Impressions Matter

I went to see a movie last night (Skyfall, in case you're wondering), and there was a preview for the Jack Reacher film. I can't remember the title, but I've enjoyed the book series. I was excited when I first heard they were making a movie based on the book series, but then I heard Tom Cruise was cast as the main character, and I was deflated.

You see, I just plain don't like him. Therefore, no matter how good an actor he may or may not be, it taints the film for me. Admittedly, it looks like a damn good movie, and I will likely see it, but there's an internal war going down about that right now. Is it worth it to me, even with T.C. in it? Will my feelings for him remove me from the film too much?

This can work in various ways. Maybe it's not just about not liking the actor. Maybe I've seen them in another role and my brain has typecast them. For instance...the dad in Twin Peaks. I, to this day, cannot see that man without being completely ooged out about him. In human-speak, he's creepy! Actually, that's probably true of a few of the actors in that show. But the dad always sticks out to me. So seemingly harmless, and then...

In books, this is a bit different. When I meet the authors, it can sometimes bleed over into what I'm reading by them. If I don't like the author, negativity leaks into some part of the book. I've only met two writers I didn't like (writers rock, man!), and I've only read a book by one of them. But that person was so unlikable that I ended up finding her main protagonist impossible to like. A lot of her personality seemed to be wrapped up in her character, and I saw the things I hadn't liked. I struggled the entire way through the book. Now, this person has a successful series of books, so it's apparently only me that feels this way. In fact, I spoke to someone who loved her protagonist the other day. So is it the character...or the writer?

This can be a good thing, too. I met another author before reading their work, and they had such a distinct cadence when talking that when I read this person's books, I do so with that cadence in my mind. And, in fact, it makes the reading experience better, because that cadence is reflected in this person's writing. I've heard from others who hadn't met him that they had a hard time reading his work, but I'm betting it would suddenly get quite a bit easier if they met him and heard him speak.

Other experiences with this are fairly neutral. Yes, I'll see some bits of personality from the author in the writing (why wouldn't there be?), but it won't have any great affect.

The point of this? Remember when you're rich and famous that the way you interact with people will surely be reflected in your writing when they read your books. Don't be a jerk.

Do you find this happens with you? Or can you keep the actor/writer independent from their characters? 

May you find your Muse.

Image courtesy of Iyo at clker.com: Education Student Reading

First Impressions Matter: Choosing Titles

A book can be wonderfully written, yet a terrible title will keep readers away. Looking at this from the other end, a magnificent title can pull people into a terribly written book, though one would hope they wouldn't make it all the way through. Still, in terms of book sales, which of these methods works best? The magnificent title and lackluster writing. Sad, but true.

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Obviously, the intent should be to focus on both the writing and the title, making both so spectacular that you bring in readers and keep them. This is true of any sort of entertainment media. A movie with a bad title may not get the viewers it deserves.

For all you bloggers out there, you know this principle applies to blog titles, as well. Sometimes it's easy to forget that your blog title still has to pull in readers or they'll skip over your post, whether they happen across it in a search engine, are linked to it from another blog, or get notices from their preexisting subscription.

This is mostly common sense. What isn't is how to choose that perfect title. Firstly, what is a title there to do? What do you want it to accomplish? You want it to titillate, to pull a person's attention to it and make them buy/click. At the very least, you want it to interest them enough that they read your description or a teaser, maybe the first paragraph. In addition, you want it to be descriptive. It should let the reader know what the topic is about, both today and in the future. For instance, a blog will have archives. One should be able to look through the archives and see what each article or post may be about. This gives you future business and helps one find important references later on.

Going one step further, you should know whether you want your title to titillate via topic, humor, mystery, fear or any other means. A funny title will bring in people looking for a fun read, but a fear-based one will grab a different audience. Consider who your audience is. Do they want just the facts? Lay it out for them in all seriousness, avoiding the humor. Will a question grab their attention more readily than the answer? Your audience should dictate every facet of your medium, including the title.

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Once you've figured out your purpose and your audience, it's time to pick that title. First, consider what your piece is about. The title should reflect some important, or at least meaningful, aspect of your work. It's okay if the connection isn't readily available right from the start. Some of the best titles inspire that "ah-ha" moment during the read, and can be the most fun. This may not be appropriate in more serious pieces, though, as a serious piece should be more straight-forward in order to engender trust and gain the appropriate audience.

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Another important factor is title length. A title that is too long may be a turn-off. It's also harder for someone to remember if they hear about the work in passing or want to recommend it to another. Don't shoot yourself in the foot that way! Choose a title that gets the point across with some measure of brevity. In this age of short attention spans, you want someone to read your entire title before deciding whether or not to move on.

If at all possible, make the title something that touches someone in some way. Whether this means eliciting a reaction or an emotion, there should be a connection there. It may make them question what it means. It may make someone nod in agreement and read on. Perhaps it will touch off a sense of fear within them, or even delight. Chances are, if it touches you in some way, it will do the same for them.

It's obvious to me that I don't have the market on titles cornered. It was this fact that made me want to talk about it and look into it a bit further. Setting aside blog titles (which I'm going to try to work on), I'm still not entirely certain I'm happy with the title of my YA novel. You see, I either come up with a great title and work from that, or come up with a great story and struggle (at least sometimes) to find the title that fits it and gets it across to others in the way I would like. As someone guilty of having a weekly dated title ([Mostly] Wordless Wednesday, ahem), I feel I need to work on bettering my titles. I'll try to start with those [Mostly] Wordless Wednesdays!

What do you think makes an excellent title? Can you think of any titles that have really stood out for you over the years? What was it about them that touched you or caught your attention?

Please return Wednesday for the photo of the week, and Friday for an interview with James Hutchings, independently published author of The New Death and Others.

May you find your Muse.