How to hook your reader

What I love about this blog, is that I can share things as I learn. And, what I’ve been learning about is how to hook your reader!

Hook is one of the writing terms that is so important! Hooks grab attention. As a public speaking instructor, I teach my students to start their speech with an attention getter — a hook!

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How can you hook your reader?

When I was writing my ebook – Set that Hook – I looked at ways to hook your reader. Just like I teach my students, your hook can:

• surprise/startle
• ask a question
• drop the reader into the action
• create intrigue

There are many ways to hook your reader. I always tell my students about the teen I had come give his speech to students I had in a co-op group (homeschooling group). He had been in 4-H and his speech was about his roosters and chickens.

His attention getter? He crowed like a rooster!

That got our attention!

Where do you need a hook?

I know you need a hook at the beginning of your book. Open up any book and you’ll know that. Often if the hook isn’t good, I don’t even try to read the book. It’s the same with a movie.

And in the world today, you truly have a short amount of time to capture your reader’s attention.

So, where do you need a hook? Definitely the opening line or scene of a book. But do you stop there?

When you read a book, what keeps your reading? The chapter that ends at a “cliffhanger” makes you stay up late to keep reading! It’s what I personally think of as a reverse hook.

In the MasterClass article, 7 Tips for Writing Enthralling Cliffhangers, is says: Cliffhangers build suspense and convey a sense of urgency, reinforcing the audience’s investment in the story.

And we want our readers invested in our story!

You gotta hook your reader!

So, yes you have to hook your reader if you want them to read anything you write. Anything! Hooks work in speeches, novels, blog posts, magazine articles…. You get the idea.

Then at the end of the chapter (or paragraph) you need that cliffhanger. Then get back to a hook in the next chapter. Keep your reader reading!

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Hi, I’m Jen! I’ve been married 37 years, have 5 amazing kids and 2 adorable grandkids and one on the way. I homeschooled our three youngest children. I used to blog about homeschooling and taught Oral Communication as an adjunct instructor for over 5 years.

Jen Dodrill Writes is born of a passion of mine – to write a novel! When I’m not working, you’ll find me writing, spending time with my family, or curled up on the couch reading and drinking a mug of dark roast coffee. (Don’t forget to check out my mug shop – JDMugs!)