Please help me choose a subtitle for my book

[catherine]

BOOK TITLE: Exit 9

POSSIBLE SUBTITLES...

Navigating to a Simpler Way
Embracing Simplicity in a Complex World
Back to Nature
Steps to the Good Life
Steps to Sanity in a Crazy World
Navigating to a New Story
Steps to a Simpler Way



By the way, regarding my previous thread, thank you all for helping me think through what the slow life means to you. I will be publishing that chapter on Substack in a couple of days.

I am still trying to figure out the best subtitle for my book and since I'm expanding my social media presence I really need to zero in on some keywords.

The book is called Exit 9. Here is a short description of it:

By taking Exit 9 and following the roadmap, you will arrive at a slower, simpler, saner life at the intersection of nature, simplicity, beauty, and creative living.


Exit 9 will ask readers:
• Do you wish you were living a life less driven by the current culture?
• Do you want to do more for the planet, but will not or cannot pull up stakes, become a homesteader, go off-grid?
• Do you wish you had a better balance in your life with more time in the natural world?
• Do you aspire to a slower, simpler, saner life?

The structure of Exit 9 will be a roadmap of nine “mile markers,” leading readers from awareness, to insight, to action.


Given the book description please answer two questions:

A) Which title best fits the description?
B) Which title would draw you in if you saw it in a bookstore?

PLEASE weigh in by answering BOTH questions... lurkers, feel free to direct-message me. In market research, the more numbers the better! Thank you!

[rosarugosa]

I like #1 the best, followed by #2, and I think I would find those the most likely to catch my interest in a bookstore. I think "navigating" ties in well with the roadmap and exit metaphor.
#3 only encompasses one element, so not bad, but not as good as the others.
I think #4, 5, and 6 are too vague. Maybe your idea of the good life is more shopping and cocktails, or saner or a new life could mean joining the church of scientology for example.
#7 is OK, but I do like the "navigating" better than "steps" in this context.

[catherine]

Thank you, rosa!

[Tybee]

Thank you, rosa!

I agree with Rosa on the number 1 choice but wonder if Mapping might be better than Navigating, as it is more active, and Navigating feels like you are navigating a ship through obstacles, more passive than mapping?

[SiouzQ.]

To me, navigating sounds like a chore. A journey is exciting!

"Exit 9 - a Journey to a Joyful, Simple Life"

[iris lilies]

I like #7 without the title, but agree with others that “Journey…” fits right in with main title.

does the main title have much recognition outside of your immediate geographic area?

[catherine]

SiouzQ, I love that suggestion!

IL: I understand what you are saying about Exit 9--that it won't have immediate relevance so people may not be attracted to it, but that's why the subtitle is so important. I just like the metaphor a lot. I understand it's a risky title, but I still feel like running with it.

I think Journey is a great suggestion also. For a while I had for the subtitle "Your roadmap to slower, simpler, saner life"--but I think roadmap is overused.

[happystuff]

I like #1 and/or #6. I also like "Mapping" instead of "Navigating". To me, "Mapping" sounds like I have more of a choice in the directions I want to take on this "journey".

[catherine]

I like #1 and/or #6. I also like "Mapping" instead of "Navigating". To me, "Mapping" sounds like I have more of a choice in the directions I want to take on this "journey".

Thanks, happystuff! But here's the thing. My 9 "Milestones" is not a "list"--the steps are progressive--ideally, one follows the other. Does "mapping" also align with that concept?

[SiouzQ.]

"Exit 9 - A Step-by Step Journey to a Joyful, Simpler Life"

[happystuff]

Thanks, happystuff! But here's the thing. My 9 "Milestones" is not a "list"--the steps are progressive--ideally, one follows the other. Does "mapping" also align with that concept?

I would think it would - in a sense.

I guess my question is... what kind of flexibility is there in the "Milestones"? Since I don't know what they are, I'm just wondering... are these milestones set in stone - so to speak. LOL. If number 3 doesn't exactly fit in my life/future, is the flexibility there to "tweek" and still continue on to number 4?

