I was told it gives the impression main LI is dumb and aggressive and it might turn readers off. It was a comment from a big author with a lot of experience so she might have a point!
Problem is that the people who read it already didn’t mind so their opinion will not represent the average reader. Therefore asking on my Instagram will not show real readers’ opinions.
So If you haven’t read it would you click on the cover to find more or would the story name be a turn-off for you and you would recommend me to rename it? Thanks for your honesty!
Is story name CAVEMAN turn-off for you?
YES - you should better rename the story
NO - keep the story name as it is
0voters
Here is the story cover so you can get the overall impression:
If I’m writing a story, I’m going to be passionate about its contents as well as what I think the title is going to be. No one should convince you otherwise.
However, whatever title you use should be reflected or explained in more details in the story’s description.
Your story could literally be named Eggs. Lol
As long as the description is something like: Who would have thought I’d meet my soulmate at an Easter festival. Of a hundred eggs, our hearts lead us to one.
I was a well-meant comment from a big author - it wasn’t meant to put me down just that she personally felt it as the turn of and haven’t, therefore, read the story when it was part of the squad contest and she from her experience that with the changed name the story might be more noticed
The story description is:
You got trapped with a group of scientists in a cave under the Greenland glacier. Will you survive and discover the truth about the myth of a lost underground tribe?
Well she might have point it that if in general the name turns reader off he will not even go and read the description - he will simply not give the story a chance and of cause than I am trying to awoid - but so far the pole shows that most people would not mind current name.
This right here is it!
-My opinion- the title Caveman seems like it only focuses on the part of being trapped in a cave. Don’t get me wrong, the realization of being trapped in a cave is shockingly amazing for a first chapter into. But to me, based on your story description, it seems like the story’s main focus is going to be the myth.
you are right first 5 chapters are about them in the cave system - at the of the 5 chapters they are finding an underground world - after this, the main story will be about how they will be able to handle this world and it inhabitants who have more early middle age mindset and different social rules than we know from the western world.
The title - has 2 meanings - MC is a historiographer who as the first one has written down the old verbal myths and created theory they are actually based on something real - she called them “the real cavemen” - since they lived long therm underground- you will get this info in the first minute of the story.
and party it refers to LI - who is a bit like Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones - he is not stupid nor aggressive towards MC but he is alpha not allowing much discussion about his decisions type of man - MC will have to “tame the beast” so to say - they will meet him later in the underground world.
My story is somewhat similar. It’s title is basses on the story’s ending plot. But you wouldn’t truly get a sense of it until a good ways in. However, it’s description gives you the impression as such.
Leave the title as is…it’s even better wondering about the title then the realization of it hits you when you’re invested
lol my other story name is secret of the necklace…warning spoiler
truth is you will find the necklace in 1 chapter… but that it actually HAS big secret you will find it also in the last part of the story… so readers migt have been wondering for long why it was named based on seemingly not so important necklace.
I’m getting real Tarzan vibes from both the title and cover! And without reading your explanation in the comments above, I’m already super intrigued… it may not be so much that the LI is “dumb” but more that they are unaccustomed to the “normal” westernised way of life… I’m sure the MC could learn from the LI and vice versa
I agree that the description is the main device that readers will use to determine what the story is about.
Ngl, I saw your story on the app and skipped over it because of the title; but after reading all this, it sounds really interesting so shame on me for judging a book
Edit: I search for new stories in batches so my process of selecting things to read is Title>Description>Read first chapter. But I know most people will say the cover or description is what draws them to a story so it’s your call!
lol thats OK and thank you for your honesty. I need to know how big turn off it is. It looks like minimally 20% of readers would react as you.
I was thinking about changing the name to something more neutral like LOST TRIBE.
But problem is I really like CAVEMAN. So I will stay with it for now and if the story will not be doing well in the read jains I will think again about the renaming.
Personally I think you should keep the title that way. I mean, people who judge the story based on its title are missing out on a lot of good stories and I would judge a story based on its storyline and directing rather than the title
well you are right but on the other side I of cause want that readers will at last give it a chance so if majority would not even read the story description than that would seriously harm the chances of the story to get readed. But is stil looks majority is OK with it.
But is stil looks majority is OK with it.