Sometimes we are too close to what we do and cannot see the forest for all the damned trees in the way.
This is my story… heh.
My book (which is pretty good) had what I realize now is most likely the worst book title EVER, and it has cost me dearly in sales.
Here’s the title (no longer available on Amazon… with no change in sales numbers. Heh.)
“What I’ve Learned So Far”
1. It made no sense to anyone but me and a handful of people.
2. It didn’t have any context to what it was about.
3. It was “me” focused instead of the end user.
4. Nobody really cared about what I had learned because it didn’t impact them.
5. Nobody really cared about what I had learned because they had no clue who I was.
It is really possible that I titled my book with the worst possible title ever.
Better titles would include.
“My Photos Don’t Totally Suck”
“I Got Your Photos Right Here…”
“Is There Salt In Donuts?”
Any title with the terms F**K or Badass in it… Those are really hot right now.
Oh I know one…
“MASSIVE FAIL”
Awesome.
I needed context, information, and some way of telling people what the book would do for THEM. How it would help THEM learn stuff.
The stuff I learned can help them, but the title didn’t say anything even remotely associative to that possibility.
I.
Am an idiot.
So it is time to rewrite, re-edit and RETITLE this book.
(And if you have any ideas, let me know please.)
PHOTO: ANJALI FONG
Recent Journal Posts
Why Weekly Assignments Work (and why I love Unsplash)
When I started Project 52 Pros back about 7 years ago, I knew I wanted it to introduce a wide variety of commercial photography to photographers who were not steeped in that tradition. It is difficult to find assistant gigs, and even harder to find them when you are...
Article for Petapixel: Pricing Work by Understanding Value
"The fact that you own a lot of gear that cost a lot of money, have purchased a vehicle to transport that gear, and spent long hours mastering its use is a given. Of course you have. Otherwise you would not be a professional photographer. Period. I do not care how...
Site Redesign: Pro Digital Image
My bud Steve Burger is the driving force of Pro Digital Image. He is a Photoshop genius who loves to make photographs, awesome prints, and teach. He has been THE guy to go to for Photoshop in Phoenix and Arizona for more than a decade. I have built all of his...



