Your memoir needs an outstanding subtitle

Have you noticed that a novel seldom has a subtitle? Subtitles usually belong to the realm of non-fiction—and what a gift someone gave us when he or she invented subtitles. (A subtitle follows a title, and the two are separated by a colon.)

 

Let’s be clear about subtitles: “Your subtitle is not just some front-cover formatting slot to fill,” writes Susan Kendrick.

 

Susan is right. Your memoir’s subtitle has hard work to do. It helps accomplish your title’s goals.

 

A title’s goals are to:

• establish a distinct identity for your memoir,
• catch potential readers’ attention,
• entice them to buy your book,
• read it when they get home,
• and recommend it to their friends.

 

A subtitle sheds light on a book’s title.

 

A subtitle also:

• tells how your book is different from others,
• hints at what a reader will find within the book,
• expands on the title,
• entices readers,
• and might allude to secrets within.

 

Brooke Warner wrote recently, “The most popular trend in memoir . . . is to identify your key theme or themes, and build a simple subtitle around that: A Memoir of Faith, A Memoir of Resilience, A Memoir of Love and Loss.”

 

Brooke says that type of title works “because generally memoir readers are seeking out memoirs based on themes they’re drawn to or exploring in their own lives.”

 

You’ll want to read Brooke’s post, "An Author's Guide to Book Subtitles." In it she includes Eight Key Takeaways for Book Titles.

 

Look at these memoir titles without their subtitles:

 

The Perfect  Storm

Jackie’s Girl

Love, Africa

What Remains

A Long Way Gone

Thin Places

Thirteen Days

Plunder

Little Matches

Falling Awake

 

Did they intrigue you and make you want to buy them? Do you have a good idea what they’re about? Probably not.

 

Now look at them with their subtitles and notice how they reveal the book’s contents:

 

The Perfect  Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea, by Sebastian Junger

Jackie’s Girl: My Life with the Kennedy Family, by Kathy McKeon

Love, Africa: A Memoir of Romance, War and Survival, by Jeffrey Gettelman

What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love, by Carole Radziwill

A Long Way Gone:  Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah

Thin Places: A Memoir, by Mary DeMuth

Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis, by Robert F. Kennedy

Plunder: A Memoir of Family Property and Nazi Treasure, by Menachem Kaiser

Little Matches: A Memoir of Grief and Light, by Maryanne O’Hara

Falling Awake: An America Woman Gets a Grip on the Whole Changing World One Essay at a Time, by Mary Lou Sanelli

Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption, by Katie David Majors

 

Review the goals of a title (above). Do the subtitles help accomplish those goals? I say yes, except for two.

 

Mary DeMuth’s Thin Places: A Memoir, is still vague. I’d prefer a subtitle that offers better hints about what readers will find within. People acquainted with the definition of “thin places” will have some insight into the book’s contents, but many people don’t know the term. From the back cover, thin places are the “places where the division between this world and the eternal fades. . . . snatches of holy ground . . . where we might just catch a glimpse of eternity.”

 

Also Kisses from Katie’s subtitle doesn’t work well. Readers need to read the back cover to learn that at age nineteen, Katie moved to Uganda and adopted thirteen children.

 

How long or short should a subtitle be? Mary DeMuth’s subtitle is two words, “A Memoir.” Mary Lou Sanelli’s is a whopping sixteen words long. There are no “rules” for how long a good subtitle should be, but it’s best to avoid unnecessary wordiness.

 

Here are tips for crafting a strong title/subtitle: 

• Choose an easy-to-understand title.
• Choose an easy-to-pronounce title.
• Choose an easy-to-remember title.
• Consider the benefits of a short, crisp title.
• Witty can be good—if it really works.
• Even if your title isn’t short, be concise: Does every word need to be there?
• Read your title aloud. How does it sound? (See Priscilla Long’s advice from last week as well as Susan Kendrick’s “What Makes a Good Subtitle and How Long Should it Be?”)
• Beta readers, and others who have helped you with your manuscript, might suggest titles.
• Choose a title that feels just right to you.

 

Finally, let me once again encourage you to read—even study—Susan Kendrick’s post, “What Makes a Good Subtitle and How Long Should it Be?” It’s packed with helpful info, not just subtitle length.

 

Have fun crafting your memoir’s perfect subtitle!

 

Your memoir’s all-important subtitle

Your memoir’s subtitle will help you accomplish your title’s goals, which are to:

• establish a distinct identity for your memoir,
• catch potential readers’ attention,
• entice them to buy your book,
• read it when they get home,
• and recommend it to their friends.

A good subtitle explains—illuminates, sheds light on—a book’s title. It:

• tells potential readers how your book is different from others,
• hints at what readers will find within your memoir,
• expands the meaning of your title,
• and might allude to secrets within.

