tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post3277668620212626227..comments2024-02-17T09:53:06.168+00:00Comments on Notes from the Slushpile: Good Titles are It - and Some Shameless AdvertisingCandy Gourlayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07802791643303335762noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-61396684306345365202008-04-30T10:46:31.377+01:002008-04-30T10:46:31.377+01:00Oooo, thanks for the shameless plug. Titles are im...Oooo, thanks for the shameless plug. Titles are important. But as I do the round of interviews, I find it's really important to have a "tagline" about the book too -- to be able to describe it in a sentence. It's probably more important for non-fiction than it is for young adult fiction, but still, aspiring (and even published) authors all need to be able complete the phrase "It's about..." in not more than 7 words. <br><br>I overheard my editor describing my book as "about AIDS and bureaucracy" and I wanted to slit my wrists. Candy says it's about "the state of the AIDS industry" (but then she hasn't had a chance to read it yet. I think it's about sex, drugs and money. Ho hum.Elizabeth Pisanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15708622588741444679noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-9347669881155282392008-04-30T10:54:17.472+01:002008-04-30T10:54:17.472+01:00Two great titles....it's not just agent's....Two great titles....<br><br>it's not just agent's... I'm one of those readers who will buy a book if I love the title -even if the flap copy doesn't sound that great.Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14741384161639818654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-12497320602017573302008-04-30T10:56:04.254+01:002008-04-30T10:56:04.254+01:00Elizabeth - you're right... a book about "...Elizabeth - you're right... a book about "sex, drugs, and money" is a much better tag line when compared to "AIDS and bureaucracy"<br><br>No wrist sliting!!!! Stay healthy!Angelahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14741384161639818654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-46710940166046648372008-04-30T11:07:37.444+01:002008-04-30T11:07:37.444+01:00The cover design is important too. I would have su...The cover design is important too. I would have suggested putting your picture on the cover ... except for that excellent title.Candy Gourlayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007409312955086752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-13624018520126965442008-04-30T12:01:02.217+01:002008-04-30T12:01:02.217+01:00An aspiring novelist friend of mind, Carolyn Braby...An aspiring novelist friend of mind, Carolyn Braby, had a great title for one of her books: Rocket Science for Girls. It was universally turned down, just before a welter of books with similar titles came out... e.g. A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian. But I wish to make it known that she anticipated the trend...! Here's hoping that she too one day escapes the Slush Pile.Nick Greenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11307045090887391553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-25563133044043795762008-04-30T12:03:37.558+01:002008-04-30T12:03:37.558+01:00ooh rocket science for girls! sounds brilliant, ni...ooh rocket science for girls! sounds brilliant, nick! i wish caroline a speedy escape from the slush.<br><br>readers, since we are all shamelessly advertising our friends' books, don't forget to add a link to pertinent websites! we writers need all the help we can get!Candy Gourlayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007409312955086752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-47275174416690922102008-04-30T12:05:53.382+01:002008-04-30T12:05:53.382+01:00>It was universally turned downjust to add. i g...>It was universally turned down<br><br>just to add. i guess the door opening is just the first hurdle. <br><br>why do we do this to ourselves?Candy Gourlayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007409312955086752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-32596476367474146582008-04-30T19:27:23.026+01:002008-04-30T19:27:23.026+01:00This is - perhaps - an advertisement.I thought I&#...This is - perhaps - an advertisement.<br><br>I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and make full use of my friend's most popular (and popular it is, believe me!) of all Blogs, Notes from the Slush Pile, to set up a poll and find out whether the title of my book - alas, still in first draft - is captivating enough:<br>"The Vespertine Hour"<br>Would you want to read it?<br><br>[Candy you can kill me at the retreat. I'll pass you a knife ;)]Paul Romeohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12647033740149686152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-81564658156345233682008-04-30T23:21:42.898+01:002008-04-30T23:21:42.898+01:00ooh...just looking at all those agents lined up th...ooh...just looking at all those agents lined up there again makes my skin tingle in fear. by the way - is there a place where we can view more photos from bologna?Lenorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16664671644163369772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-79330939384858391322008-05-01T10:54:22.946+01:002008-05-01T10:54:22.946+01:00paolo, this is the shameless post so go ahead. i l...paolo, this is the shameless post so go ahead. i like vesepertine hour. there were a few iffy moments during the agent's panel when they found it hard to pronounce some words and decided not to read on. so you might think about if vespertine might be hard to pronounce? i don't find it so myself. anyway at the end of the day, this is just an exercise in getting through the door. <br><br>>pass the knife<br><br>no worries. i've got my own.Candy Gourlayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007409312955086752noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-701894736280253278.post-59912220985017791832008-05-01T10:57:49.014+01:002008-05-01T10:57:49.014+01:00lenore - re bologna - i saw quite a few amongst my...lenore - re bologna - i saw quite a few amongst my facebook friends. i've posted <a href="http://candygourlay.multiply.com/photos/album/93/Schmoozing_Along_at_the_Bologna_Childrens_Book_Fair" rel="nofollow">a bologna album on multiply</a> but i think the main pics are already on the blog.Candy Gourlayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08007409312955086752noreply@blogger.com