 
• Onomatopoeia- Where sounds are used to create an effect (for eg, Boom, Roar, Tick Tock). 
• Symbolism-  Symbolism is where words represent other concepts, people, or events. For example, To Kill a Mockingbird symbolizes how innocence and good are destroyed. 

3. Take inspiration from other titles and books 

You can research book titles in your book genre. If there is any popular phrase in any famous book/drama that reflects your story, you can list down book name ideas including that phrase. For example, the title The Fault in Our Stars is inspired by Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, which has a line, “The fault dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” 

If relevant, you can also refer to another famous book in your book title using clever wordplay. For example, the title, Tequila Mockingbird: Cocktails with a Literary Twist is a clever wordplay on the title To Kill a Mockingbird. Another example is the book titled Moby Duck which is a clever wordplay of the title Moby Dick. 

4. Use numbers to create an impact 

This is a useful strategy, especially for non-fiction books, though numbers can be used in fiction books as well. If you’re writing a book series, using numbers in the title helps in clarity. Some good book names with numbers are 1984, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and The 48 Laws of Power.  

5. Ask a powerful question 

A question as the book title creates curiosity and can be a good strategy for mystery novels, educational children’s books, self-help books, and thought-provoking works. Some examples of such good book titles are: 

• Where Are the Children? by Mary Higgins Clarke (mystery) 
• What Color is Your Parachute? by Richard N. Bolles (self-help)       
• Is Google Making Us Stupid? by Nicholas Carr (thought-provoking work)
• Do You Know Which Ones Will Grow? by Susan A.Shea (educational children’s book)    

6. Leave room for interpretation 

This refers to creating titles that can have multiple meanings and interpretations. Some examples of book titles that can have multiple meanings are A Clockwork Orange and The Catcher in the Rye. 

If you’re wondering about how to name a book that has an intriguing plot, it’s simple. Browse through the next tip to understand better! 

7. Hint at the main plot/conflict in the title 

This strategy helps to hook readers to know more about the story. It is especially useful for thrillers, mysteries, and legal dramas. Some examples of good titles for books that reflect the main plot/conflict are: 

• The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (thriller) 
• The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene (mystery) 
• The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly (legal thriller) 
• The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (fantasy) 

If you’re doubtful about how to name your book that has references to traditions, and culture, you can try the next tip! 

8. Use cultural references in the title 

If relevant, refer to myths, legends, or cultural traditions in your book title. This makes the title engaging for readers. Some examples of great book titles that have cultural references are: 

• Ram- Scion of Ikshvaku by Amish Tripathi 
• Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim 
• The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 
• Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman

9. Invoke nostalgia among readers 

This strategy can be used when the book is about a particular era, or event which many people have experienced. Some examples of good book titles that invoke nostalgia are: 

• Summer of ‘69 by Elin Hinderbrand 
• The Andy Warhol Diaries by Pat Hackett 
• The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Greatest Migration by Isabel Wilkerson 
• Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis 

Still doubtful about how to write the title of a book? The next tip will make it simpler for you! 

10. Use book title generators 

Book title generators are advanced tools that can give you several book title ideas. Some of the popular title generators are Reedsy’s Book Title Generator and ToolBaz. You can compare the best book title generators to select the perfect one for your book. 

If you’re confused about how to come up with book titles for a light-hearted book, follow the next tip! 

11. Use humor if relevant 

If your book is lighthearted and funny, you can make the title humorous. Some examples of humorous book name ideas are: 

• How I Stole Johnny Depp’s Alien Girl Friend by Gary Ghislain 
• Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes by Thomas Cathcart 
• This Little Piggy Went to the Liquor Store by A.K. Turner
• Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler 

12.  Consider the story’s central theme 

This is a useful strategy, especially for travel books, murder mysteries, and detective fiction. Some examples of book titles reflecting the central themes are: 

• Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne
• Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie 
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon 
• The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman 

Wondering about how to title a book that is related to a specific person or location? Use the next tip given below! 

 13. Use names in the title 

This strategy is good, especially for non-fiction books like biographies and autobiographies of prominent figures. In fiction, the names of places can be used in the title if the place is the setting of the story. Some examples are: 

• The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul by Deborah Rodriguez 
• I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousufzai 
• Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera 
• The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George 

If you want to know how to make a book title create an emotional impact, implement the next tip! 

14. Add powerful, emotive words 

By using powerful adjectives, verbs, and nouns in your title, you can attract the readers’ attention. Some examples of book names with power words are:

• The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck 
• The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson 
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou 
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley 

Want to create a unique, special title? Here’s how to come up with a book title that creates an impact. 

15. Use a fascinating quote as a title 

If a powerful quote conveys an emotion or a theme of the story, you can use it in your title. Some book title examples that are also examples of quotes are: 

• And Thereby Hangs a Tale by Jeffrey Archer 
• Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury 
• The Fault in Our Stars by John Green 
• The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner 

Now that you know how to write a book title, you can begin brainstorming book names. You don’t need to Google: “How to write the title of a book?” After writing the title of the book, the next question is: How to format the title of a book? It’s simple! 

Here’s how to format a book title: 

• Capitalize the title’s first word 
• Capitalize all nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in the title. 
• Italicize book titles when you are referring to specific works in an article. 

Once you’ve understood the basics of how to format book titles, you can format your book title properly. However, this is just the beginning of your publishing journey. The next steps will be to choose between traditional publishing vs. self-publishing and get your book professionally edited. 

As experts in editing and proofreading services, we’d love to perfect your work. We also provide other services like creating a book cover design, online book distribution, typesetting, book promotion, and securing an ISBN for your book. 

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Priya

Priya has a talent for academic research and enjoys simplifying complex topics. When she's not helping students improve their writing, she can be seen reading poetry, playing the harmonium, or learning classical dance.