Tag: hooking readers

Categories
Kids Lit

Our Most Important Sentence

Kids Lit

Once the dream book is finally contracted, the most important writing starts. Essentially what we write in preparation for the book to sell many, many copies. The HOOK!

Bob Hostetler in his article Hooks and Gimmicks quotes Tamela Hancock Murray:

“A hook is a line that makes the reader say, ‘I’ve GOT to read this NOW!’ A gimmick is when the reader says, ‘Not ANOTHER one of these! I’m soooo tired of this same old same old.’

“Amazon completely dominates the bookselling landscape, controlling over 80% of ebook sales, 65% of online print book sales, and 83% of the U.S. e-reader market.”

The hook is the first sentence of the write up, often in bold face type. Your book’s hook should say: “I’ve GOT to read this NOW!”

I have a picture book coming in 2026 about trees. Every four months or so I check Amazon to see how tree books are being described.

Hook 1: drop a famous name or familiar title

Listening to Trees: George Nakashima, Woodworker by Holly Thompson. Neal Porter/Holiday House

A poetic and moving picture book biography celebrating the life and work of the visionary Japanese American woodworker George Nakashima.

Ecologist Suzanne Simard photographed in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. Two decades ago, while researching her doctoral thesis, Simard discovered that trees communicate to each other.

Mother Aspen: A Story of How Forests Cooperate and Communicate by Annette LeBox. Groundwood Books

A lyrical story of an aspen grove through the seasons, inspired by the ground-breaking work of Dr. Suzanne Simard on how trees and fungi talk to each other.

Hook 2: mention a familiar theme

My Olive Tree by Hazar Elbayya. Anne Schwartz Books/Random House

In this simple, touching picture book about the healing power of a loving community, a girl’s grandpa and her neighbors help her grow an olive tree in a war-torn land.

I am Tree Rex! by Mo Davey. Berbay (Australia)

A character-driven dinosaur story about protecting the environment, one tree at a time. 

Hook 3: tell us about the characters

Wonder of the Woods by Bonnie Kelso. Little Press

A young girl explores the wooded area near her home and encounters a variety of animals that are curious about their new visitor. 

Together, a Forest: Drawing Connections Between Nature’s Diversity and Our Own by Roz MacLean. Henry Holt

Explore a forest with a curious classroom in this breathtaking new picture book by the author of the beloved More Than Words and experience the essential beauty of diversity in humanity and nature.

 Hook 4: Crack out the buzz words

Our Tree by Jessica Meserve. Tiger tales

For readers ages 3-7, this is a stunningly illustrated celebration of tolerance, togetherness, and the power of community.

A Forest Song by Kirsten Hall. Random house

Beautifully illustrated by an award-winning artist, this cento poem about experiencing a forest with all of your senses will make the perfect read-aloud for nature lovers and curious explorers of all ages.

Manuscript sold and contract signed. Begin now to write the Most Important Sentence: the HOOK!

Multi award winning author Robin Currie learned story sharing sitting on the floor during more than 1000 story times. She sold 1.7 M copies of her 40 storybooks and writes stories to read and read again. Watch for her tree book HOOK in 2026!

Categories
Writing for YA

How to Keep Readers Engaged: Interview with Ya Author M.J. Padgett

M. J. Padgett is a YA author and co-owner of Pirate Cat Publishing and I asked her advice about how to keep readers turning pages.

DJS: So much of our time as writers is spent trying to hook a reader, but that’s only part of the task. What do you feel are the most important elements a story needs to keep YA readers engaged?

M.J.: Keeping young adults engaged is a difficult task for anyone, especially a writer. Times change quickly, but the core elements of life pretty much stay the same.

Everyone wants a sense of community, of fitting in, finding people with whom they can create strong, lasting bonds (and maybe some romance.) While slang words and phrases, societal concerns, and social climate might change, those are human needs that rarely disappear.

When writing, I try to remember those things and touch on important topics like family—both good and bad aspects, especially including examples of healthy familial relationships—friendships, and young love. Engaging their thoughts and emotions by putting characters in similar situations they might be experiencing is key, especially in true-to-life books.

In fantasy, a sense of escapism that might help readers see their problems in another light, hopefully one that is positive and aids in growth.

What keeps readers engaged is honest discussion about topics we all face. It’s important to bring a Christian perspective to common concerns, showing teenagers that their feelings are not only understandable but also something we have all faced at some point, then offering them realistic and healthy ways to manage those feelings and situations.

DJS: What are some common pitfalls you’ve seen that can cause a reader of teen fiction to lose interest?

