Writing TIp of The Week – January 21, 2019

The single most paramount ingredient for any writing piece is a strong hook. Whether you’re writing a blog, a book, an essay or marketing material, you have to first know what grabs the attention of your target audience. In other words, what bait will make them bite. And in today’s “click-it” culture, you have less than 10 seconds to reel them in.

So what makes a great hook? Here are a few suggestions.

• Know your audience – speak their language.
• Begin with a pivotal moment – one that compels them to read on.
• Introduce a compelling idea, character or conflict – one that only reading on will illuminate.

One of my favorite fiction hooks – Let me guess. You want to know why I tried to kill myself.

Nonfiction – It doesn’t matter who you are, you’ll find everything you need here. (This came from a book on writing a self-help book.

I think you’ll also find that writing an engaging hook will also compel you to keep writing!

Enjoy!