Writing a Good Opening Sentence: How to Hook a Reader

Just as success in life is more about perspiration than inspiration, so is writing good essays – it requires more skills than talent. Even if you are a complete dummy in writing, you can achieve considerable progress just by reading good samples, adopting useful techniques, following the rules, and revising and proofreading your texts. However, becoming a good writer is not an easy task and requires much patience, self-discipline, and dedication. So if you’ve set your mind on becoming a qualified writer, start practicing as soon as possible. The path is not going to be easy, but it’s totally worth your efforts!

This article is for writers who already have some basic skills and want not only write essays that meet the requirements but create interesting texts that readers want to read. Below you will find some ‘easy hooks’ that you can use in your writing to grab the readers’ attention. You have probably heard about this technique and we are going to explain how to use it.

What Is a Hook in an Essay?

In fishing, a hook is a piece of metal that helps to catch fish. Essay hooks in writing work in a similar way – they help to attract the readers and make them interested in your essay. A hook should offer some attention grabber that will make the reader want to read on to find out what it means. Eventually, the reader ends up reading the whole text and the author’s purpose is achieved. You might be wondering how to create a good hook. The following tips from experienced writers will definitely help!

Know Your Audience

Regardless of its format, a piece of writing always has an audience. Whether it’s an argumentative essay, an article, a novel, or a Facebook post, it’s always written for someone to read it. Once you clearly understand who your audience is, you will know how to give them what they want. For example, if you are writing a blog for school kids, an interesting anecdote at the beginning of the text will be enough to hook them. A good way to understand your audience is to imagine them – it will be easier to create the appropriate text once you know who you are writing to.

Define the Purpose of Your Text

In order to understand how to create a good hook, you have to know exactly what the purpose of your text is. Do you want to thrill your reader? Then start your essay by providing some relevant facts that will scare them. Maybe you want your reader to be amused? Then use a joke as a hook sentence. Understanding why you are creating a piece of writing will help you realize how you want your target audience to feel about it. In other words, think about what you want the readers to take away from the text – thrill, positive emotions, knowledge, etc. Knowing this will ensure you formulate the appropriate hook sentence. If the reason for writing something is clear, the words come easier and the final text becomes more coherent.