M.J.: Recently, many of my YA readers have voiced the same concerns–YA content has become too adult for their liking. Extensive scenes where teens are sexualized and often exploited, characters that are abusive in one way or another are portrayed as desirable, and too political content turns them off. They want to feel, but they want to do it in a healthy way.

DJS: Some stories for teens and YA readers seem to be long-lived favorites. What are your favorites among older literature, and what do you think makes them so timeless? 

M.J.: The Anne of Green Gables series, Little House on the Prairie, Little Women, and so on are all classics I see resurface among YA readers from time to time. I think, even though they might contain some worrisome topics here and there, they represent a time when literature was more wholesome and realistic. They told tales people related to and in a way that people can still relate to today. I think they survived because their authors knew how to write good stories that would stand the test of time and change.

Writing is M. J. Padgett’s true passion (after raising her daughter, of course), and she writes as often as possible. When it comes to reading, she loves a book that can make her forget where she is no matter the genre. If she can get lost and feel like the characters are her real friends, she’s a happy reader.

M.J.’s latest release is the YA Fantasy, Dark and Devious.

Something dark and devious lurks in the moors around Roisin Dubh’s home, and it’s her duty to stamp it out before it gets its claws into the humans she’s vowed to protect.… even though those humans would kill her on sight if they knew she was Fae.

Roisin is bound by a vow to protect the humans of Gwenlyre from dark Fae at all costs, but now something sinister has entered Gwenlyre, and it will strain Roisin’s vows – and her heart – to their limits.

M. J.’s Website: https://www.mjpadgettbooks.com/

Instagram: @M.J. Padgett

Pirate Cat Publishing is a platform offering clean YA in consumable form along with loads of bonuses.  https://www.piratecatpublishing.com/join

Donna Jo Stone writes YA contemporary novels about tough issues but always ends the stories with a note of hope. She blogs at donnajostone.com.

Categories
Mastering Middle Grade

Hooks

I recently read a few middle grade novels I could not put down, even when sleep called loud and clear. What compelled me to keep turning pages? Instead of giving me an easy stopping place, the authors ended most chapters with a hook that made me want to know more.

So, what is a hook and how can you use it to help you achieve the same effect?

The Hook

A hook is when an author deliberately crafts the last few lines in a chapter in a manner that pulls the reader into the next chapter. Think of it like a fish lured by a promising dinner prospect, only to find itself hooked and unable to swim away.

Let’s look at four different ‘hooking methods’ used in middle grade books I’ve read recently.

Ask a Question

 Mom said they died in an accident when she was a teenager. But was that true?

Wraithwood, Chapter 3, by Alyssa Roat

In this chapter, Roat reveals some mysteries about the main character’s past. Rather than verifying these nuggets as truth, she asks a question that plants doubt in the reader’s mind, making them want to explore further and seek the answer.

Asking a question is how advertisers (and scammers) often slip past our defenses too. Ever pick up a call and hear, “Do you know when your homeowner’s insurance expires?” The listener feels compelled to answer, which draws them into a conversation with the seller. That’s how it works in writing too. We are naturally wired to seek answers to questions.

Look through your own work in progress. Are there chapters you could end with a question to plant seeds of curiosity?

Stop in the Middle of Action

Right as she did so, something grabbed her leg.

The Cassandra Curse, Chapter 7, by Hope Bolinger

Ending a chapter in the middle of action, commonly known as a cliffhanger, is another great hook an author can use. We think we’re about to learn something important to the plot when the chapter suddenly ends. Are we going to stop reading there? Of course not! We’ve got to know who or what grabbed her, and what happened after that. Leaving the issue unresolved puts an itch under the reader’s skin that must be scratched by continuing to read. Television series often employ this trick in their storylines, and I can’t count how many times that has led me to binge watch an entire series.

If you have a large chunk of action, this might be a great technique for you to use. Instead of a longer chapter with a resolution at the end, break the action into two or more chapters, leaving your main character in a dire predicament in the final lines.

Raise the Tension

She still couldn’t shake the feeling that the blurry shapes were following her home.

Legend of the Storm Sneezer, Entry 4, by Kristiana Sfirlea

Raising the tension is not a case of a break in action. In the example above, the action is slowing as the character heads home. The words, “she still couldn’t shake the feeling” sharpens the scene’s mood and the reader’s apprehension. It causes the tension to rise, and the reader can’t walk away from the book without knowing what happens next.

To use this method, look for chapters you have ended in a manner that could lead to closing the book—like going to bed or saying goodbye. Then add one more comment that will cause the reader to wonder. Select words that paint an appropriate tone for the next chapter.

