Big problem with publisher

legalwriterPR · Jan 17, 2008

What do I do if I have a publisher who is trying to change the name of the book to the point of it not even matching the content of the book? The title they are hoping to give it to me, is not only misleading but makes ME look bad and honestly makes them look bad too. It (their title) has NOTHING to do with the book.
I fear that the reason is that for sales purposes the people they had edit just don't understand the point of the book.

I'm very unhappy.
Is anyone here published and have advice on how to handle this?

aka eraser · Jan 17, 2008

Most contracts stipulate the publisher has the final say on the title. Check yours to see if that's the case with you.

I had that clause changed in my contract so that the title had to be mutually agreed upon. (As it was, they flatly rejected my favourite title and went with my second choice.)

Even if your contract gives them final say, they should take your feelings into account and try to find something that both you and the marketing department can live with. No publisher worth its salt wants an unhappy author.

Try not to be too emotional or confrontational. Tell them you'd like to re-approach the titling issue, perhaps with each of you submitting a few new ones for consideration.

Good luck. I hope you can work something out.

legalwriterPR · Jan 17, 2008

Thanks

Thanks much - I should look at the contract on that and figure it out - it just would not make even financial sense to change the title....at least to what they are stating. Ugh.

johnrobison · Jan 17, 2008

As a general rule, the publisher wants the same thing you do: They want to publish a book that by it's catchy title, jacket design, and insightful content causes people to buy and buy and buy it.

Seems to me, if their idea of a title is so opposite yours, you should find out why. That suggests they have a very different vision of what your book says, and if it's that different from your own, you need to understand why.

Sakamonda · Jan 18, 2008

Publishers do usually have final say on titles. And titles of books generally are the first driver of sales, not content. They often dictate where a book will be shelved in the bookstore, for example. If the publisher has a certain idea for a title, it is because they think it will drive sales. Don't you want your book to sell as well as possible? I'm sure you do. So I echo John's suggestion that you try to work with your publisher to understand why they think their selected title will drive sales in the best possible way, which ultimately will help you in terms of better royalties.

Publishers have a lot more experience with the marketing/sales side of things than individual authors, so in my experience it's best to leave that part of the equation up to them.

ResearchGuy · Jan 18, 2008

legalwriterPR said:
What do I do if I have a publisher who is trying to change the name of the book to the point of it not even matching the content of the book? . . .

FWIW, nearly 20 years ago, a co-worker of mine pitched her dissertation (at my recommendation) to a publisher. Free Press published it, but after changing title and requiring or making significant changes in the content. The result of the changes was to take a book that was an assault upon corporate exploitation of outsourced (contract, independent) workers into a how-to manual for such exploitation. It probably sold miserably, which was fine with her, as she was a socialist who was happy to see a corporation lose money.

Damn shame, actually, as she was ahead of her time in her research and views, and I thought should have stuck to her guns and found a publisher that would let her basic case stand on its merits (only with such revisions as needed to make the dissertation better suited to a more general audience for that sort of nonfiction). I did not share her views then, but felt her evidence was strong and her position on the issues deserving of exposure to a broad audience. Over the years, it looks more and more as though such exposure then would have been timely and valuable.

Take that for as much or little as it might be worth.

BTW, the book is The Invisible Workforce, by Beverly Lozano, Free Press, 1989.

--Ken

Straka · Jan 18, 2008

Sakamonda said:
Publishers do usually have final say on titles.

Good to know. I'm glad I am finding these details out now so I can better prepare myself to let go if I do get anything published.

Lauri B · Jan 18, 2008

I helped figure out titles for our publishing house for many years. It's really tricky, and there is a huge amount of research and discussion that goes into it before it's finally fixed. I bet your publisher has good reasons for titling your book the way it is. It's likely that the title they've chosen was a result of talking with marketing and sales, getting feedback from potential readers, etc. I would certainly talk with your publisher about why that particular title was chosen, but it's never random and it's never done to purposefully piss off the author or to hurt sales of the book. That's just silly.

veinglory · Jan 18, 2008

I would suggest a good long talk with your editor? It might bring out all the pros and cons and help you decide what to do.

Little Red Barn · Jan 18, 2008

I picked out a title since my first word on paper, never giving it too much thought as I knew marketability plays a huge role as well as cover art. It's been changed three times thus far and I must say each time for better. Maybe they have this in mind and I would think they'd want the best for your book. Hopefully. Good luck!

ResearchGuy · Jan 18, 2008

Nomad said:
. . .It's likely that the title they've chosen was a result of talking with marketing and sales, getting feedback from potential readers, etc. . . .

One might wish to hope so. But maybe not. A friend/professional acquaintance of mine wrote a nonfiction book and had a good, clear title for her prototype version (Online Marketing for Authors). Then it was picked up by a commercial publisher that changed the title to something ponderous (The Author's Guide to Building an Online Platform). It should sell like hotcakes nonetheless (she will see to that), but which title do you think is better?

