🎙️ Episode 12: Coming Up with a Title for Your Book
Host: Renée Lautermilch, Chief Editor at Smart PublishingWebsite: smartpublishingservices.com
đź“Ś Episode Summary:
In this solo episode, Renée breaks down one of the most important—and often overlooked—parts of writing a nonfiction book: coming up with a powerful title and subtitle. Whether you're brainstorming your first book or working on the next one in your series, you'll walk away from this episode with practical strategies to craft a title that grabs attention and a subtitle that clearly communicates value to your readers.
🧠What You’ll Learn:
Why nonfiction books need both a main title and a subtitle
How to think of your main title as a brand (and even make it trademarkable)
The role your subtitle plays in book discoverability online
How to make sure your title stands out and your subtitle speaks directly to your audience
Tips on formatting a subtitle that’s clear, concise, keyword-rich, and benefits-driven
Common subtitle frameworks that work: “Blueprint,” “Guide,” “Playbook,” numbered steps, etc.
How potential readers shop for books—and why your title/subtitle combo needs to do the heavy lifting
💡 Pro Tip from Renée:
“If you took your book description and boiled it down to one punchy, specific sentence—that’s your subtitle.”
🛠️ Resources Mentioned:
Smart Publishing blog and resources: smartpublishingservices.com
KDP Self-Publishing Course: smartpublishingservices.com/kdp-course
The One-Hour Author: A Simple Guide to Writing and Publishing on a Busy Schedule (Available on Amazon)
👋 Connect with Renée:
Facebook: Renée Lautermilch (DMs welcome!)
Subscribe, rate, and review the show to help more authors find it!
🖋️ Final Thought:
Keep writing your story, because the world needs your voice.