How to Shoot Yourself in the Foot with a Book Title

I know this from real life experience. I simultaneously published Hit Your Second Shot First with another title: The Snarky Golfer. Exact same content, same cover art, only the title was different. It was a test: which one would sell better?

People hated the word "snarky" and ran away from The Snarky Golfer like they were extras in a 1950s monster movie.
After a month Hit Your Second Shot First had sold more than 30 times as many books.
Being a marketing genius, I took Snarky off the market.

I bring this up now because I'm getting feedback on the title of my upcoming novel. Working title: Useful Idiot is turning people off. The word "Idiot" is seen as offensive, and I get it.

I didn't work through two years and seven drafts of writing a book, only to slap a title on it that would make people run for the hills.

I'm working on finishing the book. Comments, suggestions to:
[email protected]

As long as you're here, why not cruise around the website? You might want to read about my experience as a Jeopardy contestant, or take a look at my first book, Be Sincere Even When You Don't Mean It.

The new book. A new title has already been chosen. It does not include the word Snarky. Meanwhile, stay alert and stay in shape. Be ready to run. You never know what could be coming for you.

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