| Book titles that find more readers and sell more | | | | been translated into more than 40 languages. |
| books are often based on metaphors. Adding | | | | More important, according to Harris Polls, 88.7 percent |
| metaphors to your book titles helps the title | | | | of the public not only recognizes the Chicken Soup |
| immediately communicate the essence of your book. | | | | for the Soul brand, but knows what it is. |
| Because of the power of metaphor-based titles, they | | | | It's impossible to conceive of success on this order if |
| often form the basis of publishing empires. In these | | | | the original Chicken Soup for the Soul title had been |
| cases, the original title becomes the basis of an entire | | | | replaced with "conventional" title like: |
| series of books, as we'll see below. These can grow | | | | - How to Cheer Yourself Up |
| to become world-wide brands, catapulting the | | | | - 101 Inspirational Stories |
| authors to success with dozens--even hundreds--of | | | | - How Others Have Overcome Obstacles |
| different titles based on the same metaphor. | | | | The power of the Chicken Soup brand is based on |
| Advantages of Metaphors | | | | the near universal recognition, and accompanying |
| - Immediate recognition. A metaphor communicates | | | | emotional response, to feeling sick and needing to be |
| at a glance. A well-chosen metaphor needs no | | | | cared for by someone who loves you. |
| explanation. It's message immediately hits home. | | | | Attitude, Resources, and Philosophy |
| - Storytelling power. Metaphors tap into the power of | | | | Jay Conrad Levinson's Guerrilla Marketing series is the |
| stories to engage readers on an emotional, as | | | | world's best-selling marketing book series. There are |
| opposed to a "factual" basis. They engage your | | | | over 40 million Guerrilla Marketing books in print |
| readers' hearts as well as their brains. They strike | | | | around the world. The series has created a market |
| chords within your readers. | | | | for Jay's speaking and consulting on every continent; |
| - Multiple levels. A single metaphor can communicate | | | | as this is being written, Jay Conrad Levinson is |
| numerous attributes and emotions. When your title | | | | speaking in Poland, Latvia, and Croatia. |
| includes an appropriate metaphor, your title taps into | | | | The Guerrilla Marketing brand's strength is based on |
| numerous nuances and details associated with the | | | | the immediate recognition the title provides. Guerrilla |
| metaphor. | | | | Marketing resonates with business owners who lack |
| - Comfort and familiarity. Titles with metaphors | | | | the unlimited budgets and resources of major |
| immediately establish a comfort and familiarity. | | | | corporations. Guerrilla Marketers succeed by making |
| They're also easier to remember and--hence--easier | | | | the most of whatever resources they have. |
| to recommend to co-workers and friends. | | | | "Guerrilla" communicates the philosophy, "Marketing" |
| Types of metaphor titles | | | | communicates the topic. Together, the two words |
| There are as many different types of metaphors as | | | | tell the whole story. |
| there are emotions and different ways to describe | | | | Complexity |
| multiple aspects of a topic. Here are a few of the | | | | One of the most successful series of books in the |
| different types of metaphors that have become the | | | | writing and publishing field is Rick Frishman and Robyn |
| basis of successful book titles: | | | | Freedman Spizman's Author 101 series. There are |
| - Comfort. At some points in our lives, we all need to | | | | several titles in the series: |
| be comforted. We may have lost our jobs, our | | | | - Author 101: Bestselling Secrets from Top Agents |
| spouses, our friends, or our pets. We need to | | | | - Author 101: Bestselling Book Proposal |
| connect with others who may have experienced the | | | | - Author 101: Bestselling Nonfiction |
| same loss, or are currently experiencing the same | | | | - Author 101: Bestselling Book Publicity |
| loss. Sometimes our need for comfort can be very | | | | The "Author 101" unites the titles under an |
| narrowly defined, such as "wives with husbands | | | | immediately understood umbrella. Traditionally, college |
| overseas in the military," | | | | freshmen level classes are associated with "101" level |
| - Philosophy, attitude, and resources. Metaphor-based | | | | identification numbers, with advanced courses |
| titles can also instantly paint a picture of the | | | | beginning in the 2 series. Thus, anyone who has been |
| challenges and resources of our intended readers. At | | | | to college can immediately recognize that these |
| a glance, an appropriate metaphor can target | | | | books are for new authors who want to write a |
| selected types of readers in a way that immediately | | | | book. |
| resonates with them. | | | | Author style and target market |
| - Complexity. A metaphor-based title can identify a | | | | A book title based on a metaphor can communicate |
| book's intended market as well as describe both the | | | | the author's style as well as target the intended |
| approach, and the the level of information contained | | | | market. For example, Peter Bowerman launched a |
| in the book. Without using "obvious" words like | | | | series of books using The Well-Fed Writer title. This |
| "beginner" or "newcomer," a metaphor can | | | | was quickly followed by The Well-Fed Self-Publisher |
| communicate that the book is intended for | | | | and The Well-Fed Writer: Back for Seconds. Consider |
| entry-level readers. | | | | what you already know about these titles even |
| - Style. Finally, the particular metaphor chosen can not | | | | before you glance at their back covers or their table |
| target the intended reader, but can communicate | | | | of contents: |
| that the author speaks the reader's language, and | | | | - Are these serious, or academic, books? Of course |
| really understands where the reader is coming from. | | | | not. The title communicates that the books are |
| A series based on a comfort metaphor | | | | colloquial and informal. |
| One of the most successful book series in the world | | | | - Are successful writers the target market? No, |
| is Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen's Chicken | | | | again; the market is writers who want to become |
| Soup series. The first title in the series, Chicken Soup | | | | successful. |
| for the Soul, was published on June 28, 1993. | | | | Conclusion |
| The authors already had the materials in hand--101 | | | | It's fascinating just how much you can tell about a |
| story submissions, but they lacked a title. They each | | | | book from its title, especially if it's a metaphor-based |
| agreed to meditate on the topic for one hour. During | | | | title. When a book title is based on a recognized |
| one of his meditation sessions, Jack Canfield | | | | metaphor, the title--itself--can sell the book. By |
| remembered his grandmother telling him that "chicken | | | | instantly communicating comfort, philosophy, |
| soup can cure anything!" Since the original title was | | | | complexity, or style, metaphor-based titles can sell |
| designed to inspire the soul, not the body, the | | | | more books and find more readers by creating an |
| obvious title was Chicken Soup for the Soul. | | | | immediate resonance with them on a deep emotional |
| By December, the book was a strong seller. By | | | | level. |
| September of 1994, Chicken Soup for the Soul was | | | | Ask yourself: How effectively does my proposed |
| on every bestseller list in the United States and | | | | book title use the power of metaphor to find more |
| Canada. | | | | readers and sell more books by communicating on an |
| Today, there are over 200 titles in the series, and | | | | emotional level? |
| over 112 million copies have been sold. The title has | | | | |