What's Wrong With Guards Gone Wild!?
KeskusteluWriter-readers
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1Teck-Loh
As the title for my book, I mean.
Recently, I had a meeting with a friend to discuss the possibility of using crowdfunding to raise fund to publish Guards Gone Wild!, a collection of stories about my adventures in the private security industry.
During the meeting, my friend had a strong reaction to the title. He said Guards Gone Wild! will make my book look sleazy. He also told me I will receive criticisms from others, including publishers, over the title.
That came as a surprise to me. Because I had already decided on using Guards Gone Wild! as the title since September last year and have been tossing it around here and there ever since. No one complained about sleaziness or whatever.
On the other hand, my friend felt rather strongly about the sleaziness of my title of choice. Which is why I would like to do a poll here. To see how many people actually consider the title to be too sleazy and if that might affect sales of the book.
An alternative title was suggested during the meeting. Something like Diary of a Security Guard. Less sleazy sounding. Would that be a more appropriate title?
In my defense, I would like to say that there are stories of security guards behaving badly in my book, so I didn’t pick Guards Gone Wild! just for the sake of sounding sexy. “Gone wild”, in my opinion, need not be just about sex. A security guard who runs away from his work site in order to meet a lover in the red light district is “going wild”. A supervisor waving a knife to threaten his subordinate is “going wild”. The same could also be said of a guard who dumps a bunch of work permits by the swimming pool because he thought it was a filing cabinet.
Anyway, back to what I was saying. The poll. Yeah. I can't set up a proper polling box here, but please feel free to leave your comments here and share your thoughts about the title.
Recently, I had a meeting with a friend to discuss the possibility of using crowdfunding to raise fund to publish Guards Gone Wild!, a collection of stories about my adventures in the private security industry.
During the meeting, my friend had a strong reaction to the title. He said Guards Gone Wild! will make my book look sleazy. He also told me I will receive criticisms from others, including publishers, over the title.
That came as a surprise to me. Because I had already decided on using Guards Gone Wild! as the title since September last year and have been tossing it around here and there ever since. No one complained about sleaziness or whatever.
On the other hand, my friend felt rather strongly about the sleaziness of my title of choice. Which is why I would like to do a poll here. To see how many people actually consider the title to be too sleazy and if that might affect sales of the book.
An alternative title was suggested during the meeting. Something like Diary of a Security Guard. Less sleazy sounding. Would that be a more appropriate title?
In my defense, I would like to say that there are stories of security guards behaving badly in my book, so I didn’t pick Guards Gone Wild! just for the sake of sounding sexy. “Gone wild”, in my opinion, need not be just about sex. A security guard who runs away from his work site in order to meet a lover in the red light district is “going wild”. A supervisor waving a knife to threaten his subordinate is “going wild”. The same could also be said of a guard who dumps a bunch of work permits by the swimming pool because he thought it was a filing cabinet.
Anyway, back to what I was saying. The poll. Yeah. I can't set up a proper polling box here, but please feel free to leave your comments here and share your thoughts about the title.
2Cecrow
It was exactly my reaction when I saw the title for this thread. So much so, that I almost didn't read this topic because I'm at work. I wouldn't recommend it.
Of course such a title "needn't just be about sex", but there's no avoiding what it will suggest in people's minds when it is so similar in title to another well-known property that is.
"Diary of a Security Guard" suggests something more personal than work experiences.
These sound like interesting stories about multiple guards you've known (identities protected, no doubt). You would want to strive for a title that's more general and less personal. If there's a high humour slant to it, a title that incorporates a pun would be a good idea. If there's an underlying message to your book about how the whole sector needs to be reformed and more strictly controlled, a more serious title is what you should aim for. If I come up with any suggestions I'll post again.
Of course such a title "needn't just be about sex", but there's no avoiding what it will suggest in people's minds when it is so similar in title to another well-known property that is.
"Diary of a Security Guard" suggests something more personal than work experiences.
These sound like interesting stories about multiple guards you've known (identities protected, no doubt). You would want to strive for a title that's more general and less personal. If there's a high humour slant to it, a title that incorporates a pun would be a good idea. If there's an underlying message to your book about how the whole sector needs to be reformed and more strictly controlled, a more serious title is what you should aim for. If I come up with any suggestions I'll post again.
