What's in a Title?

Titles. They are the doorway into the story. Unlike non-fiction, which basically says what it is on the tin, fantasy book titles must capture the reader’s imagination without being obvious. It is the lure to draw the reader's hand to the bookshelf. Where they run a finger along the spine, painting pictures in their mind before they’ve even seen the cover.

• The Edge of Oblivion speaks of adventure (The Edge) with a hint of danger (Oblivion).
• The Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin conjures power, kings, queens (Thrones) and intrigue (The Game).
• Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson promises mystery, adventure (Mist), unknown origins (born) with a hint of magic – because it’s Sanderson.



When I was writing Book 1, I started with The Edge of Oblivion and never wavered from that title. The Lesitha Veil Tales came later. Once I realised it was a series and had created the veils between the worlds, it made sense to use that connection as the series title.

Book 2 has taken a slightly different track in the titling. I started out with Piercing the Veil, then it became just Pierce the Veil. And finally, when I finished the first draft, I realised that Pierce the Veil is the title for Book 3 and Book 2’s title is now Dark Side of the Veil.

The titles also outline the progression of the story:

• The Edge of Oblivion – the start of the adventure by going over the edge into the unknown
• Dark Side of the Veil – the adventure continues and becomes more serious and dangerous
• Pierce the Veil – fighting back, standing up for what you believe in and destroying the façade

One of the things about self-publishing is that I get to choose the title for my books. When I learned that traditional publishers almost always change the title of books they commission, I just couldn’t accept that. I know it’s not a good habit as a writer to be precious about the title of your book, but I like the titles I’ve chosen. They just fit. They give a taste of what to expect, and together they show the path of the adventure.

Some of my favourite titles are:

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts – exotic, adventure, mystique – all of which it delivers and it’s one of my favourite books

Aurora Rising; Aurora Burning; Aurora’s End series by Jay Kristoff and Amy Kaufman – Well, really anything by Jay Kristoff, but I liked the progression of the titles. They indicate the storyline of finding your power, facing your demons, and the ultimate sacrifice.

Titles of books can be difficult to create. Sometimes the title doesn’t come until the very end. I’ve read posts from authors who agonise over what to call their book. They just can’t sum up everything in their story in a few words that convey the emotions they’ve poured into their work. Others start with the title crystal clear in their minds and then build the story around it.

I tend to come somewhere in the middle. And once I’ve got my title down, I don’t want to change it.

What are some of your favourite titles? Have you ever read a book and wondered how the author came up with that title?