How to Write a Book: Help Me Choose the Perfect Subtitle

Working out how to write a book isn’t just about the content. Naturally, you want to write the best book you can. And you need to consider what people first notice about a book.

Is it the great content? Is it the resources you share? Is it the life-changing strategies?

NO.

It’s the title.

My audience here includes entrepreneurs, speakers, coaches, and other experts. The title in most cases has 2 parts: the title and subtitle.

The main title’s job is to GRAB the reader’s attention.

The subtitle gives the benefit of the book or, as Alex Mandossian would say, the promise on which you will deliver.

So choosing a title and subtitle is a big deal.

However, I don’t want you to do what Sam did. He flat out refused to work on ANYTHING else in his book until he had the title. He stalled forleast 3 months that I knew about. Then when he finally decided to start working on his book, he made another huge but all too common mistake that I’ll talk about in another post.

Why isn’t the title important while you’re still writing?

For one thing, the title may change one or more times during creation of the book. Think of any title as a working title up to and including the time when you sell it as an ebook, all the way to where you take it to ink and paper. A title that works GREAT for an ebook isn’t the same thing as a title that works in print.

Case in point: Instant Credibility (product link) is the title of the ebook about how to write a profit exploding book. Since becoming an author gives you instant credibility, it’s a good title… for an ebook.

As I take the book to print, I knew I needed to rethink the title. The title has to be so juicy people can’t help but pick it up and purchase. It has to be so good you know just from seeing the title that you yearn for the benefit you’ll receive from having the book.

Another reason the title isn’t important WHILE you’re writing is this: you need to test the title (including the subtitle) on your customers and prospects to make sure it’s doing its job well.

Take a look at book titles and you’ll realize that they range from fantastic to horrid. Sometimes 1 part is great and the other, not so much. Can a book be a bestseller with a bad title? Well, it’s possible because the author may do great publicity and get lots of promotion partners.

But you want to stack the odds in your favor.

Will you help me choose a subtitle?

I’m having so much fun with this. I’ve been asking mastermind partners and friends to help me come up with a “short list” of potential subtitles. Now I want YOUR opinion.

See, people love sharing their opinion. I do, and I know you do too. So until I make a final decision OR get enough responses, I’m using a free survey tool to let you be part of my book writing journey.

The title is Instant VIP. Because when I brainstormed and then masterminded with some of my super friends, we all agreed that become an author makes you an instant VIP and gets you red carpet treatment. You’re automatically esteemed as more successful and accomplished than an expert who only has a business card. You’re the one the media wants to talk to, and because you’re an author, you’re the natural choice.

Now for the subtitle.

Please help me choose – give me your opinion here.

I won’t share the “finalists” here, because I want an unpolluted opinion from you. So I used SurveyMonkey.com to make a 2–question survey. The first is which subtitle you like and the second is an optional place for you to comment or add a selection of your own.

I’ll tell you that so far the one that is “winning” has a key element that came from a #1 bestselling author who suggested it.

Million dollar tip: You do not succeed alone. Every successful person has a mastermind team or group of what I like to call “Super Friends” around them. You don’t have to know it all, do it all or be it all. You simply need great minds with whom to collaborate.

The great thing about surveying you is that you now have a sense of ownership, engagement and interest in the project.

So let your great mind contribute to choosing a subtitle for Instant VIP here!

Resources

If you’re ready to write your profit-exploding book, I’ve created a step by step system for you and made it affordable too. Check it out at InstantCredibilityBook.com

Ronda Del Boccio is a transformational speaker, mentor and author known globally as The Story Lady because she teaches authors, entrepreneurs and business owners to easily connect with your ideal customers and contacts through the power of your story.

She is the author of numerous stories, poems, and articles, as well as her books I’ll Push You Steer, and other upcoming books.

Discover how to explode profits, prospects and prime media opoprtuntiies with her latest book is the Instant Credibility system, which teaches any business owner, entrepreneur, coach, speaker or writer to craft a lead-generating book that grows your business.

This blog has an audio content reader. Simply click the “Listen Now” button at the top of posts or subscribe to the Odiogo audio content reader feed in the sidebar to the right.

Full disclosure: In compliance with FTC rulings, I need to share the following disclaimer: Any time you visit this site, you could be presented with an opportunity to invest in a product or service that could be of value to you, or to get onto an opt-in list that will present you with products and/or services of potential value to your life and business. I select my promotion partners and affiliate promotions with tender loving care and only bring you what I believe is of the highest quality. No income or results guarantee is stated or implied in the items you will see. Results depend on your resources and effort..

Tweet This Post