Introduce a New Character or Upcoming Event

A tall, dark figure had been coming down the hall toward her, a black cloak flapping behind him, his boots thumping on the creaking floorboards. 

Wraithwood, Chapter 1, by Alyssa Roat

When you pass a stretch of highway and spot flashing lights and a car, how often do you rubberneck—stare to find out if it’s an accident or an arrest or speeding? That’s the idea behind this method. You give a brief snapshot, like the highway accident, and let the reader’s curiosity drive them forward.

Look for opportunities to use this technique in your manuscript. End your chapter by showing us the new character but save all the details or even their true identity for the chapters that follow.

The power of a hook cannot be underestimated. Re-read some of the books you love, the ones you stayed up reading late into the night. Study the final lines of each chapter and look for how the author hooks you into reading the next chapter. Learn from these masters and catch yourself an audience!

Do you have an example of a great hook? If so, please share in the comments below. You might just hook me into reading your story.

Elementary school teacher Lori Z. Scott usually writes fiction. Her down time is filled with two quirky habits: chronic doodling and inventing lame jokes. Neither one impresses her principal (or friends/parents/dogs/casual strangers), but they do help inspire her writing.

Somehow, her odd musings led her to accidentally write a ten-title bestselling chapter book series and on purpose write over 175 short stories, articles, essays, poems, and devotions. Lori also contributed to over a dozen books.

Lori enjoys speaking, leading workshops, and visiting local elementary schools to share her writing journey. Follow her on Instagram @Lori.Z.Scott.

Categories
Book Proposals

How to Grab Attention in Your Opening Paragraph

 “Don’t Bury the Lead” is a common instruction to new writers. Literary agents and editors receive high volumes of email and physical submissions. If your prime material is over on page six, it may never be read. According to some at any given time there are over a million manuscripts and proposals in the in boxes of agents and editors. With that volume of material, most of us have seconds to give a submission and decide if we are going to do anything other than delete it (yes harsh but the truth).

As writers, it is our task to capture this attention and get the recipient to keep reading and ultimately to work with you on getting that submission published. Your words count and will be the attention-getter for that individual.

There are many ways to capture positive attention from these professionals. Almost every element of a book proposal is important. If you don’t know what goes into a book proposal, then I would encourage you to begin there. Every writer—even if you self-publish needs a book proposal because this document contains information which does not appear in your manuscript but is your business plan for your book.

In this article, I’m encouraging every writer should give their opening paragraph a little bit of extra polish before sending it. Here’s a number of ways to get read:

man working on an article

Tips for an attention-grabbing opening paragraph

1. Begin with a startling statistic related to your book or yourself. If you have millions of potential readers for your topic, beginning with this statistic captures attention. Also if you have a large email list or a social media following, this statistic can kick start the reading process.

2. Ask an intriguing question. A thought-provoking question is another great beginning to a proposal.

3. Open with an engaging story. Everyone loves a moving story. If you can tell this story in a few words with intrigue or entertainment, you pull the editor or agent into your proposal.

Whatever method you use, it is important to get the editor or agent reading your submission. Several years ago I interviewed another acquisitions editor and asked how he found a good submission. He answered: “Terry, I read the first sentence and if it is a good sentence I read the next sentence. If it is a good paragraph, I read the next paragraph and if it is a good page, I read the next page.” This editor revealed if it is a poor sentence or paragraph or page, he stops and goes on to the next submission. To learn more about proposals, I encourage you to check out my free webinar: askaboutproposals.com

Writers have confided to me their key material in the sixth chapter. My advice: don’t do it. Your reader may never get there. Start your proposal with a bang.

W. Terry Whalin, a writer and acquisitions editor lives in Colorado. A former magazine editor and former literary agent, Terry is an acquisitions editor at Morgan James Publishing. He has written more than 60 nonfiction books including Jumpstart Your Publishing Dreams and Billy Graham. Get Terry’s newest book, 10 Publishing Myths for only $10, free shipping and bonuses worth over $200. To help writers catch the attention of editors and agents, Terry wrote his bestselling Book Proposals That $ell, 21 Secrets To Speed Your Success. The revised and updated edition will release October 5th. Check out his free Ebook, Platform Building Ideas for Every Author. His website is located at: www.terrywhalin.com. Connect with Terry on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Categories
Guest Posts

7 Steps to Write a Great Book Description

Guest posts

Let’s think like a potential reader for a second. We’re looking for a book to buy, and searching through our favorite genre. We see a book cover that intrigues us, but we need more. What’s the next thing we’ll do? We’ll read the book description. This goes for online shopping as well as for buying a book in a bookstore. The readers all follow these steps.

