One of the things I do when helping clients plan their book is to check customer reviews for competitive titles. Whether they’re five-star or one-star, reviews can give you excellent insight into the type of information readers are looking for about your topic. I recommend looking at at least ten competitive books and reading the reviews taking notes on what you discover.
Some reviews don’t contain any insights pertinent to the book’s content. I’ve seen a one-star review given simply because the individual hadn’t yet read the book and I’ve seen five-star reviews that just say: Great Book! with no reasons or detail given. The reviews to study are those that provide thoughtful feedback, both positive and constructive. They can help you identify holes in the current information that you could fill or explain better than books already published. Reviews can also help you identify what not to do in your book project.
In this post, I’ll focus on misleading titles and subtitles. When you’re in the planning stage for your nonfiction book, you need to first decide on your ideal reader. That decision makes a difference in the tone and language you will use. For example, if your book is about gardening, you would write it differently for a beginner than you would for an experienced gardener. Or if your book is about solving behavioral issues in school, you would use a different tone and language depending on whether you were writing for students, parents, or educators.
The first question I ask my clients when starting to work with them is who is your book for? I’m usually met by silence first, then a response to the effect that anyone could benefit from reading the book. That may be true, but how do you market to ‘anyone’? That requires deep pockets to get your message out to the masses and an already established national or international brand. Most first-time authors don’t fit that description.
It’s much more effective and easier on the budget if you hone in on exactly who will benefit the most from reading your book. That doesn’t stop anyone else from buying your book for a friend, relative, or client. These days people want personalized solutions and book buyers are no different. They want to feel the book was written just for them before investing the time and money into purchasing and reading the book.
That’s where an effective title and subtitle come in. For a nonfiction book, your title should be short and invoke curiosity to entice the prospective buyer to want to know more. Here are a few examples from the Amazon bestseller list:
- Atomic Habits by James Clear
- Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy
- Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins
- 12 Rules for Life by Jordan B. Peterson
You can see that each title grabs you enough to make you want to learn what the book is about. That’s where the subtitle comes in. The best subtitles explain the benefit the reader will gain with bonus points if it identifies the target audience. Here are the subtitles for the books above:
- Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
- Good Inside: A Guide to Becoming the Parent You Want to Be
- Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds
- 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote for Chaos
Each subtitle defines the book’s promise and value. But what happens when the title and subtitle are misleading? While doing some market research for a client, I came across the book The ACEs Revolution!: The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences by John Trayser. Looking at the title and subtitle, I thought the book would be a discussion of the ACEs test and how adults’ behavior can be influenced by what they experience in childhood. The graphic on the cover seemed to confirm my idea but reading the first line of the book description had me confused as it mentions the book being about how to prevent ACEs. Then I started reading the reviews. The book had 137 reviews with 59% giving it five stars; however, 41% gave it four stars or less. Here are some excerpts from the 41%:
- “Author toots his own horn vs. ACEs impact. Great Title…however nothing to do with the subject matter. The book was bought to better myself as Therapist. This book tells of how to love your child unconditionally and not to put up walls while using personal stories from the author.”
- “This author was a disappointment. It’s all about his great childhood, and the great childhood he gave his kids, you have to get to the end to hear about the divorce, and the new sweetie, the hot tub, and all of his advice and the unconditional love of his that heals.”
- “Terrible book. A BIG waste of money. Misleading cover that suggests it is based on research, it is not.”
With all the five-star reviews, the book clearly contains good information. The problem is with the title, subtitle, and cover image. They don’t reflect the content. As you decide on the information for your book cover, ensure that the text clearly identifies your intentions for who should read it and how their lives will change for the better after they consume the information.
Book Titles mentioned in the post are below. I’m an Amazon affiliate and may receive a small commission if you purchase from one of the links.
