It is important to remember that titles carry weight. These are the first words readers see and work like the cover of a book. Your story may be passed by if those initial words fail to lure the reader. The title should be exciting, offer a peek inside, and suggest what is to come without revealing too much, certainly not the ending.
I’ve seen too many titles that simply restate the given prompt. My theme of Live and Learn for the first volume of The Writers’ Journal received too many submissions with titles using the given prompt words. Editors are looking for creative voices that think beyond the expected.
Several editors usually review your submissions to journals. Each gives approximately 1-4 points assessing its content, grammar, overall impact, and title. A title can help make or break your review.
Write your piece first with the plot, theme, and characters in mind. When finished, read it through with a critical eye. Edit and revise several times before playing with title alternatives. Finally, before attaching your title of choice, check for correct capitalization at titlecaseconverter.com.
Best of luck!
