Crap! My new book’s title is dead in the water!
I should have known some famous creep would nab it before I could get my novel out! Zach Braff, director of Garden State, has a new project called “Wish I Was Here.” I’m crushed.
At least my title is the more grammatically correct, “Wish I WERE Here” (proper use of the subjunctive mood, Zach; get with it!).
Since the villain here is a movie, a narrative, and not something like a painting or song, and since it’s current, I think I need to come up with something else.
Any ideas?
Crap!
20 comments on “Crap! My new book’s title is dead in the water!”
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WHAT THE HELL 
There are so many book titles and movie titles that are exactly the same or very similar out there, I’m not sure it would matter. Actually, it might help people find your book in search results. Not your fault if they make an error whilst searching:)
I think I’d worry that I’d get a cease and desist claiming I was using the movie as a marketing vehicle. Or that I was creating the impression that this is a novelization of the movie. Tricky stuff…
Was going to make the same point that Ionia made. Since you aren’t using fictional words and an identical plot/characters/setting, there shouldn’t be a problem.
Shouldn’t, but we have to anticipate the worst. I don’t want to get my butt sued!
You know I have 3 songs on my Ipod entitled ‘Numb’. One by P!nk, one by Disturbed, and one by Linkin Park. Only if the title has an exact name or place (fictional usually) can a lawsuit happen. At least that’s what I’ve been told.
There’s the legal thing, but there’s also the impression people would have that I swiped the title. You wouldn’t name a book “Game of Thrones” would you? (Or any variation thereof…)
Good point.
Tittles aren’t subject to copyright law. You could take that title, or worse, after you publish, someone else could take that title. Sucks. I know you wanted to be unique.
See my response to Charles…
If your novel was titled Game of Thrones or Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, I’d say you have a problem. But Wish I Were Here? Would Pink Floyd sue you because it sounds similar to Wish You Were Here? I’ve seen books with the same exact titles (Relentless, for example). Is your plot anything like Zach Braff’s movie? If the only thing you guys have in common is the title, and the title is not exact, do you really think Braff would give you a hard time? I know I’m not being helpful and I suppose you could sue me if you take my advice and then Zach Braff sues you … but then we would all boycott his film for him being such an ass.
If you really feel you need to change the title of your novel, then comb through and find another phrase from the book (I’m assuming that “wish I were here” is in literally in the novel) that could encapsulate it. The first time you mentioned the title, I immediately thought of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, not because I thought you might be ripping it off, but because the sentiment is so intriguing. I’d hate to see you give up that title.
You know, I don’t mind someone making a connection with Pink Floyd. It’s different when someone goes, “Oh, he ripped off Zach Braff.” I can’t handle that!
It’s really not a legal issue, the more I think about it. It’s more of a “what do potential readers think when they see this title?” thing. More people will see this movie than will encounter my book, so the deck is stacked here.
As for combing through the book, ironically “Wish I Were Here” does not appear in the text, and the text doesn’t seem to be coughing up a lot of alternatives. Sue and I are brainstorming. Lots of good titles are already taken…
Stranger Than Fiction … oh, wait, that’s been taken. I am no help. I’m lousy with titles. I just read your one-line description of the novel on Susan Toy’s website. So the protagonist is aware of being in a novel. Is she aware immediately, or does it slowly dawn on her? How about something like, I Start Here … I like short titles. They are easy to remember and leave something to the imagination. Anyway, good luck and I don’t blame you for not wanting any mistaken association with Braff 😉
I agree about short titles. I’d take a one-word title if I could come up with just the right one. Futility? Mired? Moribund? (My mood is showing…)
Well my vote is for “Bacon Wishes and Ham Hock Dreams” but I really have no idea what the book is about.. am I close??
Pretty close. I might just snatch that one!
I agree if it’s only one that close, you should go ahead with yours. It’s when there are so many, your title gets buried in the search results.
See if you agree with today’s post on titles…
Ready? I give you this for free:
You Are (not) Here
Not bad, eh? More marketable too.
I like it.
Free for the taking, not insulted if you don’t.