Today, I want to take a break from my NaNoWriMo update and discuss how to write a great hook. I am definitely not an expert, but I do want to take a couple minutes to talk about hooks and to show you some ones that stand out to me as the best-written hook.
What is a Hook?
So what does that mean exactly? Well, the hook is the first sentence in your book; it is the thing that makes the reader decide to keep reading. Some experts might say that a hook can come later, but almost everyone agrees it is the first thing you read. The idea is simple: you want to hook your readers and draw them into the story.
Understanding Hooks
Possibly, the best piece of advice you will ever get is to read talented authors to understand hooks. The more you read and the more diverse writing you read, the better you will understand hooks and how they work.
Brainstorming Hooks
How do you brainstorm a hook? Well, the best way is to outline your book. At least get a pretty good idea of where you want the story to begin, who the story is about, and answer the five W’s because all great hooks have the 5 W’s. Who? What? When? Where? And Why? Who is your book about? What happens next? When does it happen? Where does it happen? And Why does the reader care?
If you can answer those five W’s, you can begin to craft an amazing hook that will keep your readers reading until the very last page.
Creating a Memorable Character Hook
You can create a memorable character hook by creating a memorable character. Who is the story about? Because most every book is about someone, and you want your reader invested in the someone, so that they read more to find out what happens next.
Crafting an Intriguing Plot Hook
The next important part of the novel is the plot. Readers care about characters, and the story only matters if something happens. Otherwise it’s just a character outline. So what happens to the character that is interesting? Why does the reader care?
In my book, “What We Leave Behind,” the main character, Charlotte, walks away from her marriage and reconnects with old friends, including someone she used to love. The other main character, Michael, also left something behind, and the story revolves around what they left and why it’s important to the reader.
Utilizing Setting as a Hook
Setting can be an important hook. Consider Moby Dick, for example. One of my all-time favorite novels, and the setting is important, Moby Dick is important because they set it at sea. Stephen King’s 11/22/63 is a modern example where the setting plays a crucial role in the plot and the hook.
The Opening Line and First Paragraph
So I want you to read “How to Walk Away” by Katherine Center. It was the first book I read by this amazing author, and her first line. The biggest irony about that night is that I was always scared to fly. Compelled me to read on. From there she writes, Always. Ever since I was old enough to think about it. It seemed counterintuitive. Even a little arrogant. Why go up when gravity clearly wanted us to stay down? Do you see what she did there? Her book, How to Walk Away, is about a young woman surviving a plane crash. But without knowing that, it is the first few lines that make me want to keep reading.
Not only Center, but many authors have remarkable first lines or paragraphs. How about this one It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom… Charles Dickens Tale of Two Cities, and while you may have read that in school, even if you haven’t you probably have heard the line above quoted in movies, television shows, or just heard other people say it. It is a very memorable line. That is what you want your hook to be.
Another one is Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina. All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Tolstoy again is a writer that not everyone has read, but we have repeated the opening line of his book for generations, quoted in books and television and movies.
Testing Your Hook
Write your opening paragraph, opening line, and then ask a trusted friend or family member to read it. What thoughts do they have? Do they want to read more? You can also bring it to your writers’ group if you have one. Asking another writer to review your opening can help you determine if it is any good.
I like to write the first page, first paragraph and then walk away from it for a couple of days. Maybe even longer. Let it rest, work on the rest of the book, and then go back and read it. Does it still excite me? If it does, then I will ask someone else to read it and get their opinion.
In Conclusion
Writing an interesting hook is important. It is the difference between a writer and a published author. There are a lot of amazing hook examples out there. Choose your favorite book and study how the author engages the reader in the first page.
Writing a hook starts with understanding what it is, and then studying how best-selling authors or classic novelists achieved the perfect hook. From there, you can determine what the best course of action for you is.
How do you know if your hook is going to work? Drop a comment below I cannot wait to hear from you.
