The Power of Tantalizing Titles

Let's face it, there are some titles out there that grab you and won't let you go until you purchase the books and read them. Whether they induce intrigue, a laugh or a shiver up your spine, the author has been successful at getting your attention with limited words; it's quite a significant feat if you think about it. Clearly, a book's title is the author's first chance to hook potential readers. If the title isn't what the publisher and its marketing team think is best for that particular book, you better believe it's going to be changed quicker than a llama can spit (no matter how attached the author may be to it). Thankfully I haven't dealt with a title switcheroo yet, but I've seen it happen to several of my writing friends. This goes to show just how important titles are in the book world.

I'm definitely not immune to the lure of a tantalizing title. I admit, I've been guilty of purchasing books simply because their titles have hooked me like a hungry fish. When recalling past YA title love that propelled me to pull out my book-buying wallet, these three books come to mind right away:

My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter


Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging by Louise Rennison


The Earth, My Butt and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler


The above titles hooked me immediately because they're quirky, funny and tend to make me think of girl-related topics. That's exactly the type of YA book I'm drawn to the most. Hence, the magnetic power of the perfect title hook for my reading taste lured me in from the get go.

So all this title talk leads me to some questions:
What do YOU think makes a great title?
Which book titles have hooked you?
and...
What do those titles reveal about you and your reading preferences?
If you'd like to learn more about the importance of titles from a publishing insider, check out this interesting ARTICLE.

For even more title fun (if you're easily entertained like I am), do a google image search for funny titles...and see what comes up. Here's one I couldn't help but laugh about like a five-year-old boy: