What to call my book?

[Lonesome George]

Hi. Perhaps I should start by introducing myself. My name's Dom and in 2010 I spent a year riding from Alaska to Panama and then from Cape Town to Nairobi. I stopped off along the way and did three stints of volunteer work. Since then I've been writing a book about my experiences and I'm coming towards the end of that process. But I'm stuck on one big part - a title. I just can't come up with a title.

So - here's the thing. During my trip I kept a blog called 'thedomwayround'. I was pretty pleased with myself when I came up with the name - it's supposed to be a sort of nod and a wink to Charley and Ewan and their trips but as the name suggests, I'm not copying them - I'm doing it my way.

However I have been advised by several people NOT to call my book - thedomwayround. It will look like I'm trying to live off their coat tails and my story isn't original. However I still like it as a title.

My question for you is: If you saw a book online or in a shop about a motorcycle trip called thedomwayround would you be inclined to look at it/ totally ignore it/ neither?

I appreciate that you cannot comment on whether the title actually fits with the story but does the title put you off? They say never judge a book by its cover but we all do. I've spent a lot of time writing my book but all the evidence tells me that I need to spend just as much time and effort on the title and front cover. It would be a real shame (for me anyway) if my title actually put people off reading my story.

As always, thanks for taking the time to reply.

Dom

[reggie3cl]

I'd look at it,as I look at all motorcycle/travel books, but I don't particularly like the title you have in mind. Sorry.

[John Downs]

I would probably be more likely to pick up a book with a great picture than a great title. Although something along the lines of:

The Motorcycle Adventures of Lonesome George

Adventures in the Americas and Africa-
A Motorcycle travel tale

Postcards from the roads less traveled-

Riding to the ends of the earth-
A Motorcycle travel tale

Travel Adventures of Lonesome George-
(or how I rode my motorcycle through the
Americas and Africa and lived to tell the tale)

or somesuch would probably be more likely to get my attention.

Best luck with your book publishing endeavor.

Kindest regards,
John Downs

johnthomasdowns

[Lonesome George]

Cheers - thanks for the replies. Makes interesting reading. It's always good to get a fresh perspective. John, I like some of your ideas, they've got me thinking.... and I'm certainly looking at putting a good photo on the front.

Oh and I'll try to rememebr to post back here when i finally come up with something.

[oldbmw]

I would definitely have a picture of you, your loaded bike and a perhaps a signpost one arm pointing to Alaska with say 1 mile the other Nairobi with your mileage travelled.

That way you illustrate the contents, you might think of something entirely different that does a similar job.

As for a title... "Doms motorcycle travels ?????"

hope it helps... I was never any good at marketing

[TravellingStrom]

I would be going back through your photos. One of them in some way will stand out and may be ideal. It could be anywhere on the journey

Then once you have a photo, a title may come to mind( I use alcohol for this part of the procedure ). Once you work that out that is when the back or inside cover tells what the books about

Just my two bobs worth

Cheers from Cambodia

[backofbeyond]

Trying to come up with the title for a book I wrote last year (nothing to do with bikes) was one of the hardest bits. It went through five different working titles before I settled on one and there are still drafts stored on my computer under all five names.

There are fashions in book titles as there are in everything and using puns to catch the eye is in vogue at present ( eg Clare Balding's recent book "My animals and other family" vs Gerald Durrell's 60's original "My family and other animals") so I've no real problem with "The dom way round". Not "Thedomwayround" though; your eye just skates straight over it. Being honest the dom bit doesn't quite scan properly in my mind - there's half a syllable or something missing and it reads better as "The doom way round", although that's probably not what you had in mind!

As others have said though, the picture is the bigger part of this (although as a photographer I would say that). It's the picture that catches the eye and the title that's the hook.

[TravellingStrom]

Originally Posted by backofbeyond;

As others have said though, the picture is the bigger part of this (although as a photographer I would say that). It's the picture that catches the eye and the title that's the hook.

That is my point. I actually have the picture already if I ever decide to publish a book and the title changes everytime I think about it

I am not a photographer but believe the old adage that a picture is worth etc etc

[Lonesome George]

Here are three photo's which, I think are my best options for a front cover.

Thanks again for your input. It's really useful to get a fresh perspective.

[MountainMan]

It's a personal opinion, but #3 is the best by far. I assume it a motorcycle travel book so the image of a bike and exotic location and/or open road cover both aspects of the content. The first image, while a nice image, is dominated by the bike. Exciting for bikers, less so for travellers. The second is better, but that peak is pretty far in the distance. Anyways, just an initial reaction, feel free to ignore.

Good to see that the book is nearing completion. Last we saw of you, it was a mere couple of years ago that you were lounging in Nakusp after the HU meeting and slowly packing your gear while the last few people were pulling out of camp. Time flies doesn't it.

[Lonesome George]

Mountain man - a lot has happened since then! That was Aug 2010!!

I had a great time at Nakusp - I'd love to come over again one day and do another presentation - this time with a book to sell.