Brooke Warner writes, “The most popular trend in memoir right now is to identify your key theme or themes, and build a simple subtitle around that: A Memoir of Faith, A Memoir of Resilience, A Memoir of Love and Loss.” She says that type of subtitle works “because generally memoir readers are seeking out memoirs based on themes they’re drawn to, or exploring in their own lives.”

Don’t miss Brooke’s post, An Author’s Guide to Book Subtitles. In it she includes eight Key Takeaways for Book Subtitles.

Let’s experiment. Look at these titles without their subtitles:

Spiritual Misfit

Hillbilly Elegy

The Perfect Storm

Jackie's Girl

Love, Africa

Kisses from Katie

Did those titles intrigue you? Make you want to buy them? Give you a good idea of what you’ll find inside the book? Probably not.

Now look at those same titles with their subtitles. Notice how much more they reveal about the memoirs’ contents:

Spiritual Misfit: A Memoir of Uneasy Faith, by Michelle DeRusha

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of Family and Culture in Crisis, by J.D. Vance

The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea, by Sebastian Junger

Jackie's Girl: My Life with the Kennedy Family, by Kathy McKeon

Love, Africa: A Memoir of Romance, War, and Survival, by Jeffrey Gettleman

Are you pleasantly surprised at how well those subtitles work? They catch a potential reader's attention, offer a distinct identity for the memoir, and hint at what readers will find within the book.

The only subtitle that's too vague is Kisses from Katie: A Story of Relentless Love and Redemption, by Katie David Majors. Readers will need to look at the back cover to learn that at age 19, Katie moved to Uganda and adopted 13 children.

Below you'll find tips for crafting a strong title and subtitle:

• Choose a title that’s easy to understand.
• Choose a title that’s easy to pronounce. Read your title aloud. If it’s clunky or if it’s hard to pronounce, revise it.
• Choose a title that’s easy to remember.
• Consider the benefits of a short, crisp title.
• Witty can be good, but only if it really works.
• Be concise—be sure every word needs to be there.

Don't miss Susan Kendrick's What Makes a Good Subtitle and How Long Should It Be? It's packed with helpful info. 

Remember, if a traditional publishing house publishes your memoir, that company will probably have the final say on your title. On the other hand, if you self-publish, you'll choose your title.

Either way, work hard to create an excellent title.

Your memoir needs an outstanding subtitle

Have you noticed that we seldom find a subtitle on a novel? It seems that subtitles belong to the realm of non-fiction—and what a gift someone gave us when he or she invented subtitles. (A subtitle follows a title, and the two are separated by a colon.)

Your memoir’s subtitle can help accomplish your title’s goals, which are to:  

• establish a distinct identity for your memoir,
• catch potential readers’ attention,
• entice them to buy your book,
• and read it when they get home,
• and recommend it to their friends.

A subtitle explains—illuminates, sheds light on—a book’s title.

A good subtitle elaborates on a title and:

• tells potential readers how your book is different from all others,
• hints at what a reader will find within the book,
• expands, explains, and entices,
• and might allude to secrets within.

Look at these titles without their subtitles:

What Remains

A Long Way Gone

 

Thin Places

Thirteen Days

Falling Awake

Did they intrigue you and make you want to buy them? Do you have a good idea what they’re about? Probably not.

Now look at them with their subtitles, below, and notice how much more they reveal the book’s contents:

What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love, by Carole Radziwill

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, by Ishmael Beah

Thin Places: A Memoir, by Mary DeMuth

Thirteen Days: AMemoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis, by Robert F. Kennedy

Falling Awake: An America Woman Gets a Grip on the Whole Changing World One Essay at a Time, by Mary Lou Sanelli

Review the goals of a title (bulleted above). Do the subtitles help accomplish those goals? I say yes. How about you?

How long or short should a subtitle be? Mary DeMuth’s subtitle is two words, “A Memoir.” Mary Lou Sanelli’s is a whopping 16 words long. I’m not aware of “rules” for how long or short a good subtitle should be, but avoid unnecessary wordiness.

Here are tips for crafting a strong title/subtitle: 

• Choose an easy-to-understand title.
• Choose an easy-to-pronounce title.
• Choose an easy-to-remember title.
• Consider the benefits of a short, crisp title.
• Witty can be good—if it really works.
• Even if your title isn’t short, be concise: Make sure every word needs to be there.
• Beta readers (or others who have helped with your manuscript) might suggest titles. Brainstorm with them.
• Read your title aloud. How does it sound? (See last Thursday’s blog post on the art part of crafting titles.)
• Choose a title that feels just right to you—because it will stick with you for a long time!

Take a few minutes to read Susan Kendrick’s blog post, “What Makes a Good Subtitle and How Long Should it Be?” It’s packed with helpful info.

Keep in mind that if a traditional publishing house will publish your memoir, a lot of people there will have a say in your memoir’s title.

On the other hand, if you self-publish, or if you make only a few copies at the office supply store for family and friends, you get to choose your title.

Either way, work hard to create an excellent title.