Monday’s planning tip for authors

Authors searching for memorable titles for their book should explore book title options that incorporate apparent contradictions. When a prospective book buyer encounters a title with an apparent contradiction, it arouses the reader’s curiosity, as they ask themselves: “How can that be?”

One of the best “opposites attract” titles is David Chilton’s The Wealthy Barber. “Wealthy” and “Barber” are terms that are not often used together. The result is that readers want to know, “How can a barber become wealthy?” Once the question has been raised, the natural inclination is to find out how (by glancing at the book’s contents or reading the information on the back cover of the book.

Another example of a brand based on an “opposites attract” title is Robert T. Kiyosaki and Sharon L. Lechter’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad series. The subtitle arouses curiosity by promising to reveal “What the Rich Teach their Kids About Money–That the Poor and Middle Classes Do Not.” Once the statement has been made, the natural instinct is to find out what, exactly, do the rich teach their kids?

Choose a title that incorporates terms that appear to be contradictory, and you, too, can build your brand around a perennially-popular book title.