Titles are More Important Than You Think

How to Propel Readers to Your First Line

Time and time again, I have heard writers say, “I'm just not good at titles.” Titles can be intimidating—downright scary. Trying to find a single word or phrase to capture the emotional and intellectual complexities of your work feels not only daunting, it might feel impossible. 

However, I’m here to tell you that in this limited attention economy, where we are consuming so much loud, fast, and brightly colored content, you cannot afford to be bad at titles. Titles are way more important than you think. 

Titles are your single chance to make a first impression. They offer readers an enticement, a promise of what's to come. They decide not only whether your work will be read, but whether it will be remembered and ultimately referenced. Have a title that promises something interesting, odd, specific, or evocative; it just might be the difference between becoming someone’s favorite writer and them never knowing your work at all. 

Titles can heavily influence the lifespan of your art. Therefore, getting good at titles is one of the most important skills you need as a writer. 

This month’s workshop, Train Your Titles, will go over 10 easy steps to crafting killer titles that get people reading. The workshop, which will be recorded (for this month only), will be sent to paid subscribers on Monday, April 1st. 

Today’s post is a sneak preview, providing five clear and effective formulas to have your titles hook your audience and do the heavy lifting for you. 

1. Create (or break) a promise.

Most people want to know what they are getting in exchange for their time. We watch movie trailers to see if we want to watch the movie, to see what kind of ride we are agreeing to. Your titles should do the same. They should make a promise that by the end of this piece of writing, you will experience [X]. Or have [X] dispoven. Either way, the title lets you know what you’re signing up for. 

For example:  

Bad Mood, Baker Beach 

Where No One Says Eating Disorder 

2. Provide multiple meanings.

There’s nothing more exciting than a title that gains complexity throughout the reading of a poem. When the reader begins, they think the title means one thing, and, as they continue to read, that definition or association changes into something more complex and multidimensional. Titles with double or multiple meanings promise a change or shift in perspective and allow readers to see the arc or evolution of an idea.

For example: 

Everything will hurt for a while 

Failed Essay on Privilege 

3.  Offer (oddly specific) context.

A title opens the door to a piece of writing. The more peculiar or specific the door (or title), the more we want to open it. Not only should titles be specific, strange, and memorable, but they should also drop us into the world we are about to enter. Let your title do the heavy lifting. Instead of spending the first paragraph or stanza trying to establish context, put it in the title instead. 

For example: 

My mother says kissing a man without a mustache is like eating eggs without salt 

I’m a Sucker for Poems that End in Spring