Re: Maybe Ready for Beta and a Historical Jewish Question

David Friedman wrote:
In article <MPG.1e86824cf3082b0a989ae9@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
Kevin J. Cheek <kevinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:


_Princess Gwen and the Crown of Boreteria_ is ready for the beta readers.


"Boretaria" bothers me, perhaps in part because of the first syllable.




I agree. It struck me the moment I read your original post. The word has a number of unfortunate resonances, including 'cafeteria', 'bacteria' and 'boredom.'

Once is chance, twice is coincidence. If you get a third similar comment at this beta stage, consider seriously doing a global search and replace. (Before you do that, make up the new name and then run it through Google. The time to discover that the replacement neologism actually means an intimate body part in Serbo-Croatian slang is now, not later.)

Keep in mind also that your future publisher's marketing department may force a name change anyway, if they feel the same resonances. The hard truth is that there are only three things that drive the purchase of a book: the author, the title, and the cover. As a first time author, you have no panting horde of long-time fans anxious to snap up your work, the way Heinlein or Clarke would. As an author, you will have little or no control over the cover and the cover art. (Cue up "There's a Bimbo on the Cover of My Book.") The title is the only factor you have some (not absolute, mind you) power over. Select it carefully and with thought.


Brenda


--
---------
Brenda W. Clough
http://www.sff.net/people/Brenda/

Recent short fiction:
FUTURE WASHINGTON (WSFA Press, October '05)
http://www.futurewashington.com

FIRST HEROES (TOR, May '04)
http://members.aol.com/wenamun/firstheroes.html

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