Titles and jackets and flaps, oh my

Choosing an image for your book cover may be a snap after yesterday’s blog post, but coming up with a brilliant, compelling title — and jacket copy to match — can be a real challenge. Of course, your title will probably be a direct offshoot of the theme of your book, but the time your spend developing a title that will surprise — or even provoke — your reader is time well spent. You might start by going through the images in your book and jotting down every word that comes to mind as you look at them. What are some of the big ideas, the recurring sub-themes, the most noteworthy colors? Then, take those words to an online thesaurus or cliche-finder , and use the inspiration you find there to create your short list of titles. Or, you may want to start with a list of other people’s favorite titles — or by going to your bookshelf and seeking out the titles that really catch your eye. Once you’ve nailed the title, you want ...