The Big Bad Book Blog

If you don’t give your book a good name, it will get teased on the playground, and grow up to resent you because of it. A title is how people know and remember a book, much as they know and remember a person. At Greenleaf, work on a book’s cover design does not begin until the title is set. The title is the beginning, the introduction, the opening statement, and it sets the tone for the reader. So make it good.

But also make it useful. You have more leeway with a novel, but for non-fiction especially, the title must set a reader’s expectations. Momma’s Big Book of Classic Sewing Patterns does this pretty well, whereas Sew Be It is (arguably) wittier, but a reader would probably have to read the back of the book before knowing exactly how the book related to his or her favorite hobby. Warm Meals for “Chili” Days . . . and Nights! is both direct and (arguably) witty.

Pay attention to the interaction between title and subtitle. If your book has a punchy, one-word title, your subtitle needs to be long enough to provide clear explanation (Ka-BOOM!: 13 Strategies for Explosive Revenue Growth in the Mining Industry). Conversely, if you have a longer title, you don’t necessarily need a long subtitle (The Only Guide to Revenue Growth You’ll Ever Need: 13 Successful Strategies).

If you’re having difficulty deciding on a title, tell people about your book in your own words, and describe what you want your readers to come away with. Sometimes that will shake loose some important key words or phrases, and you can build from there. If all else fails . . . just go for it.

October is designated as National Reading Group Month by the Women’s National Book Association. The mission of National Reading Group Month is to increase public awareness of the joy and value of shared reading. Special events are being held throughout the month in each of the association’s 10 chapter cities: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Seattle, and Charlotte, N.C. These events are open to the public, so you might consider doing some mingling with reading group members if you live in one of these cities. If you do attend, consider preparing and bringing a discussion guide for your book, as well as some free copies of the book, to hand out.

As we’ve mentioned before, reading groups can be an effective way for authors to find a readership and build word of mouth. Reading groups love author contact and will be more inclined to select your book if you offer to participate in discussions in person or via audio/video conferencing.

If you can’t attend the National Reading Group Month events, here are a few other places to find and connect with reading groups:

• bookclub.meetup.com
• readerscircle.org
• your local bookstores
  

The submission deadline for the third annual 800-CEO-READ Business Book Awards is October 15, 2009. 800-CEO-READ, a sister company to Harry W. Schwartz Bookshops in Wisconsin, created the business book award program to recognize the best business books published each year. The awards include several individual categories, as well as an overarching award for the Best Business Book of 2009. Any English language business book originally published in the U.S. in 2009 is eligible. Each book will be judged on the originality of its ideas and content. The winners will be announced on December 15, 2009. Click here to enter your eligible business titles today (entry is free).

Also, note that USABookNews.com, a site that highlights hundreds of new and notable books each month, has extended the deadline for their annual National Best Books Awards to September 30, 2009. (That’s this Wednesday!) The awards are open to all books with an ISBN published in 2008 or 2009. Visit the National Best Books 2009 Awards page for more information and to enter your eligible titles.

Good luck!

Publishers Weekly has announced the date of their first annual National Bookstore Day, which will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2009. This special day was designed to to celebrate bookselling and the vibrant culture of bookstores, but authors can also find ways to contribute. One suggestion is to offer free copies of your book to bookstores for use in promotional giveaways or raffles. If they stock your book, you could mention their bookstore event to your email list. You might also offer to contribute to free workshop or seminar series that your local bookstores might be planning for that day. Email PWEvents@reedbusiness.com for more information and to find other ways you can participate.

The submission deadline for the Mom’s Choice Awards® is just around the corner, so if you want to get the attention of the parents and educators of the world, listen up!

Authors of parenting guides, children’s books, and young adult novels know how beneficial a publicity campaign that strategically targets women can be. What better way to market your book to moms than to have an official Mom’s seal of approval? The Mom’s Choice Awards represent a mark of distinction that parents, teachers, librarians, and booksellers trust when selecting quality, family-friendly materials.  Winning a Mom’s Choice Award is not only an honor for an author, but it brings its winners added benefits for their marketing and publicity campaigns, such as product reviews posted to Amazon.com and BN.com, a national media release, cooperative advertising opportunities, promotional opportunities at BookExpo America and ABC Kids Expo, product promotions via the Mom’s Choice Awards website, great discounts on radio, television, and print campaigns, and much more!

The entry deadline for this year’s awards is October 1, 2009. All published books with copyright dates of 2007 to 2010 are eligible. Click here for more detailed information and entry guidelines.