T O P I C R E V I E W
Miz Scarlet
Member # 3
posted 07-27-2006 04:22 PM
I have some awesome news to share, which is that after The Great Bad Publisher Debacle of 2005, the Scarleteen sexuality guide FINALLY has an awesome new publisher, and better still, a new publisher and editor who wants to work fast to get the book onto shelves by spring of 2007, less than nine short months from now. YAY! But we both need some help from you. With a title. It may not seem like it, but finding a title for ANY young adult sexuality book is hard as heck. A lot of titles addressing sex and teens are just plain tacky or creepy, and plenty that aren't would be tough to get distributors for. In the case of this book, it's even more complicated, since as far as we can tell, until now there has never BEEN a young adult sexuality book which wwas fully inclusive for BOTH gender and orientation AND which covered everything from anatomy to gender politics and feminism, body image to birth control, pregnancy to porn, relationship issues from crushes to cohabitation, gender identity to condom use. There's a lot of stuff in this puppy for literally everyone who is a young adult, whether they're sexually active or not, queer or straight, male or female, in Chicago or Idaho. And all written in...well, the way I write things right here. It's friendly and thoughtful, and it doesn't patronize its readers or presume them to be dopes. Per a title, it's about finding a balance between a title that is clinical (read; NOT "sexy" because ummm...I'm an adult, the readers are not and that's just kinda gross, plus sexy + teen = will not get distribution) and which is catchy and friendly. It also -- duh -- has got to sum up the book decently. My personal favorite right now is the simple "Sexuality: An Owner's Guide." We also had "Kiss & Tell: The all-gender, all-orientation, all you need to know guide to young adult sexuality" on the table (which yeah, kind of makes our mouths tired). It CAN have Scarleteen in the title, but it does not have to. It needs be relevant for a target age group of 16-22, of all genders, all orientations. We intend for this book to be around for a while, so anything TOO slangy isn't so hot, since a decade from now, today's slang will be dated or meaningless. Care to help brainstorm? Y'all know what you like, what'd catch your eye, and what'd make you feel good, and you're a creative bunch. Should we end up using one of the titles any of you suggest here, you'll get a free, signed copy, and a big fat thank you in the acknowledgments. Plus, my gratitude. Ideally? We want something soonest: this is a fast paced process with this, we're editing three times as fast as one normally would, pushing it from where it is now to the shelves faster than one normally would. So, up for a shot at it? Toss those ideas out there. All brainstromning helps, so don't worry about being silly or going with whimsy. Thanks so much! (This is also posted here. )
wilddove
Member # 17112
posted 07-27-2006 05:02 PM
Cool i'd so buy that book even though I am 25 sounds great. Anyway here is a few ideas. The Real Sexuality Guide For All Sex and Sexuality Explained Love, Sex and So Much More (ultimate guide for all young adults)-(this in small print at bottom of book cover or something) No More Confusion (ultimate guide for all young adults)-(this in small print at bottom of book cover or something)
cool87
Member # 29292
posted 07-27-2006 05:22 PM
I really like the word sexYOUality just like september said. What about The guide to your own sexYOUality or or Your sexYOUality revealed or All about sexYOUality (with a you like that that can mean all about you)? I really think playing with words would be a great idea. I think that using words such as truth, secrets would also be great. There's kind of a mystery with that. Aren't you trying to fight misinformation, trying to show us the real truth behind our sexuality by demystifing myths ? I don't know if your book is really about that : showing the truth (demystifiing myths) or if it's more about people learning how their sexuality works, learning about sexuality matters simply. If it's more about learning about sexual matters, maybe including words like guide or explained would be a great idea. Really that's the first answers I can come up with right now. But I'll think about it and give you my other ideas which will certainly be better. You're the writer not me so I think you're ideas will be far best than mine. But I just wanted to help you since I've been getting a lot of help for your part.I don't know if this really helps you though. [ 07-27-2006, 05:23 PM: Message edited by: cool87 ]
liberated_young_woman
Member # 29828
posted 07-29-2006 09:38 AM
young and beautiful, the ultimate guide to teen sexuality The young, the beautiful and the liberated.. Scarleteen:The things your parents dont tell you.. Ohhh, so thats what you call it..
Jynweythek
Member # 27000
posted 08-02-2006 08:44 AM
How about: "Love, Zits, and Dangly Bits: Scarleteen's guide to being you."
