Nothing gets your reader more invested in your story than a gripping opening line.
Beginning your stories with sentences that grab hold of the reader’s attention instantly Is an art, it’s a process.
But it’s a process that CAN be learned.
The best way to make a lasting impression on your readers is for your story to make them feel something that sticks with them well after they’ve put your story down.
A reader has to finish your story to get to that step.
The best way to get your readers to the end of your story is to grip them from the word go.
The Power of First Impressions
The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of the infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.
H.P Lovecraft in Call of Cuthulu
The way you open your story is often the style of writing your reader will experience.
For example, the opening line of Lovecraft’s Call of Cuthulu perfectly summises his style of horror whilst also creating a bleak and dreary environment which we are thrilled to be a part of.
Psychologically a good hook works the same way as a trained hostage works under torture.
Giving enough information to be worth investing time into whilst also outlining a promise for the audience to stick around.
A promise paired with information up front primes our monkey brains to stay around to get the benefits of the action.
THIS is what we want to evoke with our hooks.
Elements of a Compelling Opening Line
There are three main components you want to include in your opening sentences;
- Intriguing Questions or Puzzle
- Vivid Imagery and Descriptive Language
- Establishing Tone and Voice
You can get away with using any one of these components if done in the right way.
1) Intriguing Questions or Puzzles
An intriguing question was discussed above where you give the reader enough information that they know you’ll give more if they follow a promise you’ve made in your opening.
For example, take the opening sentence of A Game of Thrones by George R.R Martin;
The morning had dawned clear and cold, with a crispness that hinted at the end of summer. They set forth at daybreak to see a man beheaded, twenty in all, and Bran rode among them, nervous with excitement
A Game of Thrones
George gives us information about the setting and the tone of the novel, whilst also promising a gruesome tale through the excitement of a character among a group who are to watch beheadings.
2) Vivid Imagery and Descriptive Language
This type of hook focuses on describing the world of the text in a way that is detailed but also intriguing for the readers.
You want to strike a balance between listing details and hinting at the emotions they’re supposed to evoke.
A great example is in The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde;
Mr Utterson the lawyer was a man of a rugged countenance, that was never lighted by a smile; cold, scanty and embarrassed in discourse; backward in sentiment; lean, long, dusty, dreary and yet somehow lovable.
The Curious Case of Doctor Jekyl and Mr Hyde – Robert Louis Stevenson
The description of Mr Utterson immediately gives us a detailed look at an individual to whom we can relate.
Thus, through detailed and vivid descriptions we become hooked into the story.
3) Establishing Tone and Voice
Opening sentences such as these are often statements about the world or the decisions of characters within them.
For this type of hook, you want to point at something rather general in a specific and niche way.
The way you ‘show’ your reader things in your world will establish the tone of your narrative as well as how you speak in the story.
A great example is the start of It by Stephen King
The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years – if it ever did end – began, so far as I know or can tell, with a boat made from a sheet of newspaper floating down a gutter swollen with rain.
IT – Stephen King
Here you can see King points to a simple paper boat and insinuates the tone and voice of the narrative with fluent efficiency.
In Conclusion. . .
These are the three elements you want to consider when crafting your hook;
- Intriguing Questions or Puzzle
- Vivid Imagery and Descriptive Language
- Establishing Tone and Voice
Your hook should include one or two of these elements to be a gripping and thrilling experience.
An engaging opening line is more than a mere introduction—it’s an invitation. It beckons readers to step into a world of words, enticing them with the promise of an unforgettable journey.
The pen is now in your hands. Craft your own captivating opening lines, embracing the principles we’ve explored today.
Share your creations in the comments, inviting fellow writers to offer feedback and join in the discussion.
In this community of wordsmiths, let’s celebrate the art of the opening line and collectively elevate our craft.
Happy writing!
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