[rosarugosa]

I like #7 without the title, but agree with others that “Journey…” fits right in with main title.

does the main title have much recognition outside of your immediate geographic area?

I hadn't paid much attention to the "Exit 9" part because that wasn't the question. Since you bring it up though, I'll mention that the reference means nothing to me, and could possibly cause me to pass over a book, "Exit 9, hmmm, I don't even know what that is, book is probably not be relevant to me."

[catherine]

I would think it would - in a sense.

I guess my question is... what kind of flexibility is there in the "Milestones"? Since I don't know what they are, I'm just wondering... are these milestones set in stone - so to speak. LOL. If number 3 doesn't exactly fit in my life/future, is the flexibility there to "tweek" and still continue on to number 4?

I would normally not go this deep into this question but since this is a pretty tight group and you guys are definitely in the periphery of my target audience, here's where I am with the "steps": Because I am interested in leading people to a different mindset that is "simpler, slower and saner," I thought about the 12 Steps and so created my structure to fit more of a process than a menu. So here are the 9 steps is a draft form (very much subject to change):

MM1: Become Aware
MM2: Make a decision to slow down
MM3: Embrace beauty
MM4: Cultivate and create
MM5: Realize your oneness with nature
MM6: Practice the 3 "G"s: Grounding, Gardening, and Gleaning
MM7: Find the joy in enough
MM8: Protect what you love
MM9: Boycott Oz

Please don't ask me to explain each of these yet! this is a step-by-step process for me as well. But do you now see what I mean in that one thing leads to another? Of course, someone can say, "I already find the joy in enough--I'm jumping to "protect what you love"--but the framework is important. Does that change your thoughts on "map" vs "step" vs "journey"?

[catherine]

I am on Substack and I release content as I create it.. right now there's not a whole lot but what's there provides more context for the book because I've already published the prologue and the draft of MM1. If anyone is interested, please PM me and I'll give you the Substack address. I have been super protective of my anonymity here since I joined probably 25 years ago, so I don't want to list the link in the forum, but I consider enough of you friends to let my privacy guard down If you're willing to do the same and interested in following my progress, let me know.


rosa, I share your and IL's concern about Exit 9. If I have a strong enough subtitle, I still think Exit 9 will work... trust me on that, but know that I take your comment seriously.

ETA: See SiouzQ's latest suggestion.

[SiouzQ.]

Perhaps in the foreword you could explain how "Exit 9" is relevant to your ideas.

[catherine]

Perhaps in the foreword you could explain how "Exit 9" is relevant to your ideas.

Yes, I do that.

ETA: Actually I don't do it well enough. I'll revise. Thank you!

[happystuff]

I would normally not go this deep into this question but since this is a pretty tight group and you guys are definitely in the periphery of my target audience, here's where I am with the "steps": Because I am interested in leading people to a different mindset that is "simpler, slower and saner," I thought about the 12 Steps and so created my structure to fit more of a process than a menu. So here are the 9 steps is a draft form (very much subject to change):

MM1: Become Aware
MM2: Make a decision to slow down
MM3: Embrace beauty
MM4: Cultivate and create
MM5: Realize your oneness with nature
MM6: Practice the 3 "G"s: Grounding, Gardening, and Gleaning
MM7: Find the joy in enough
MM8: Protect what you love
MM9: Boycott Oz

Please don't ask me to explain each of these yet! this is a step-by-step process for me as well. But do you now see what I mean in that one thing leads to another? Of course, someone can say, "I already find the joy in enough--I'm jumping to "protect what you love"--but the framework is important. Does that change your thoughts on "map" vs "step" vs "journey"?

Hmmm... I appreciate the additional information and, just based on your list - it appears to me now to be "steps", especially since you are saying that one shouldn't skip a step. For me, I can plan a journey and there is usually more than one way (map/route) to get to the end of the journey.

Regardless, it is all VERY intriguing and very impressive, and I definitely plan to read the finished product!