![]() They want to know what creature is chasing the hero, who wrote the love poem, why the air is unbreathable, etc.įor some authors, this means literally in the midst of an action scene, but in general, the concept is to not start with the day the world was created. The only way to find out those answers is to keep reading. ![]() Readers do not have any context as to the nature of the story yet and as such, they will have questions. By landing in the action, the scene’s own energy motivates the reader to keep going.Ģ. It’s an easy and clear way to create intrigue with very little setup.ġ. Technically called media res, one of the most common and impactful ways to create a great hook is to drop your readers right into the middle of the action. Below are the most popular types of hooks, along with some sample first sentences to showcase the type of hook’s qualities. The genre of your book is a good place to start, but don’t forget about your writing style. Writing hooks can be confusing, and there are different types of hooks depending on a few factors. How do you peak a reader’s interest? You turn on their curiosity. The opening lines of your book need that same “pay attention to me” treatment. You do what’s necessary to grab the child’s attention. Do you quietly say “Excuse me, you should get out of the street” or do you yell “Look out!” The ball rolls onto the street and the child, distracted, doesn’t see a car speeding down the road. Were you searching for tips on writing a good hook, and the title drew you in? Or did the emotive words in the title cause you to click?Ĭonsider a child playing with a ball. Think about what drew you to this article. If you don’t grab the reader’s attention in your first sentence, chances are they won’t pick up your story. For the average reader, that’s around 17 words. People have an attention span of about 8 seconds. You’ll want to use arresting details and purposeful words to suck in potential readers with your first line. To catch fish, they use a shiny hook and delicious bait to lure and capture their prey, snagging them so they can’t get free. These opening lines also define the genre, introduce the themes of the story or character traits, and help establish your writing style. It’s a literary device that generates curiosity about a unique character trait, an unusual situation, or an important question. How to write a good hook may seem daunting at first, but there are some tried-and-true techniques to apply to those opening sentences to craft a great hook that can grab readers’ attention.Ī hook is the very first line or lines of a story with the specific purpose of grabbing a reader’s attention and enticing them to continue reading. Those first few words hook an audience and showcase an author’s writing style.Įvery piece of writing needs an opening. In this age of short attention spans, instant gratification, and a plethora of choices for readers, a catchy opening line is a key ingredient in encouraging readers to not only pick up your book but also to keep turning the pages.
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