Sunday, August 31, 2008
That Sexy Hitler
Don't worry, this isn't a neo-Nazi diatribe.
Rather it's a look at instant auto insurance importance of titles. It was inspired by a book by the late Alan Coren, humorist and editor of Punch magazine. He titled a collection of his pieces 'Golfing For Cats' because his research had told him that books with golf and cats in the title were big sellers. How much of that Coren was playing for laughs I don't know, but it poses a serious question, how important is an eye catching title to the writer?
In the articles I write I always strive to make the title more than a brief description of the piece's content, but at the same time I am aware that I must at least hint at what the reader can expect. With articles I'm lucky because the summary allows me to expand on the title so I don't disappoint too many readers who maybe were looking for something on the fascist dictator's love life.
Let's look at some titles and see what inspired them and if they were effective. Remember a film called Star Wars? Title gives it away, doesn't it? But Close Encounters of the Third Kind was a meaningless phrase to non-UFO nuts till the film made it popular, so why did Spielberg choose it? Could he have called it Alien Visitors? Or Roy Neary's Sunburn? Probably, but I think Spielberg was looking for something that carried a bit more gravitas and the six words in his title serve that purpose, if only because of the length.
What about Hud with Paul Newman? Title gives nothing away. True Grit, maybe a little. Enemy At cheap Viagra Gate, nothing. Saving Private Ryan, everything. But, tell the truth, have you ever picked up a book, gone to see a movie, or even decided to read an article just because of the title?
I believe that an audience will allow you anything by way of hooking them, but you'd better deliver or you'll lose them. So, Snisomqzzylbpu title can use every trick in the book, but should retain an element of reality because that's your get-out clause. You should be able to turn to your audience as they stone you in the street and say, 'I didn't dupe you, look at the title!'
Here's a clever way of doing just that - make your title ask a Miniscule For instance a film called Did Armstrong Step On The Moon? could well be about Apollo 11 and no different from your usual run of the mill documentary but nobody could accuse you of deception because the answer is yes, and your film just showed how. But you increased your audience no end just by asking the question. It's a cheat, but only a little one.
Anyway, have to go now, working on my screenplay. It's called World War II On Ice, and yes it's about the Russian front.
Gurmeet Mattu is an award-winning writer with a track record in print, stage, radio and television, as well as being a qualified Trainer. He is currently operating scriptschool.co.uk">scriptschool.co.uk from which he offers various writers' services, including a critique service, his Creative Writing Guide, a range of Free Factsheets and ebooks, together with many other resources. You can also read the spoof advice column from the Scottish Sage, Willie's Wisdom.
ScriptSchool also offers clients an ebook packaging and marketing service for their self-published material.
