by DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills

I bet you’re thinking that this article is about fishing. Well it is, and it isn’t.

We all have our favorite novels, rich stories that send us into the lives of our characters—and even become our friends. We’re walking with them, sharing their joys and sorrows, weaknesses and strengths. But how were we ushered into their lives?

By the carefully crafted words of the first line. The HOOK.

The first sentence in a manuscript can reel in readers and keep them hooked to the page, or the story sinks to the murky bottom. The goal is to entice our readers to snatch the book from the shelf, read the first line, and race to the check out.

When we walk into a bookstore to purchase a new adventure, our method of selection follows something like this: We read the author’s name. We look at the cover and make a snap decision as to whether it’s appealing for our desired genre. We flip the book over and read the back-cover copy. We check the endorsements. If the book has passed all of those tests, we turn to the first page: chapter one, line one—the HOOK.  And if the hook doesn’t grab our attention, we return the book to the shelf and move.

How long does that take? Ten seconds? Not much time when we consider the hours and hours spent on writing the book and polishing it for publication.

The opening line should be in the middle of action – arousing our reader’s curiosity or to find the answer to a question. But this is merely the opening, a taste of the conflict and characterization to come. A writer carefully chooses the bait to cause the reader to fall in love with the character.

I like to think of the beginning hook as an invitation to a party. “Come along with me on this adventure. I promise every word and sentence will be as thrilling as the first line.” No stress for the writer!

None of us want to disappoint our readers. In actuality, if the hook isn’t exciting, the writer may never receive another opportunity to engage the writer into his/her story.

What can be incorporated into a good hook? It’s not so much the method as the words used to draw attention to our story. Does it pose a question? Surprise the reader? Alarm the reader?

Think about the following opening lines.

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.”  Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens.

“With the man’s first step, the others on the Row began a slow tapping on their cell doors.” Riven by Jerry B. Jenkins

“Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents.”  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott.

“Scarlett O’Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charms as the Tarleton twins were.” Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

“Stealing is common here. It’s survival.” Scattered Links by M. Weidenbenner

So, what does the writer need to know before the hook is crafted?

1. The genre.
2. The POV character and his/her strengths, weaknesses, and goals.
3. A plot.
4. The writer sets the stage with who, what, where, when, and why.
5. The writer understands the value of sensory perception and setting the stage.

The writer is then ready to write a dynamic hook.

That’s it for this month. Me? I’m going fishing. Got a bucketful of enticing bait and I’m going to hook some readers.

Hooks, lines, and sinkers … How does your story measure up?