Titles

A few weeks ago, I shared what would I thought could make a good title for a book. I still like it a little while later, but am thinking that catchy isn't the only requirement for a title's success. The content has to be interesting, too.

My recent extravagance in carbon expenditure - also known as residency interviewing has triggered some interesting publication ideas. Of course, the best idea has already been acted on by another frequent flier. Fortunate to get window seats in the exit row for my past 3 flights, I could concentrate on the view below rather than avoiding broken patellas or DVTs. And I got to thinking that the maps in the back of the airlines' magazines hardly provide useful information for the curious window-sitter.

So why not publish a guide to the most trafficked flight corridors that explains where you are, the topographic formations, and cloud formations from 35,000 feet?

One good reason is that other folks have already thought of this. A title printed in 2004 (Window Seat: Reading the Landscape from the Air) and one in 2007 (America from the Air: A Guide to the Landscape Along Your Route) look to be complementary resources for the curious traveler.

Both look interesting, so I put them on my Amazon Wish List. Maybe there is still room for my ideas, but the core concept has already been done... One author even thought about providing an interactive CD for use in your laptop! (My idea was to adapt my book for a handheld computer.) So much for my business plan! I should stick with medicine.