By definition, your book’s title is what potential readers usually see first. (A possible exception is your cover, but even there, the title is an essential part of the cover.)

So how do you create a title that will grab a potential buyer’s attention? Here are some tips.

Use direct address

This title addresses the reader, such as in “You Are What You Eat,” by Gillian McKeith. Often the “you” is understood, but not stated. “How [you can] Win Friends and Influence People,” by Dale Carnegie.

Engage in word play

George Plimpton was a master at this, writing “Out of My League” about baseball and “The Bogeyman” about golf. Word play titles are fun and catch the reader’s attention.

Develop alliteration or rhyming

Laurence Peter and Raymond Hull wrote “The Peter Principle.” If they had titled their book “The Peter Rule” the title wouldn’t have as much impact. Ditto for Michael Meanwell’s “The Wealthy Writer.” “The Rich Writer” would have meant the same, but it’s not as attention-grabbing. Robin Swope combined both alliteration and rhyming with “Eerie Erie,” which is about unexplained phenomena in northwest Pennsylvania.

Arouse curiosity

Did you know that George Washington had a spy ring consisting of five men and one woman? Neither did I, but Brian Kilmeade did, and he wrote a book with the eye-catching title of “George Washington’s Secret Six.”

Rewrite a common phrase

Take a well-known phrase and change one or two words. Joe Muto wrote “An Atheist in the FOXhole,” modifying the adage “There are no atheists in foxholes” and capitalizing the “o” and the “x” to emphasize that his book is about Fox News. Clever!

Ask a question

“What Liberal Media?” by Eric Alterman is a good example.

Excerpt a quotation

Sometimes a quote or part of a quote makes a good title. Digital publishing company Charles River Editors compiled “A Day That Will Live in Infamy” about Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor, obviously grabbing a quote from FDR’s next-day speech .

Employ contrast

Contrasting phrases or words make a powerful title. Two excellent examples are “When Bad Things Happen to Good People,” by Harold Kushner, and “Paper Lion,” again by Plimpton.

Keep concise

The best titles consist of only a few words. “The Greatest Generation,” by Tom Brokaw and “A Reporter’s Life,” by Walter Cronkite are only three words each, yet their books have sold millions.

Be expressive

Just because a title is short doesn’t necessarily mean it’s enigmatic. Even if you’re not familiar with “Inside the White House,” by Ronald Kessler or “All Creatures Great and Small,” by James Herriot, you immediately get an idea of what the book is about. It’s true that some highly successful books have cryptic titles. Yet the titles of most books excel at explaining the subject matter.

Remain positive

Compare these two titles: “Don’t let the Holidays get You Down” and “How to Stay Happy During the Holidays.” Clearly both titles indicate that the story is about beating the holiday blues. Yet the second title puts the matter in a more positive light.

Remember that titles can’t be copyrighted, so there’s little concern about legal issues. Be creative and have fun writing your titles.