Evolution of a Title

What Do You Name Your Baby?

This will be my first self-published book. I've been working on it for years, and the title has gone through a number of changes.

I'm pushing myself to finish my manuscript and get it published by fall. My baby book needs a good name. I appreciate input--especially by other bipolars.

I want the title to be descriptive, along with a feeling of darkness and light. My earlier attempts centered too much on the darkness, and I don't necessarily want to emphasize that--though that is an attention getter for market readers, I think.


Previously, I told AuthorHouse.com that I would publish with the title of "Bipolar Shadows." After lots of thought, this is not right. I mean to have some optimism in my text.

My book will be an anthology of poems, essays and a couple of short stories that all involve bipolar disorder. I am bipolar. This is my view and experience. I am writing this for people to get an inside look at what bipolar disorder does to one of its recipient's.

Because emotions come from all over the place when you have bipolar disorder, I was seriously considering "Bipolar Kaleidoscope." I thought that covered my perspective pretty well. I almost gloated over my brilliance. Then I realize I was dating myself, and therefore my text.

I looked through dime store kaleidoscopes when I was a kid. You look through one end, and there is a stained glass looking pattern in the other end. Every time it moves, the picture changes. That is a good description of moods and emotions in bipolar disorder. Probably no one under 50 has ever heard of a kaleidoscope. Reader's won't grab for my book if I'm throwing a new word at them as early as a title. It was good, but not the one, so may it rest in peace.

OKAY. Igot it. I got it.

"What Condition My Condition Was In"


It's a song from high school memories and a very young Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, rock and roll style. Kenny Rogers Didn't write the song. Willie Nelson recorded it but didn't write it. I bought the book from Amazon about the guy who did write it. He was probably a nother bipolar genious, now deceased--Mickey Newberry. Lyrics to the entire song sound like the man KNEW bipolar disorder.

I've had a bad run at editing of late. I was moping, listening to old favorite music, thought about the reading I'd done, and I believe this is THE title I'm going to go with for publication with Author House.

Here's a link the the song

http://www.youtu.be/AULOC--qUOI