Tuesday, February 2, 2010

iMistake: What's in A Name?

Americans were visibly shaken last week when Steve Jobs made his (first ever) marketing error – naming Apple’s new product after a feminine hygiene item.

Jokes spread faster than bacteria in the seventh grade boys’ locker room– “Does the iPad come with wings?”

(Just so you know, I’m still buying one. And I wish it WOULD grow wings so it could get here faster…)

So while I stare at my computer screen and hope more zeros appear in my bank account (I can dream, right?), I’m doing some thinking: If Steve Jobs can mess up with a name… is there any hope for me?

Only you can answer that question. And these:

* How do you name a manuscript?

* What’s the most creative title you’ve seen?

* And for those who work in the publishing industry: How important is the title if you want to grab an editor’s attention?

Maybe we could get a conversation going here. And who knows… it might save me from accidentally naming my first book The Taming of the Loo… or something equally embarrassing.

****

B.J. Hamrick is the editor of Real Teen Faith.

1 comment:

  1. I usually badger my husband and friends via brainstorming sessions until I find a title. :) My favorite recent title is Hunger Games. Those words paired together pretty much demand your attention. Great post!

    ReplyDelete