The question I probably get asked the most at work about the books I am publishing is, ‘what’s the hook?’ It’s the question that I think about when I am reading submissions, when I’m looking at competitor titles, and when I’m talking to authors and agents about their upcoming works. So, what is a hook and why is it so important?

Essentially, the hook of your book is a one-liner that sums up the book’s USP (unique selling point). The more original and memorable the hook, the better. But why, y...