What's with the "Myth"?

[Arun Vajpey]

It is probably a combination of coincidence and (my) personal opinion but 3 of the worst books ever written about the Titanic have the word "Myth" in the title. I wonder if this is because the authors imagine that there is too much myth going around about the disaster and in trying to "correct" it, use their books to expound their own views on the subject and go completely overboard. The end result seems like an unwanted, boring and overly melodramatic High School lesson.

1. Titanic: Sinking the Myths by D E Bristow - worst of the lot
2. Titanic Myths, Titanic Truths by Capt David G Brown
3. A Titanic Myth by Leslie Harrison

I know that there is another book titled The Myth of the Titanic by Richard Howells; I do own the book but have not gotten around to reading it yet. Any thoughts on it?

 

[Samuel Halpern]

Other bait words in titles to be weary about are: Secrets, Truths, or Mysteries.
Of course greatest bait word of all is Titanic used in the title or subtitle. But that is needed for indexing.

 

[Steven Christian]

Books or documentaries with the words "Final" or "Last" in the title usually means there's nothing final or last in their conclusions. At least that seems to be a reoccurring thing to me I've noticed. Not just limited to Titanic. Maybe somebody should write a book and call it "The Final Secret Truth and Last Mystery and Myths of the Titanic Solved". Maybe I should copy write that...

 

[Arun Vajpey]

"The Final Secret Truth and Last Mystery and Myths of the Titanic Solved"

If you make that a tagline rather than the title and add the Carpathia and the Californian somewhere, it would fit nicely into a book just released. I think our friend Seumas has bought the Kindle edition.

 

[Ted Charlton. NZ - Edward Jon]

Books or documentaries with the words "Final" or "Last" in the title usually means there's nothing final or last in their conclusions. At least that seems to be a reoccurring thing to me I've noticed. Not just limited to Titanic. Maybe somebody should write a book and call it "The Final Secret Truth and Last Mystery and Myths of the Titanic Solved". Maybe I should copy write that...

If you write it first, and afterwards Copywrite it with then it's yours. Write half a page of your draft first page .. and bingo you're on the way!

 

[Steven Christian]

If you write it first, and afterwards Copywrite it with then it's yours. Write half a page of your draft first page .. and bingo you're on the way!

You must be a writer and know about these things. I'm pretty much clueless about the subject. I've never considered myself a good writer. But I get by. Or is it bye? Thank God for spellcheck. If it wasn't for that you would all be laughing at me. Maybe you all do anyway. . Cheers.

 

[Ted Charlton. NZ - Edward Jon]

You must be a writer and know about these things. I'm pretty much clueless about the subject. I've never considered myself a good writer. But I get by. Or is it bye? Thank God for spellcheck. If it wasn't for that you would all be laughing at me. Maybe you all do anyway. . Cheers.

Nah mate, maybe they are all laughing but why care....?
Not published anything to print but as a director/ music director/actor i wrote a stage comedy and put it to stage 15 years ago, sold out. Then again 5 years ago... same result

When first write something, copywrite logo the dated title and send a copy of that to a friend and yourself. Save that email.. dated proof

You'll most likely never need it, but if did you're covered

 

[Steven Christian]

Nah mate, maybe they are all laughing but why care....?
Not published anything to print but as a director/ music director/actor i wrote a stage comedy and put it to stage 15 years ago, sold out. Then again 5 years ago... same result

When first write something, copywrite logo the dated title and send a copy of that to a friend and yourself. Save that email.. dated proof

You'll most likely never need it, but if did you're covered

I'll keep note of that. Thanks.

 

[ladonnafidler0]

Nah mate, maybe they are all laughing but why care....?
Not published anything to print but as a director/ music director/actor i wrote a stage comedy and put it to stage 15 years ago, sold out. Then again 5 years ago... same result

When first write something, copywrite logo the dated title and send a copy of that to a friend and yourself. Save that email.. dated proof

You'll most likely never need it, but if did you're covered

thanks

 

[Ted Charlton. NZ - Edward Jon]

Steven, just reread this thread.....
What would be a grabbing title would be as you said, anything with the word "titanic" in it. But add "conspiracies" ...

"The Titanic edition of possible solved conspiracies, secrets, myths and mysteries"

And sell a book full of blank pages....

 

[Steven Christian]

Steven, just reread this thread.....
What would be a grabbing title would be as you said, anything with the word "titanic" in it. But add "conspiracies" ...

"The Titanic edition of possible solved conspiracies, secrets, myths and mysteries"

And sell a book full of blank pages....

It would probably sale. If people would buy a pet rock I'm sure this would do good. My favorite is still the guy who made a lot of money selling "Solar Powered Clothes Dryers". 20ft of rope and a bag of clothes pins. Cheers.

 

[Ted Charlton. NZ - Edward Jon]

The "solar clothes dryer" is as bad as the bottles of "pure rain juice"

 

[Eugene Nesmeyanov]

Well, in fact I have the words "secrets" and "myths" in the titles of my two books. I agree that this is probably not so good and "academic"... But in the age of self-publishing many people are not aware of the fact that the final - printed - title of the book is very often not on the conscience of the author. The publishers tend to change the title of your manuscript to suit their needs - actually, it's a normal practice even in big publishing houses (or rather especially in them).
Myself I have hardly published a single book under its original (working) title.

 

[Samuel Halpern]

Hi Eugene. Hope all is well with you these days.

I know exactly what you mean by publishers changing titles. In the third printing of my book first book, Report Into the Loss of the SS Titanic: A Centennial Reappraisal, the publisher, The History Press, decided to drop the 'A Centennial Reappraisal' from the title without informing me. They later said that their marketing people thought that it dated the book. But in fact, the purpose of having that in the title was to tie the book to the centennial year 2012 and what we knew at that time.

Unfortunately, so many books and TV documentaries have come out about Titanic lately which claim to have unlocked hidden secrets or to dispel all the myths, that the poor reader doesn't know what to believe anymore.

 

[Eugene Nesmeyanov]

Hi Sam - hope you are fine as well!
You are absolutely correct.

In the third printing of my book first book, Report Into the Loss of the SS Titanic: A Centennial Reappraisal, the publisher, The History Press, decided to drop the 'A Centennial Reappraisal' from the title without informing me. They later said that their marketing people thought that it dated the book.

This is well familiar to me too. The History Press changed the title of my book too, albeit slightly ("The Titanic Expeditions" was initially just a subtitle)
I prefer not to argue with publishers. At the end of the day, they know their target audience, and their goal is to sell the title.