Updated December 2, 2024
A book’s subtitle is a powerful complement to its title, providing context, hooking readers, and conveying the book’s essence. Its purpose varies by genre—clarifying the book’s intent, highlighting themes, or boosting discoverability with keywords. A strong subtitle bridges curiosity and understanding, guiding readers to connect with your work.
A conversation about book subtitles should always start with the genre, as best practices for subtitling vary from genre to genre. A memoirist I’ve been working with presented me with a long list of things her editor felt a subtitle needed to achieve, including that it has a rhythm, exhibits a progression, and stands on its own. If your subtitle can accomplish all of this and more, great, but most subtitles can’t and won’t. The quest for a perfect book subtitle is often elusive, and
aiming to meet numerous random criteria may not always benefit your book.
Subtitles for Novels
Let’s start with novels. In almost all cases, the best subtitle choice for a novel is “A Novel.” This is because not all novels are immediately recognizable as fiction, especially when titles lean poetic or thematic.
- For example, The Night Circus: A Novel by Erin Morgenstern or Circe: A Novel by Madeline Miller use the designation to make the genre clear. This is particularly helpful in distinguishing novels from memoirs or poetic nonfiction.
Genre fiction often breaks from this convention, using descriptive subtitles to set the tone or clarify the plot.
- For instance, mystery novels like Big Little Lies: A Novel by Liane Moriarty or The Cuckoo’s Calling: A Cormoran Strike Novel by Robert Galbraith highlight their genre or series. Similarly, science fiction and fantasy titles frequently emphasize their series connection, such as Dune: Book One in the Dune Chronicles by Frank Herbert or The Hunger Games: Book One by Suzanne Collins.
Then there are the more experimental subtitles:
- The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, for which the subtitle provides a hint of intrigue.
- Another creative example is Venetian Blood: Murder in a Sensuous City by Christine Evelyn Volker, which uses its subtitle to evoke the setting and mystery.
Subtitles in fiction can be practical, descriptive, or artistic, but they should always serve the purpose of clarifying and enhancing the reader’s understanding of the book.
It also must be noted that self-published authors have been responsible for a new subtitling trend as far as fiction is concerned. Because they tend to be more experimental and bigger risk-takers, many indie novelists have started incorporating keywords into the novel subtitles in the way that memoirists and self-help authors are encouraged to do. This serves as a way to improve discoverability on platforms where search algorithms play a big role in book sales. This practice is part of a broader strategy to make books more searchable and attract readers who are looking for specific themes or genres.
Subtitles for Memoirs
I’ve been working in this genre for a long time, and I believe a memoir’s subtitle has one singular purpose: to explain the title. Here are a handful of examples that do just that:
- Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
- The Kid: What Happened After My Boyfriend and I Decided to Get Pregnant
- The Art of Waiting: On Fertility, Medicine, and Motherhood
If your title is already super-descriptive, then sometimes “A Memoir” is all a book needs, and most memoirs opt for this simple option.
The most popular trend in memoirs right now is to identify your key theme or themes, and build a simple subtitle around that: A Memoir of Faith, A Memoir of Resilience, A Memoir of Love and Loss. Unless a subtitle is very clever or creative, these are my favorite types of memoir subtitles, using the theme theory instead because generally memoir readers are seeking out memoirs based on themes they’re drawn to, or exploring in their own lives.
People always ask me about the long memoir subtitles, and I say, unless you have something truly funny or clever, steer clear. Here are a few I think work:
- A Bad Idea I'm About to Do: True Tales of Seriously Poor Judgment and Stunningly Awkward Adventure
- Kasher in the Rye: The True Tale of a White Boy from Oakland Who Became a Drug Addict, Criminal, Mental Patient, and Then Turned 16
I think they fit the criteria of funny or clever.
Subtitles for Self-Help Books
Finally, there’s self-help (and other creative nonfiction). Here the book subtitle has a bigger job. It’s to do the heavy lifting. Because the industry largely gravitates toward grabbing titles like Nurtureshock: Freakonomics, and Reality Is Broken, subtitles in this genre have real work to do. (The subtitles for these books are New Thinking About Children, A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything, and Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World, respectively.) They may explain the title, just like they do for memoirs, but there’s something more. A subtitle for a self-help book may nod to the book’s structure. For instance, No Excuses: Nine Ways Women Can Change How We Think About Power indicates that the book is divided into nine distinct chapters to tell you something about women and power.
Key Takeaways for Book Subtitles
- The biggest mistake I see authors making where subtitling is concerned is having book subtitles that are long but not clever. They may speak to things that happen in the book rather than themes, or to random asides rather than the core ideas. Don't do this.
- Remember that your reader has no context for the intricacies of your story when they’re browsing in the bookstore or online.
- If you have a publisher, trust that they understand the industry and that they know what booksellers are expecting.
- If you know that online is your main or only sales vehicle, use keywords in your subtitle, but use them effectively. Read up on keywords, their purpose, and how to apply them appropriately in your book metadata, and run your ideas by people who have book experience and not just your friends.
- Clunky, heavy-handed subtitles carry the mark of an amateur.
- Getting your subtitle right is part of publishing a book that holds its own against traditionally published books.
- Study other books on the bookshelves at your local bookstore.
- And when in doubt, keep it simple.
Book Subtitle Checklist
Crafting the perfect subtitle is an essential step in creating a successful book. Whether you’re clarifying your title, highlighting key themes, or boosting online discoverability, your subtitle should serve as a bridge between your book and its potential readers. Use this checklist to guide your brainstorming and ensure your subtitle aligns with your book’s genre, purpose, and audience.
General Questions for All Genres
- What role does my subtitle need to play (e.g., clarify the title, highlight themes, attract specific readers)?
- Does the subtitle clearly communicate what the book is about to someone unfamiliar with the title or with me as an author?
- Is the subtitle concise and easy to read, or is it overly long and clunky?
- Does the subtitle align with the tone and style of the book?
Genre-Specific Questions
For Fiction
- Should I include “A Novel” to ensure readers know this is a work of fiction?
- If I’m writing genre fiction, does the subtitle convey the genre or unique selling points (e.g., mystery, fantasy, romance)?
- If this is part of a series, does the subtitle include the series name or volume number?
For Memoirs
- Does the subtitle explain or enhance the title for readers unfamiliar with my story?
- Does the subtitle reflect the central themes or key emotional threads of the memoir?
- If my subtitle is long, is it clever, funny, or engaging enough to warrant the extra length?
For Self-Help and Creative Nonfiction
- Does the subtitle highlight the book’s structure (e.g., “Nine Steps to...”) or clearly outline what readers will gain from it?
- Have I included keywords that potential readers might search for online?
- Does the subtitle address a specific problem my audience faces and offer a solution or promise?
Market and Reader Considerations
- Will the subtitle resonate with my target audience and meet their expectations for this genre?
- How does my subtitle compare to others in my genre? Does it stand out without being overly unconventional?
- Have I researched relevant keywords and trends in my book’s market to ensure discoverability online?
Final Refinement
- Can I simplify the subtitle while retaining its core message?
- Does the subtitle flow naturally when spoken or read aloud?
- Have I tested the subtitle with trusted readers or professionals in my genre for feedback?
- If I have a publisher, does the subtitle align with their expectations and what booksellers want?
Crafting the perfect subtitle is both an art and a science, requiring a balance between creativity, clarity, and strategy. By aligning your subtitle with your book's genre, themes, and target audience, you can create a compelling complement to your title that entices readers and enhances discoverability.
