7 Drafts Later, and I Changed the Title of My Debut Novel. Here’s Why.

As a professional pantser, my first goal is to get the story on the page. You see, I’m the type of writer who doesn’t really know what the story is about or where it’s going until I sit my butt in a chair and actually start writing it. One draft, two drafts, three drafts later, and I still might not know what the plan is, but I’ll have a clearer vision.

The problem is by the time I get to, let’s say, draft No. 7, my vision for it may have changed, and that means character names, kingdom names, and, yes, even the book name, might get caught in the crossfire.

Long story short, I scrapped the title and mock cover of BENEATH THE NIGHT.

Forget that I spent the last six years marketing that amazing title. Erase it from your memory. That’s simply not what the story is anymore, and that’s OK.

As an author, you’re allowed to change your mind. In fact, you’re allowed to change it multiple times if it means telling a better story. Character arcs, subplots, story structure—none of them are safe until you say so. Now, you might be ready to tear your hair out at the thought of doing one more revision, but if you genuinely believe something needs to be switched out, scrapped, or tweaked, then absolutely do it, and do it before you continue querying a book you’re not absolutely in love with.

I will always love the first version of this story, and its first title, but the story I started six years ago is not the same one now. So I’d like to reintroduce you to it. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you: FAVOR.