How to Hook Your Readers (and Keep Them) via Commonality

No matter what stage you're at in the novel writing process, keeping your long-term goal(s) in mind is crucial, whether you seek fame, money, or some combination of both. So, let’s hop in the Bardsy dream machine and head to the future. It’s time to drop by your local bookstore and see how your hard work has paid off.

Oh look, we’re just in time to see a potential reader pick up your book! Things appear promising. :-) Now you know your marketing has done its job. This is your novel’s time to shine. Your potential reader turns to the first page, starts reading, and then...

...

What's that? You want to know what happens next? Good! Hopefully your reader does too, because whether they keep reading—and buy—or move on depends on hooking them.

The first chapter makes or breaks a book; as we at Bardsy say "bad first chapter, no book." To put it on a postage stamp: readers, agents, and publishers are more than willing to abandon stories with less-than-stellar beginnings. It's also a sample that many outlets allow you to use to sell readers. (Don't miss this opportunity.) Your goal is simple: keep them reading.

This contrasts with how too many people think about hooks. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that a great hook means you've got them, and you can slack off as you grind out the rest of your novel. Not so! A great hook is only one step. Still, without a hook, you've got nothing. At the same time, your audience's investment grows with every successive word, making them less likely to put your work down. This means that every effort spent on the beginning of your story is worth ten times (or more) the effort spent elsewhere. The same holds true for the first line—it's roughly ten times more important than everything that follows.

A great hook is only one step.

Craft an Irresistible Hook

Your potential reader’s interest will spark when your story and their identity intersect. It's up to you to create that commonality. Fulfilling this task may seem easy because there are so many possibilities, but you’d be surprised. The creative challenge lies in establishing a compelling connection that continues through your novel. To digress, this connection requires maintenance and reinforcement. Forging a connection and abandoning it translates to shooting yourself in the foot.

It's useful to divide potential mutualities into two categories: character and situation. Basically, your story’s hook can put "normal" people in extraordinary situations, extraordinary people in "normal" situations or (most likely) blend the two. The critical thing is finding a balance that will resonate with your particular readership.

Character

The key to using character to hook a reader is surrogacy—allowing them to step outside themselves into new possibilities. Through your story, readers can enter their fantasies or nightmares. Better yet, your writing can deliver dreams and horrors beyond anything they've imagined.

That said, don't go too far; instead, exercise a constrained creativity. Maintaining coherence calls for effectively contextualizing your offering. For some readers, going big is the best option—a multiverse exploding; for others, destroying a marriage has more impact than destroying planets. Know your audience to choose correctly.

Situation

Your story’s situation can also hook your reader. Contrary to what you might think, the right situation may move the reader closer to immersion than any overlap in characteristics. With the right context, we readily put ourselves in a wholly alien character's circumstance, like ET—lost, far from home. And, perhaps most importantly for reader investment, we empathize with them. A compelling hook also capitalizes on your reader’s innate curiosity. Readers love to play What if? with their scenarios or yours, and your novel provides an opportunity for them to safely explore the outcome of that question.

Situational attraction tends to arise from intrigue. Humans are curious beings (generally), and readers tend to be the most curious. Use this trait to your advantage. Naturally, curiosity ties to meaning. We won't rehearse the standard warnings against confusion and boredom: don't cross from intriguing to befuddling and keep your potential fan awake. So, now that you’re ready to use commonality to capture your readers’ attention, it’s time to assess your hook’s effectiveness.

Stories create community, enable us to see through the eyes of other people, and open us to the claims of others. ― Peter Forbes

How Do I Know If My Hook Is Working?

On to the important part: the test; how do you know if a hook works? Reader reactions during retelling will guide you—your goal being elaboration. For your story’s hook, you're looking for an enthusiastic description of the character and situation. Next, you want the reader to go beyond what's on the page. Of course, they won't be able to add too many meaningful details so early. Just one accurate embellishment indicates they've engaged with your story and you've won.

Equally importantly: respect the test. Know when to cut your losses if a hook isn’t provoking the desired reaction. When a hook fails, accept that feedback and act accordingly, implementing radical changes if needed. The best practice: try many hooks and test to see what sticks.

Improve Your Skills

Like anything in life, honing your ability to write an attention-grabbing hook will require practice, and you'll need feedback to improve. Bardsy's Directed Writing Groups are a great spot to receive kind and constructive feedback on your work.

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