Suggestions for a subtitle for my workbook?
March 9, 2014 3:33 PM Subscribe
I have a title for a self-help workbook I'm writing, but I'm having a lot of trouble thinking of a good subtitle...
I am almost finished writing a workbook called Finishing School. It's a longer and more elaborate version of my Finishing School website.
(the website's about 14,000 words; the workbook is about 120,000 words. I'm referring to the website so you'll see not just the type of content, but the tone of my writing.)
I need a subtitle that says what Finishing School is about. It's a workbook designed to help you finish your projects by teaching you about what finishing conflicts are all about and exploring your own finishing conflicts. The workbook has much more theory and individual exercises than the website (of course). At times it takes a more sober look at the bad ways we feel that keep us from doing things. The website is a little more "peppy" in tone.
Friends of mine have suggested subtitles, but none of them are quite right. Here are some of the suggestions:
Finishing School: How to Complete Your Projects And Get On With Your Life
(no, because we want you to enjoy finishing your projects, not just get them out of the way so you can "enjoy your life" in some other way);
Finishing School: Getting your project off your desk and out into the world
(nice, but not all projects are done on a desk; some people might be designing and producing clothing, or other non-desk activities)
Finishing School: A workbook to help you understand and combat your fear of completing your projects
(true but so literal; also we don't just want you to combat your fear but to enjoy the work; also "combat" is what you do to roaches)
Finishing School: lessons in working through your blocks and bringing your projects to completion
(well lessons are good because it's a "school" (although it isn't, it's a workbook), but also "lessons" sounds pedantic and annoying)
Finishing School: 20 Lessons to BEAT your work blocks and COMPLETE your projects
(nice rhyme but there's the word "lessons" again, and the book isn't numbered like that, and "Beat" is not my tone; it's too "pop"- and casual-sounding, more for a book like "How To Beat Probate" than a book about serious psychological stuff )
And so on. Those are the basic ones people (including me) have suggested.
If anyone out there can take the basic ideas that I need to express and come up with something a little better, I'd really appreciate it! Any ideas welcome.
I am almost finished writing a workbook called Finishing School. It's a longer and more elaborate version of my Finishing School website.
(the website's about 14,000 words; the workbook is about 120,000 words. I'm referring to the website so you'll see not just the type of content, but the tone of my writing.)
I need a subtitle that says what Finishing School is about. It's a workbook designed to help you finish your projects by teaching you about what finishing conflicts are all about and exploring your own finishing conflicts. The workbook has much more theory and individual exercises than the website (of course). At times it takes a more sober look at the bad ways we feel that keep us from doing things. The website is a little more "peppy" in tone.
Friends of mine have suggested subtitles, but none of them are quite right. Here are some of the suggestions:
Finishing School: How to Complete Your Projects And Get On With Your Life
(no, because we want you to enjoy finishing your projects, not just get them out of the way so you can "enjoy your life" in some other way);
Finishing School: Getting your project off your desk and out into the world
(nice, but not all projects are done on a desk; some people might be designing and producing clothing, or other non-desk activities)
Finishing School: A workbook to help you understand and combat your fear of completing your projects
(true but so literal; also we don't just want you to combat your fear but to enjoy the work; also "combat" is what you do to roaches)
Finishing School: lessons in working through your blocks and bringing your projects to completion
(well lessons are good because it's a "school" (although it isn't, it's a workbook), but also "lessons" sounds pedantic and annoying)
Finishing School: 20 Lessons to BEAT your work blocks and COMPLETE your projects
(nice rhyme but there's the word "lessons" again, and the book isn't numbered like that, and "Beat" is not my tone; it's too "pop"- and casual-sounding, more for a book like "How To Beat Probate" than a book about serious psychological stuff )
And so on. Those are the basic ones people (including me) have suggested.
If anyone out there can take the basic ideas that I need to express and come up with something a little better, I'd really appreciate it! Any ideas welcome.
How about something like: "Finishing School: how you, too, can experience the joy of getting "it" done"? or "your roadmap to the joy of completion"?
posted by rpfields at 4:09 PM on March 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
posted by rpfields at 4:09 PM on March 9, 2014 [3 favorites]
Finishing School: Learn How to Stop Stalling and Embrace the Ending
posted by billiebee at 4:17 PM on March 9, 2014
posted by billiebee at 4:17 PM on March 9, 2014
Finishing School: How completing your projects can set the template for the rest of your life.
posted by jbickers at 4:24 PM on March 9, 2014
posted by jbickers at 4:24 PM on March 9, 2014
Finishing School: How to Enjoy Completing Your Projects And Move Forward With Your Life
Finishing School: How to Complete Your Projects and Have Fun/Enjoy Doing It
posted by jeather at 4:30 PM on March 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Finishing School: How to Complete Your Projects and Have Fun/Enjoy Doing It
posted by jeather at 4:30 PM on March 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
Copywriter here. I like "Finishing School: Complete Your Projects and Get On With Your Life." IMO the enjoyment aspect is implicit in getting on with your life.
From your comments on your attempts, I think you're being a bit overly literal and picky in evaluating these titles. You can pick even a great name to pieces with thinking like that.
Maybe you're having some trouble completing this project and getting on with your life? Just a thought.
posted by ottereroticist at 4:50 PM on March 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
From your comments on your attempts, I think you're being a bit overly literal and picky in evaluating these titles. You can pick even a great name to pieces with thinking like that.
Maybe you're having some trouble completing this project and getting on with your life? Just a thought.
posted by ottereroticist at 4:50 PM on March 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
Finishing school: get it done and enjoy the doing.
posted by lollusc at 5:05 PM on March 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by lollusc at 5:05 PM on March 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
Just looked at your website to get a better idea what your "voice" is like. A few things leapt out: The End, psychology, work blocks.
Finishing School: A psychologist's workbook on how to break through work blocks and get to the end
(or: A psychologist's workbook on how to break through work blocks and get on with your life)
There is a dot instead of a comma between your name and your profession. Didn't check for other typos :-)
posted by travelwithcats at 5:34 PM on March 9, 2014
Finishing School: A psychologist's workbook on how to break through work blocks and get to the end
(or: A psychologist's workbook on how to break through work blocks and get on with your life)
There is a dot instead of a comma between your name and your profession. Didn't check for other typos :-)
posted by travelwithcats at 5:34 PM on March 9, 2014
I love "Finishing School" BTW, it's spot on message and totally cute.
posted by ottereroticist at 6:06 PM on March 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by ottereroticist at 6:06 PM on March 9, 2014 [1 favorite]
I would shorten rpfields suggestion to simply, "The joy of getting it done." It's short, let's the reader know what the workbook is about, and implies that "getting it done" will be fun and rewarding.
posted by Nightman at 8:11 PM on March 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Nightman at 8:11 PM on March 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
love[ing] your journey and reach[ing] your destination?
posted by kate4914 at 3:08 PM on March 10, 2014
posted by kate4914 at 3:08 PM on March 10, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by otherchaz at 3:57 PM on March 9, 2014