RedGoddess
Member # 27418
posted 08-04-2006 01:29 AM
"An Alternative Guide to Sexuality" (might add "for All Ages", or what will you) "Sex[uality]: All Ages, All Orientations" "My Sexuality" "Sex. Information for Everyone." I also share the fondness for the word "sexYOUality". That might just be the title in and of itself. Of course, I really like the Scarleteen name as well. I don't think that the name puts off those who are older; Scarleteen has a good reputation, and it might be a very good thing for people to draw the association between the website and the book. I mean, even my 27-year-old male partner loves Scarleteen and has read all the articles! So, perhaps something like... "The Scarleteen Guide to Sex[uality]" 'Course, you could just be ridiculously direct and give it a big, bold title of "SEX" or something similar. Hahaha and I just had a funny one pop into my head... "Sex: Not Just the ABC's, but the XYZ's As Well"
heygirlie
Member # 30174
posted 08-09-2006 12:41 AM
Ooh, coming up with a title. It's like I'm helping to name a baby. I feel I must be in a minority of one here, but after trying to come up with a few titles I'm wondering if it shouldn't just be "Scarleteen." (or, Scarleteen: the Guidebook. Basically something that simple.) For one, the book is happening because of the website. It's kind of like an extension or another version. The name Scarleteen carries it's own distinction in the Internet, so maybe the book should carry the same theme as it's parent project. But mostly it's because if this book is truly going to be the be-all-end-all encyclopedia of sex, sexuality, politics, relationships, contraceptives, health, teen pregnancy and parenthood, anatomy, and everything else that's been highlighted on the site - well, you just can't sum it up in a title. Maybe because some of the things don't fall under the subject of teen sexuality, but are connected to it instead. I mean, I'm thinking here of "Our Bodies, Ourselves." The title makes you think of information about your body, how to keep it healthy and protected, and how to understand it. But anyone who's flipped through the book knows there's much more, there's information about all the sensitive topics related to having a (female) body. How much of the publisher/distributer are we trying to please, instead of just the reader? Because if the book is going to go in the self-help section (or any section that isn't clearly the bodice-ripper or spice-up-your-sex-life! section) I can tell you as a 20 year old, if I saw "Scarleteen" in between "Changing Bodies, Changing Lives", "The Naked Truth About Sex" and various religious propaganda, that would be enough to get my attention and look at the back or front flap. And I think once you get a reader to that point, where you can give a more detailed summary, then that's it. Anyway. My .02 cents. [ 08-09-2006, 12:50 AM: Message edited by: heygirlie ]
sooin
Member # 30346
posted 08-16-2006 12:28 AM
hhmmm.....u guys gave me an idea...lolz...u all have a great imagination when it comes to sex...hahahaha how about: me, myself and sex.....
ineffableahimsa
Member # 30812
posted 09-21-2006 11:21 PM
SexYOUality: an owners guide SexYOUality: what my(your?) mother doesnt know i really like the idea of the sexyouality thing. and i really liked the owners guide one. i think it should be something that makes us feel empowered by our sexuality
SuzieQT
Member # 30834
posted 09-24-2006 01:18 AM
SexTruthAlity its self explainitory
fox0r
Member # 29073
posted 10-02-2006 01:45 PM
Hrm... from this topic, the things that have caught my attention.. were the "Kiss & Tell", "Sex: Not just the ABC's, but the XYZ's as well", and I also agree with the poster that said something with "Scarleteen" would catch their attention. Maybe mash up the good one's together. Scarleteen: The ABC's and he XYZ's. Scarleteen's Kiss and Tell (and in smaller print under the title) Everything you wanted to know about Sexuality. Something like that seems to catch my attention more than being like BAM SEX STUFF right in big bold print on the cover. I have a feeling a lot of young readers are going to want to grab this book to read to educate themselves, so having something that's sort of discreet (Like Scarleteen's Kiss and Tell) really big on the cover, then having the actual topic in a smaller print might go over better. At first glance it'd look like a typical teen drama book or something. Most teens seem to like to hide things from their parents, friends, whoever, especially when it comes to sexual mumbo jumbo.
Heather
Member # 3
posted 10-11-2006 11:27 AM
Well, we're done! Last Friday, the editor, publisher and marketing folks and I finally found a title we could all agree on, after a backbreaking, seriously frustrating process where we all got a lot of new gray hairs. I don't want to annouce the new title here just yet, since unfortunately, these threads seem to have resulted in another person nicking one of our originally posted titles for their use, and none of us are up to having to go through this process again. BUT, while oddly enough, it ended up being derivative of one of the first titles on my list during the proposal stage years and years back, it also very much was in the spirit of suggestions by a user in this thread, so RedGoddess, come April, when we get these puppies on the shelves, you will be getting an email for me so that I can send you a copy as a thanks for your help. Thanks to everyone for helping out: when I'd get stuck in the process, I'd often revisit these threads to try and shake things up in my head, so everyone's suggestions were of use.