--Ken

K1P1 · Jan 19, 2008

ResearchGuy said:
One might wish to hope so. But maybe not. A friend/professional acquaintance of mine wrote a nonfiction book and had a good, clear title for her prototype version (Online Marketing for Authors). Then it was picked up by a commercial publisher that changed the title to something ponderous (The Author's Guide to Building an Online Platform). It should sell like hotcakes nonetheless (she will see to that), but which title do you think is better?

--Ken

I'm not sure either is "better," but it's obvious they wanted to change the emphasis from "online" to "author." Perhaps they wanted it shelved in with the writing books rather than with the internet books, and they wanted the prospective audience to see themselves named at the beginning of the title, rather than having to read to the end.

Lauri B · Jan 19, 2008

I actually like the second title better. It assumes an active role for the audience (The Author's Guide rather than something For Writers), and the buzzword of the day is "online platform," which is sexier than "online marketing." I don't think it's ponderous at all.

ResearchGuy · Jan 19, 2008

Nomad said:
I actually like the second title better. It assumes an active role for the audience (The Author's Guide rather than something For Writers), and the buzzword of the day is "online platform," which is sexier than "online marketing." I don't think it's ponderous at all.

Hmmm. Good points. Probably what the publisher had in mind.

--Ken

ExposingCorruption · Jan 21, 2008

legalwriterPR said:
What do I do if I have a publisher who is trying to change the name of the book to the point of it not even matching the content of the book? The title they are hoping to give it to me, is not only misleading but makes ME look bad and honestly makes them look bad too. It (their title) has NOTHING to do with the book.
I fear that the reason is that for sales purposes the people they had edit just don't understand the point of the book.

I'm very unhappy.
Is anyone here published and have advice on how to handle this?

It would make no sense for the publisher to do anything that would make themselves look bad, nor would it make sense for them to make one of their authors look bad.

Your reaction to their title change is subjective. You've put your heart and soul into something and you've given it a title. They want to change the title, so you are understandably upset.

FWIW, I've spent years working on what I consider a really great book, and I've just begun sending out queries. I think that the publishing business isn't all about "great books." It's about "business" and making money, just like any other business or industry.

Look at it this way. The publisher wants to change the title because they think that's how they are going to optimize sales and make the most money, which means you will make more money.

Maybe you could work out a deal whereby they will let you state what the original title was inside the book, like in a preface, introduction, or forward, or just a little blurb somewhere inside the first few pages.

pollykahl · Jan 25, 2008

ResearchGuy said:
A friend/professional acquaintance of mine wrote a nonfiction book and had a good, clear title for her prototype version (Online Marketing for Authors). Then it was picked up by a commercial publisher that changed the title to something ponderous (The Author's Guide to Building an Online Platform). It should sell like hotcakes nonetheless (she will see to that), but which title do you think is better?

An ambiguous title is not the best title. I think the second title is better because it's more concise. The first book might include information on how to build a platform along with other general info such as how to advertise online, but the second title makes it clear this is specifically about building a platform.

If you're with an experienced publisher you should be able to trust their choice about this, because they're going to make choices that their experience tells them will result in the highest book sales possible. It's strictly business, and nothing personal. I think it's hard to take because we writers put such caring into our books, and it's hard to have something that feels major like a title changed without our input or even permission. But their decisions about this will only help us in the long run because like us, they want to see as many people buy the book as possible.

Prevostprincess · Jan 25, 2008

You need to get your agent involved. She should be the go between for you. It's also helpful to get her opinion on the title. Iniitally, I didn't like the title the publisher wanted, but they agreed to keep my original title if I insisted. I gave in (mainly due to the advice on these boards - I posted both titles and EVERYONE preferred the publisher's) and am so happy I did. I love the publisher's title now, and it's opened doors in terms of ways to play with it, that my original title never could.

So, basically what I would say is, take a deep breath, get some input from objective sources and get your agent involved.

tombookpub · Jan 25, 2008

legalwriterPR said:
Thanks much - I should look at the contract on that and figure it out - it just would not make even financial sense to change the title....at least to what they are stating. Ugh.

-------------
Hopefully, you would have noted this clause upon the orig'l review of the contract.....

JennaGlatzer · Jan 25, 2008

Having title approval has become something very important to me, after one of my titles got changed to something I hated.

But for sure, even if you discover they have the final say, if the content doesn't match the title, I'd speak up quickly (and politely, of course).

Sunnyside · Jan 28, 2008

While I didn't have title approval, my editor was great about discussing their alternatives with me. Not that there were a TON of other titles I could have used (I mean, ya have to have his name in there SOMEWHERE), but we differed on the subtitle. I found it immensely helpful to use two words with my editor:

"Convince me."

And she did, even if it wasn't a title I would necessarily have ever come up with. Doesn't mean you have to love it, but at least you would know their thinking.

AJMarks · Jan 29, 2008

Honestly I suck at titles, so that shouldn't be a problem for me. I do like that 'convince me' part though. Something to keep in mind later on.

scope · Apr 5, 2008

I agree with many who have posted and told you that publishers do not change titles on a willy-nilly basis. Since I find the reasons already stated to be on the money, there is no reason for repetition.

Absolutely you should ask your agent to find out the reasons behind the publishers choice of title.

Big problem with publisher

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Little Red Barn

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