3Cecrow
Got one. How about "Watching the Watchmen"? It's a play on a well-known quote (sorry I can't cite it off the top of my head), and suggests you've actually done it and recorded what you've witnessed. A quick search on LT reveals it's been used before, as a title for a companion book to the graphic novel Watchmen, but I see no harm in using it again when your context is so different. If you want to see an example of multiple works using the same title, try looking up "World Without End", it's a swamp.
4gilroy
>1 Teck-Loh: Is this friend you spoke with a part of the publishing industry? An Agent? An Editor? A (traditional) Publisher?
If so, I'd pay a little bit more attention to what they have to say. If not, I'd find someone in the industry to advise you better.
As for the title itself... I'd have to agree with Cecrow. The title conjures another property which may or may not be something you want your book associated with.
Titles are one of the hardest things to come up with. Don't feel like this has to be it, even if you've been "tossing it around." Because until the book is published and in actual reader's hands, anything about it can change.
If so, I'd pay a little bit more attention to what they have to say. If not, I'd find someone in the industry to advise you better.
As for the title itself... I'd have to agree with Cecrow. The title conjures another property which may or may not be something you want your book associated with.
Titles are one of the hardest things to come up with. Don't feel like this has to be it, even if you've been "tossing it around." Because until the book is published and in actual reader's hands, anything about it can change.
5amysisson
I agree that your original title idea will give people the wrong idea since of course they'll associate it with the television show of a slightly different name.
I like Cecrow's suggestion of "Watching the Watchmen."
I like Cecrow's suggestion of "Watching the Watchmen."
6TFleet
My two cents: It does sort of suggest that guards are doing bad things and that you're making light of that fact.
On the other hand, if you really believe in the title, I think you should go with it. It's your book, after all.
On the other hand, if you really believe in the title, I think you should go with it. It's your book, after all.
7Cecrow
I'd disagree that choosing a title is entirely up to the author's tastes. Content you can stand by on principle, fine - it's your voice, your story. Title is advertising. If you set up the wrong impression with your title and the content clashes with that impression, it won't be received in the way you desired and may not even reach its correct audience.
8lilithcat
>7 Cecrow:
Exactly. It's all very well to say "it's my book", but if an author wants his book to sell, to actual reach an audience, it's counter-productive to insist on using a title that will cause potential readers to take a pass.
I would never pick up a book titled "{X} Gone Wild!", because I would immediately assume it was associated with that appalling television show. Unfair? Maybe. But that would be my reaction, and I don't think I'm alone.
Exactly. It's all very well to say "it's my book", but if an author wants his book to sell, to actual reach an audience, it's counter-productive to insist on using a title that will cause potential readers to take a pass.
I would never pick up a book titled "{X} Gone Wild!", because I would immediately assume it was associated with that appalling television show. Unfair? Maybe. But that would be my reaction, and I don't think I'm alone.
10TFleet
>7 Cecrow:, 8, 9:
Sure, but it's his sales. If he wants to choose the title that feels right to him instead of the one that will maximize sales (assuming those things are different), that's his choice.
Sure, but it's his sales. If he wants to choose the title that feels right to him instead of the one that will maximize sales (assuming those things are different), that's his choice.
11gilroy
>10 TFleet:
A true editor, one who's worked in the field and knows what will and won't sell, will tell him to change the title.
A true editor, one who's worked in the field and knows what will and won't sell, will tell him to change the title.
12TFleet
>11 gilroy:
Quite possibly. I wouldn't use that title either. But it's not my choice.
Quite possibly. I wouldn't use that title either. But it's not my choice.
132wonderY
I don't know anything about a TV series, but the term 'Gone Wild' has been associated with X-rated movies for decades. I think it would be a very poor choice unless that is exclusively the material you are working with.
Relatedly, I just came across a book title Teachers Act Up! Just as you are attempting, it is attention getting, but then it explains itself with the subtitle 'Creating Multicultural Learning Through Theatre.'
Relatedly, I just came across a book title Teachers Act Up! Just as you are attempting, it is attention getting, but then it explains itself with the subtitle 'Creating Multicultural Learning Through Theatre.'
14Cecrow
>13 2wonderY:, subtitles can help, where there's grounds for misperception. And "Teachers Act Up!" sounds like a fun role reversal where it's the teachers misbehaving, like you would normally expect the kids to. If you want to apply that idea to guards, then it would be something like "Guards on the Loose", or whatever playful expression describes what criminals typically do.
