Why webnovel tiles are long and optimized? Should I do the same?

[arrowen]

So I noticed that webnovels/mangas have long titles and optimized. Optimized in the sense that it reminds me SEO (search engine optimization) where the keywords are present in the title. Take this manga for instance: Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon: My Party Tried to Kill Me, But Thanks to an Infinite Gacha I Got LVL 9999 Friends and Am Out For Revenge

I haven't read it though but the title is epic... Should I do the same? Why this long title trend? What's the pros and cons of long titles?

 

[Zinless]

One of the main reason authors do long titles is that, potential readers rarely read the synopsis for books anymore, whether it's physical or digital. So, in order to attract attention to the story's premise, some authors decided to use long/literal titles.

 

[Temple]

As stated above my comment, people rarely read synopsis (life is too fast now). The other thing is that webnovel readers are mostly genre-based, so like if you're a fan of reincarnation, you'll probably go for something with "Re:" at the start. So, there are naming "conventions" for webnovels that kind of immediately signal what genre they are.

Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon: My Party Tried to Kill Me, But Thanks to an Infinite Gacha I Got LVL 9999 Friends and Am Out For Revenge
So, we got Revenge, OP MC, Litrpg, those sort of stuff. Like I don't even need to check the tags to know what genre those are.

It's not really a trend, more like an adjustment to how fast paced the internet is, and the amount of choices. There's a bazillion webnovels out there, and so a random webnovel has to immediately grab a potential reader's attention while the latter is scrolling.

If your story is among the genres that usually do the long title thing, and uses the same tropes, then it helps if you follow what the crowd does.

 

[arrowen]

@Zinless @Temple When I first saw long titles with genre keywords, I was surprised bec it's not traditional. I actually liked it. It feed to my curiosity.

 

[BearlyAlive]

People don't read the synopsis, so the authors put the synopsis as the title.

I personally hate it, but I'm one of the few people that still read manuals instead of youtubing things I don't get. Same with the synopsis, I like them, most people don't.

 

[Corty]

I refuse to do long titles on principle. My monkey-brain immediately categorizes long-ass, overexplaining titles as cringe and/or copycat of some currently popular otaku trend.

Am I wrong with this? Evident from the fact it seems like it works for authors, yes. Yes, I am wrong.

But it is still cringe.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Why not?

 

[Deleted member 54065]

I write a novel with a long ass title.

I love what I do.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I write a novel with a long ass title.

I love what I do.

Based TeddyBruh.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Based TeddyBruh.

I just love what I read and do, so long title or not, I don't care as long as it serves its purpose.

 

[Temple]

not traditional

Not traditional for western books. But that's the norm in Japanese light novels, and it sort of bled into the western side because the same "issues" (short reader attention span, not reading the synopsis, genre-based reading) are in the English webnovel industry.

 

[arrowen]

Not traditional for western books. But that's the norm in Japanese light novels, and it sort of bled into the western side because the same "issues" (short reader attention span, not reading the synopsis, genre-based reading) are in the English webnovel industry.

I heard that light novel is a genre applicable for Japanese webnovel only.

Not traditional for western books. But that's the norm in Japanese light novels, and it sort of bled into the western side because the same "issues" (short reader attention span, not reading the synopsis, genre-based reading) are in the English webnovel industry.

Side topic... I always wonder why webnovels have hundreds of chapters!

 

[Succubiome]

Side topic... I always wonder why webnovels have hundreds of chapters!

I think it's mainly that usually with a long novel you'd break it up into several books-- but having it separated out into books has no use with webnovels, rather, doing that can just make it harder for readers to find it.

 

[StrongArm]

If I see a long title like that, I generally assume that its trash, and don't even bother looking at it. If youre not even creative enough to create a catchy title, then youre probably not creative enough to write a good novel.

 

[BlackKnightX]

With so many competitions, you have to quickly hook your readers and don't let them go. Get the awesome stuff on the cover, the title, the synopsis, the genres, and the tags right away.

 

[Rhaps]

The title for my novel "Infinity in the Void - Freedom in the Abyss" is wack. It tells you everything you need to know but at the same time nothing at all. I don't know how tf I achieved it.

 

[LunaSoltaer]

thats literally just how infinity works

 

[LuoirM]

*looks away in shame*

 

[ThrillingHuman]

Virgin author who made a mysterious ttle that is supposed to draw intrigue with a short combination of words like "wondering inn"

VS

GIGACHAD Backstabbed in a Backwater Dungeon: My Party Tried to Kill Me, But Thanks to an Infinite Gacha I Got LVL 9999 Friends and Am Out For Revenge

 

[Notadate]

I hate long titles. Unless it makes sense, but Japanese light novels don’t. It is a whole gosh damn book as the title.

(The image I posted is the longest I’ll ever make a title.)