What's In a Title?

So you've typed the last word and your story or book looks pretty good. But what do you call it? Does it really matter? How important is a title?

.Think about the books you're attracted to, the stories that stop you as you flip through a magazine. It's usually the title or cover that caught your eye. That's what we see first. That's our first hint that this might be worth a second look.

.So how do you come up with a good title?

.For a book, think about the way it will look on the shelf. The title needs to hint about what's inside.

Is it suspense? The title should offer a hint of forboding.

Is it a romance? The title should tell that without giving away the plot. The Cowboy Who Left One Woman for Another gives away a bit too much. Why read the book if you already know what's going to happen?

My agent Rachelle Gardner gives a lot more detail about how titles work. Take a look here .