What Else Can Your Hook Be?

Your hook can also be an anecdote. An anecdote is a short, amusing, or interesting story about a real incident or person. The best way to write an anecdotal hook is to make it dramatic.

Take a look at the opening introduction below:

“What did you do with my watch?”

“Where is my watch?”

“What did you do with it?

“Did you sell it?”

“Who did you sell it to?”

“If you don’t tell me what you did with it…”

That was my Uncle yelling, with his teeth gnashed after me. The look was hostile and cold. I thought he must be insane or joking, but he wasn’t.

Would You Be Interested?

If you read all of that, do you think you’d be interested to know “what happened thereafter”? You’d probably be.

This is the type of introduction that leaves you asking, “What happened next?”

Every introduction won’t begin this way. It all depends on what kind of book you are writing.

What About Statistics?

It is possible for your hook to be statistical. You can present startling statistics about something people will be shocked to know about.

Let us assume you are writing a book about mental health, and you decide to begin your introduction with, “Statistics show that half of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14.”

Such startling statistics can spur interest in your audience and make them want to know more about what you have to say.

History… What About it?

You may also present your hook in a historical context that makes the subject interesting and exciting. That way, you can engage your readers and compel them to get into the rest of the introduction.

What if You Violate Expectations?

Sometimes, your hook may violate expectations. But that’s okay. For instance, a book that will dismantle an outdated belief might start with a little-known fact or a pointed question.

Take a look at the sentence below that begins the introduction to a book:

“That diabetics shouldn’t eat sugar is a long-existing lie.”

This is something that intrigues readers and makes them wonder how the author will proceed with his argument, as well as what new ideas he’ll present.

“Once you have your reader’s attention, keep it.”

Now, as intriguing as all that can be, in the end, the entire introduction must satisfy the reader’s curiosity. Remember, it’s not just about your hook; the rest of the introduction must also be mind-blowing.

You aren’t only looking to pull your readers into your book, you also want them to push through to the end.

According to MasterClass, “Once you have your reader’s attention, keep it.”

I believe you get the point: There must be something that makes the reader want to read the next paragraph of your introduction. That’s “the hook.”

What About Posing Questions?

Though it may work for some authors and books, I generally do not advise authors to pose questions, especially at the beginning of their book introductions.

For instance,

“Do you find yourself ____?”

“Are you feeling ____?”

“Are you stuck in ____?” etc.

For most authors, these are questions they intend to answer in their book or introduction.

However, this approach doesn’t sound good to most readers, as it appears more “advertising” in nature than presenting what they hope to benefit. Nevertheless, if it’s fitting for your book type, feel free to use it.

I guess the whole point in the matter is, you must learn how to write a book introduction that hooks readers, if you intend to keep them reading your book. Or better still, you must learn how to write an intriguing first paragraph and leave your readers hungry for more.