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Agree but would go further: You need to a) tell people something they don't know and would care about OR b) give them a strong hint of how the story will do this. Every day I see "stupidly specific" titles like "5 Books That Changed My Life." I virtually never click on these and mute a lot of the authors on the spot because: Why would you care if you don't know the poster (and if you've seen hundreds of other titles just like it)?

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Janice Harayda
Janice Harayda

Written by Janice Harayda

Critic, novelist, award-winning journalist. Former book editor of the Plain Dealer and book columnist for Glamour. Words in NYT, WSJ, and other major media.

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