Hey, everyone! I’d like to introduce an old friend of mine and fellow writer, Lauren Claire. She is currently working on a Christian YA Contemporary novel called Melody of Courage. Enjoy her guest post on hook-lines!
Stop yourself at the end of
this sentence and ask yourself, “Do I want to keep reading?”
Now, hopefully you decided to
stick with me long enough to find out why you should keep reading. Today, I’m going to be sharing with you about
hook-lines. First, let’s talk about what they are and why they’re important to
your writing. After that, I’ll let you judge for yourself what makes the best
hook-line.
this sentence and ask yourself, “Do I want to keep reading?”
Now, hopefully you decided to
stick with me long enough to find out why you should keep reading. Today, I’m going to be sharing with you about
hook-lines. First, let’s talk about what they are and why they’re important to
your writing. After that, I’ll let you judge for yourself what makes the best
hook-line.
What are Hook-lines? – If you’ve ever been fishing,
you’re a lot closer to understanding what a hook-line is than a lot of people.
you’re a lot closer to understanding what a hook-line is than a lot of people.
Even if you haven’t been fishing, you know that the purpose of a hook is to
catch the fish. A hook-line is a metaphor.
catch the fish. A hook-line is a metaphor.
In writing, a hook-line is
the very first line of your novel or short story. Just like the fish, you want
to “hook” your reader on your story. The rest of your story you is then spent trying to “reel” the reader all the way in. Great, right? Now let’s talk about
why they’re really important.
the very first line of your novel or short story. Just like the fish, you want
to “hook” your reader on your story. The rest of your story you is then spent trying to “reel” the reader all the way in. Great, right? Now let’s talk about
why they’re really important.
It’s been said that when in
bookstores looking for something to buy, modern day readers will only read the
first two pages of a book. If they’re not caught up in the story by then, they
set the book down. That really gives you a page to interest them…and you better
make the most of it.
bookstores looking for something to buy, modern day readers will only read the
first two pages of a book. If they’re not caught up in the story by then, they
set the book down. That really gives you a page to interest them…and you better
make the most of it.
That’s why you want one
really strong, intriguing line for your opening sentence. You want something
that will make your reader want to
keep reading to find out. So what kind of lines do that?
really strong, intriguing line for your opening sentence. You want something
that will make your reader want to
keep reading to find out. So what kind of lines do that?
Learn For Yourself – There are many methods of
starting a story, including dialogue, narration, setting, and conflict.
starting a story, including dialogue, narration, setting, and conflict.
Generally speaking, starting
with the setting and the weather is a huge turn-off in a hook-line. Why should
your reader care about the setting if they’re not even sure they want to read
the story? And who wants to read about weather? Most people don’t even want to
listen to their grandparents discuss that! If you decide that you want to start
the story with the setting or with weather, you should make sure that it has
immediate significance to your story. By significance, I mean that it becomes a
crucial part of the story on the first page.
with the setting and the weather is a huge turn-off in a hook-line. Why should
your reader care about the setting if they’re not even sure they want to read
the story? And who wants to read about weather? Most people don’t even want to
listen to their grandparents discuss that! If you decide that you want to start
the story with the setting or with weather, you should make sure that it has
immediate significance to your story. By significance, I mean that it becomes a
crucial part of the story on the first page.
Presenting conflict in the
first sentence might be one of the best ways to immediately draw somebody into
the story, but there’s also a pitfall that must be avoided: having a character
already in action or in danger is not encouraged by this writer. This is
because your reader has no reason to care about a character in danger, and
especially not in the first line. So how do you use conflict without putting
the cart before the horse?
first sentence might be one of the best ways to immediately draw somebody into
the story, but there’s also a pitfall that must be avoided: having a character
already in action or in danger is not encouraged by this writer. This is
because your reader has no reason to care about a character in danger, and
especially not in the first line. So how do you use conflict without putting
the cart before the horse?
When I use conflict, I normally go for conflict
between characters. This reveals that there is some animosity between them, but
it can be more generalized. You can also start conflict with something as
simple as, “The broken vase could not have spelled Kasey’s doom any better if
the shattered pieces had formed the letters themselves.” See, there’s already a
dilemma here: the broken vase. The point of starting a story with conflict is
to make the reader want to see how this minor issue is resolved. By then,
they’ve already invested their time and emotions into the character which keeps
them reading.
between characters. This reveals that there is some animosity between them, but
it can be more generalized. You can also start conflict with something as
simple as, “The broken vase could not have spelled Kasey’s doom any better if
the shattered pieces had formed the letters themselves.” See, there’s already a
dilemma here: the broken vase. The point of starting a story with conflict is
to make the reader want to see how this minor issue is resolved. By then,
they’ve already invested their time and emotions into the character which keeps
them reading.
