My First Creative Writing Tip! The Hook

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This is a post from the Discovering How You Write section. Click here to go to the Introduction of this section. Click here to find posts under the same section.

This post has an example from someone who reads my blog! Click here to see other posts like this.

If you want your own stories to be posted, head here to find out how!

First sentences, first paragraphs, first pages and first chapters need to be gripping. They’re often described as the ‘hook’.

If your first chapter is boring, the likelihood is your readers are going to put the book down, and they won’t get to discover what amazing stories lie afterwards!

Are you happy with the first chapter/scene of your book? Try and distance yourself from your book (you might find this easier if you leave it for a week or two then come back to it) and think, if you didn’t know what was going to happen, would you want to read on past the end of Chapter One?

If the answer is no, then try to rewrite it!

Make your reader ask questions. What is he doing? Why did she do that? Why did they just say that? How will this character react? Make them want to know what is going to happen next.

Some Examples:

These are my personal favourite ‘hooks’ from my own books. I’ve written if any other authors are writing the book with me.

“Run! Don’t wait, run! Run…” (Reyla and Hara Unnamed Idea, Book One)

Golden Thread is almost unbreakable.
But only almost. (The Character’s Story, Book One)

I can still remember what he said. He has run to the trees, which are already shrouded in darkness. He said to me:
“This is the beginning of the end.” (Maddie and Luke Unnamed Idea, Book One)

I was falling. Again. I didn’t think I would ever stop. (Scarlet Lily, Book Two of The Chronicles of Haven)

I woke up that morning, unaware that today would be the day that would change my life. (Heart of Gold, Book One)

He feels like a dead man. (Mayflower, with Bella — Bella wrote this part)

If you have any more questions about this topic, or advice for other writers on it, or want to tell us what you’ve written because of it, comment below, email me (at writing-website@bat400.com) or say something in the Forum! If commenting on this post in the Forum, or emailing me, please write the title (My First Tip! The Hook) so we know what you’re referring to!

Introduction to the Writer’s Jargon Dictionary!

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This is one of the sections that I’ll be addressing! In this section, I’ll give definitions for all the confusing words that writers use that no one recognises. For example:

  • Persons
  • POV
  • Protagonist

(Yes, it’s just a coincidence.)

If there’s any writing-related word you need to know the meaning of, comment, or ask in the Forum!

To check for posts in these categories, as well as many others, check the main Blog page, or head to the blog feed!

This is a glossary for all those words writers use that you just don’t know the meaning of. I’ve probably missed some of them out, because I’ve got used to them now, but if you want to know the meaning of a word, comment below or in the Forum!

I’ll also be writing posts about the other main sections:

to explain what sections I’ll be going through.

(There isn’t a link to the last one yet because I haven’t posted it.)

Introduction to Writer’s Block Cures!

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This is one of the sections that I’ll be addressing! In this section, I’ll be giving ideas for:

  • Getting your creativity flowing
  • Short scenes/stories

If you want me to write about anything else, comment below, or ask in the Forum!

To check for posts in these categories, as well as many others, check the main Blog page, or head to the blog feed!

If you’ve ever written (or tried to write) a book, you’ll probably have come across a feeling commonly known as writer’s block. (I know I have.) Especially if you really enjoy writing, it can be incredibly annoying. So I’ve come up with some ideas that might help. You can use them as they are or change them to create your own Writer’s Block Cure ideas. You can use characters, settings etc. from your books or make up some more.

Writer’s Block Cures is a series of ideas I’ve come up with to help you if you’re ever stuck when writing. Either they’re ideas to spark your creativity, or for possible scenes which you can add to your book.

Creative Exercises: In these posts, I’ll give you ideas for exercises you can do to get your creativity flowing. They aren’t specific ideas for scenes, but ideas to help you want to write.

Short Scenes or Stories: In these posts, I’ll give you ideas for specific scenes that you might want to write about.

I’ll also be writing posts about the other main sections:

to explain what sections I’ll be going through.

(There isn’t a link to the last one yet because I haven’t posted it yet.)

Introduction to Getting To Know Your Characters!

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This is one of the sections that I’ll be addressing! In this section, I’ll be writing about:

  • Arcs
  • Memories
  • Opinions
  • Voices

If you want me to write about anything else, comment below, or ask in the Forum!

To check for posts in these categories, as well as many others, check the main Blog page, or head to the blog feed!

Getting To Know Your Characters is a series of ideas I’ve come up with to help you find out about your characters. Just like real people, characters are complex beings, and can’t be defined by one simple trait. Throughout a novel, characters change, just as people change.

Arcs: In these posts, I’ll (try to) explain the concept of ‘character arcs’, and give exercises to help you understand your own characters’ arcs better.

Memories: In these posts, I’ll give you exercises to help you get to know you characters’ backstories. What was their home like as a child? Who was their best friend? What memories do they have that affect how they are today?

Opinions: In these posts, I’ll give you exercises to do help you discover how your characters feel about the other people in your story. Does your antagonist secretly admire the protagonist? Does the side-kick think the hero is self-obsessed?

Voices: In these posts, I’ll give you exercises to help you find out how your character speaks. What vocabulary do they use? How do they express what they want to say? How do they differ from other characters?

I’ll also be writing posts about the other main sections:

to explain what sections I’ll be going through.

(There isn’t a link to the last one yet because I haven’t posted it.)

Introduction to Discovering How You Write!

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go to the forum

This is one of the sections that I’ll be addressing! In this section, I’ll be writing about:

  • Description, Action and Dialogue
  • Genres
  • Persons
  • Reader’s attention
  • Scenes
  • Showing and Telling

If you want me to write about anything else, comment below, or ask in the Forum!

To check for posts in these categories, as well as many others, check the main Blog page, or head to the blog feed!

Discovering How You Write is a series of ideas I’ve come up with to help you find out how best you write. Everyone writes differently, so certain styles, genres etc. that work brilliantly for someone won’t be so good for someone else. These posts try to both help you find out how best you write, and, if you want to get better at another type of writing, help you improve!

Description, Action and Dialogue: In these posts, I’ll give you exercises to do with how you write descriptively, with action and conversations. Some people find it easier to tell a story through speech. Others find it easy to describe the setting. Others enjoy telling the readers about what the characters are doing. Some people will find a blend of two or three. (Personally, I’ve never been good at description. I work best with dialogue — probably because I’m a chatterbox!)

Genres: In these posts, I’ll give you exercises to do with different types of genres. Some people will prefer certain genres over others. I, for example, adore fantasy, but couldn’t write a horror book to save my life. If you ever want an exercise about a certain genre, comment, email or post in the Forum!

Persons: In these posts, I’ll give you exercises to do with different persons (i.e. first, second and third). First person is the ‘I/we’ form, second person is the ‘you’ form, and third person is the ‘He/she/it/they’ form.

Reader’s Attention: In these posts, I’ll give you exercises to do with how you can keep your reader’s attention.

Scenes: In these posts, I’ll give you exercises to do with writing different types of scenes.

Showing and Telling: If you’ve ever gone to a writing club or looked at another writing blog, you’ll likely have heard the phrase ‘show don’t tell’. But what does this mean? Is it really the best way to go? Find out in these blog posts!

I’ll also be writing posts about the other main sections:

to explain what sections I’ll be going through.

(There isn’t a link to the last one yet because I haven’t posted it.)

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