{"id":"1694","date":"2019-07-31T07:00:59","date_gmt":"2019-07-31T14:00:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickfu.com\/blog\/?p=1694"},"modified":"2019-06-20T12:58:39","modified_gmt":"2019-06-20T19:58:39","slug":"memoir-titles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.pickfu.com\/memoir-titles\/","title":{"rendered":"Which One Won? Testing memoir titles"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The best memoirs aren’t vague self-help style books\u2014they’re pieces of literature that take the reader into the memoirist’s unique experience. Memoir titles should reflect that unique experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One author created a PickFu poll<\/a> that asked respondents which title would compel them to purchase the book. The two options had the same memoir title (Dream Take Flight) but a different subtitle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Option A reads, “Dream Take Flight: One Woman’s Odyssey in a Homebuilt Airplane.”
Option B reads, “Dream Take Flight: One Woman’s Unconventional Journey to Self-Empowerment.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you guess which one won?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

And the winner is…Option A! Option A won the poll overall, largely because younger respondents favored Option A. However, respondents over 55 favored Option B. The age groups in between were fairly mixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"In<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Memoir titles should reflect that it’s a memoir, not a self-help book<\/h2>\n\n\n

Many respondents liked how Option A makes it clear that the book is a memoir. Said one respondent, “The second option sounds like a billion other self help books” while “The first [actually] tells me what the book is about: a woman’s homemade airplane and how it affected her life.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you’ve written a memoir, you don’t want people to confuse it for a self-help-style book. By creating a memoir title that borrows specific details from your story, you ensure that your book will stand out. <\/p>\n\n\n

The promise of adventure and mystery helps draw in readers <\/h2>\n\n\n

Several people who voted expressed delight at the word odyssey<\/em> in Option A. For them, the word shouts, “You’ll find an adventure in this book!” And who doesn’t want to dive headfirst into an adventure? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mention of a homebuilt airplane also intrigued respondents. One woman said, “the idea of a homebuilt plane is too exciting not to lead with.” There are bound to be plenty of exciting moments when a homemade plane is involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other respondents even found Option A’s title mysterious. How, readers might wonder, will a homebuilt airplane actually fly? The mystery is enough to get them reading.<\/p>\n\n\n

Shorter memoir titles are often better<\/h2>\n\n\n

While some respondents liked Option B’s wordier title, many found it too long. Option A’s short, specific title appealed to them. One respondent said that Option A “is shorter and easier to process,” while another added that the title “reads more naturally.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Short doesn’t have to mean vague. Even though Option B has a longer title, respondents found it more confusing. Option A succeeds by not only staying short but also by packing its few words with power. The association between an airplane\u00a0and a dream taking flight is clearer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One respondent said that Option A “Seems way more interesting. Like [the author] accomplished something great.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All this is conveyed in a short but effective memoir title. <\/p>\n\n\n

Key takeaways <\/h2>\n\n\n

Have you written a memoir? Even if it’s not about something as exciting as building a plane, it’s almost certainly got powerful details about your life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you’re crafting your title<\/a>, think of the most central and meaningful concrete fact or event in your memoir and use it in a way that attracts the eye. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also see if there’s any mystery or adventure in your memoir. Most memoirist’s lives are mysterious to a future reader simply because they are not yet known. How can you strengthen the elements of mystery or adventure in your memoir title?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And finally, remember that shorter, less dense titles are more likely to stand out to readers. They’re easier to process, giving potential readers lots of meaningful information in a short amount of time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Need help deciding which title to use for your memoir? Use split-testing<\/a> to create your own PickFu poll<\/a> and find out what your potential audience thinks.<\/p>\n","protected":""},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The best memoirs aren’t vague self-help style books\u2014they’re pieces of literature that take the reader into the memoirist’s unique experience. Memoir titles should reflect that unique experience. One author created …<\/p>\n","protected":""},"author":"9","featured_media":"2222","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":"","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":"","_editorskit_reading_time":"0","_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":"","_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","footnotes":""},"categories":["21","15"],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nWhich One Won? Testing memoir titles - The PickFu blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"How can you distinguish your memoir title from all the other memoirs out there? 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