No matter which method you
pick, the point is always to grab the reader’s interest. A simple exercise to
develop stronger hook-lines would be to read the opening lines of your favorite
books. That’s it: the first sentence. After you read the first sentence, ask
yourself if you would keep reading and also answer why or why not.
pick, the point is always to grab the reader’s interest. A simple exercise to
develop stronger hook-lines would be to read the opening lines of your favorite
books. That’s it: the first sentence. After you read the first sentence, ask
yourself if you would keep reading and also answer why or why not.
Let’s try it
now – In the comments, I want you
to rank these sentences by how likely you would be willing to continue reading
the story. Then, explain what interested you about your top picks. Ready? Go!
now – In the comments, I want you
to rank these sentences by how likely you would be willing to continue reading
the story. Then, explain what interested you about your top picks. Ready? Go!
1)
The tiny woodland
glade seemed secluded far from the mechanics of the civilized world.
The tiny woodland
glade seemed secluded far from the mechanics of the civilized world.
2)
There
are two kinds of phobias in the world: justifiable and just plain absurd.
There
are two kinds of phobias in the world: justifiable and just plain absurd.
3)
Nothing
would be all right, not this new house, not this day, and especially not
Caleb’s smirking face, until Adrianna rescued her violin from the pits of the
U-haul truck.
Nothing
would be all right, not this new house, not this day, and especially not
Caleb’s smirking face, until Adrianna rescued her violin from the pits of the
U-haul truck.
4)
“Sometimes,
the hardest choice to make is to do the right thing.”
“Sometimes,
the hardest choice to make is to do the right thing.”
5)
If Kimemela’s foster parents knew that her
growth had already been stunted, perhaps they would at least let her enjoy
coffee.
If Kimemela’s foster parents knew that her
growth had already been stunted, perhaps they would at least let her enjoy
coffee.
6)
If time would only rewind ten seconds, Daniel
would be able to stop himself from making the greatest mistake of his life.
If time would only rewind ten seconds, Daniel
would be able to stop himself from making the greatest mistake of his life.
So what
do you think? How would you rank these hook-lines? Why? What famous opening
lines do you like?
do you think? How would you rank these hook-lines? Why? What famous opening
lines do you like?
Lauren Claire is a young writer with a passion for God, life, and her
young friends. She knows that there are many kids in the world that have
nobody to talk to about the problems they face, so she strives to write
real stories they can identify with. When she’s not writing, Lauren is
busy with College, Camp ministries, and going on adventures.
young friends. She knows that there are many kids in the world that have
nobody to talk to about the problems they face, so she strives to write
real stories they can identify with. When she’s not writing, Lauren is
busy with College, Camp ministries, and going on adventures.
Check out her blog!
Funny, my opinions seem to be the exact opposite of Daniel's. I actually like 3 and 5 the best. They're quirky. It may just be that I am fascinated by the subjects of coffee and violins. 4 and 6 are the least likely to draw me in because I see them as kind of cliché. I like that 2 seems like it'll lead into an intellectual discussion, presumably in relation to a character. 1 would bait me except that the word "seemed" throws me off. I view it as a noncommittal word, and it can easily be an excuse to not use "was" without picking a more interesting verb. If something "seems" to have these properties, I learn absolutely nothing about how that something actually is, only how it is perceived. Plus, as Daniel said, nothing actually happens in that sentence.
Great post Lauren!
I dissed the word "seemed" after I used forms of it twice. It's useful at times, of course, but something about it in that context threw me.
Thank you for reading and for your comment! The violin line is one of my favorites, just because it does express that "quirkiness" I expect to find in my own writing.
I hope that Tori and I both hear from you again soon.
I would have to say that number six is the best, but I guess I would be biased towards it since my name is Daniel (bias aside, I want to know what Daniel's colossal mistake is). But after that one, two and four tie for second, and one three and five tie for last.
Two and four tie because I want to know how the author will describe what is meant by the two different kinds of phobias just as much as I want to know what dilemma the character in number four is facing, hoping for an intense decision process that will have lasting repercussions for the rest of the story.
One, three and five tie for last for varying reasons: one falls short because nothing's really happening yet (If the seclusion was broken in the next sentence by some sort of conflict, then I might read on). Three's construction feels disjointed between "smirking face" and "until Adrianna" (Conflict is presented, but it is still rather impersonal in nature and the quick resolution doesn't give a reader time to even begin to comprehend the scope of how much was wrong with the character's world.) Five doesn't make the grade as I have no real reason to care why someone who is vertically challenged can't have coffee.
This is really just a spellchecked version of my deleted post.
DANIEL, #6 is also my favorite, but you might be disappointed by Daniel's story as it plays out in my mind.
Aside from that, we disagree on most of the others, although I will state that I can never decide if the coffee line is compelling or not. I think it depends on my mood, honestly.
At any rate, thank you so much for reading and commenting, DANIEL!
~LAUREN CLAIRE
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Thank you for the kinds words and for letting me guest post! This was fun. 🙂
You're totally welcome. 🙂