That means that you as the author need to write a great book description that will hook potential readers into buying your book. If you’re not sure how to write a great book description, just keep reading.

Here are the 7 ultimate steps for nailing your book description.

1. Open on a Strong Note

When you’re writing your book description, you need to keep one thing in mind. Potential readers don’t have the time to read dozens of book descriptions. They’ll only read the ones that speak to them from the first line.

This is why your opening lines should be:

  • intriguing
  • shocking
  • mystical
  • attention-grabbing

Make sure that you open on a strong note to inspire the potential readers to keep reading.

2. Don’t Reveal Too Much

Nobody wants to know what happens in your book before they decide to read it. It would be a huge mistake to reveal the most important plot twists or storylines in your book description.

Instead, you need to choose a small fraction of your book’s storyline and share it in the description. Make sure to:

  • reveal no crucial moments of the book
  • give minor hints of what to expect
  • leave an open question that the readers will answer if the read the book

Give them just enough to help them imagine what your book might be like, and imagine themselves reading it.

3. Keep it Short

You don’t want to scare off any of your potential readers by making the description too long. It would be much more effective to keep it short, but to make sure it has all the elements:

  • it’s informative
  • it’s concise
  • it’s to the point

Don’t waste any words on poetic descriptions and vague sentences. Instead, make sure every word counts and reveals something special about your book.

4. Explain What the Book Offers

You want to make sure your book description speaks to your target readers. The best way to do it is to tell them why they need to read it.

Explain what the book offers to the readers to help them decide whether to buy it or not. For example, it could offer:

  • an emotional chronicle of a Jewish family’s life during WWII
  • a passionate love story that was never supposed to happen
  • a complex and emotional thriller that gives insight into the minds of both the good and bad

Make sure to reveal the value of the book and give the readers an additional reason to buy it.

5. Optimize For Google

Selling your book online means knowing how to optimize for Google searches. You have to think like a potential reader and understand the phrases they might be typing in the search box.

For example:

  • a female-empowered adult drama book
  • children’s fantasy novel
  • an adults’ romance novel

Figure out what they’re going to google and use those phrases in your book description. Make sure they fit naturally, or you’ll lose the quality of the description.

6. Create Several Drafts

When writing your book description, chances are you won’t get it right the first time. Try creating several different drafts to explore different angles and approaches.

Then, let them rest for a day or two.

Go back to them and:

  • read each one like you’re seeing it for the first time
  • read it like a potential book buyer
  • make notes about each one
  • choose the best one

In case you need any help with writing your book description, there are professional essay writers who can help you nail it.

7. Show Your Writing Style

Your book description is supposed to reveal something about the emotion, atmosphere, or sensibility of the book. This is why you need to write it in accordance with the book’s content.

Make sure to:

  • show your writing style
  • show your uniqueness
  • let them feel your energy

Make the book description a preview of what’s waiting inside the pages.

Final Thoughts

Writing a great book is not enough to make it a hit that sells like crazy. You need to do all the extra work for promoting it and making sure it reaches the right audience.

The tips above will help you write a great book description. Use them to help your book reach its full potential.

Jessica Fender is a professional writer and educational blogger at Bestwritingadvisor, an aggregator for useful college resources and websites. Jessica enjoys sharing her ideas to make writing and learning fun.

Categories
Devotional/Christian Living

Gotcha! How to Write a Compelling Devotional Hook

A short form devotional has three sections: a hook, a Bible passage connection, and a connection to the life of faith.

Here are three things that will make your devotional hook compelling to the readers:

1. Begin with the end in mind.

The hook should get the reader thinking about the connection to the life of faith that you will make at the end of your devotional. Before I write a devotional, I read the Bible passage several times and list out the possible application points that are presented in the passage. I pick out only one of these as the focus. If there is not a clear command to follow in the passage, I look to see what the passage tells us about who God is and how that particular aspect of God’s character impacts our lives. Make sure that the hook pulls the reader towards the one focus point of the passage.

2. Draw from a variety of sources.

Use stories or illustrations from history, science, nature, or personal experience. Know your audience. Are you writing the devotional for women? Men? Both? Older or younger people? Make sure that the hook you share will be relatable to your readers. Take care to make your hook understandable across cultures since many devotional markets have an international audience. If you are writing a group of devotionals, make sure that there is variety in your hooks.

3. Use descriptive language.

If you are writing a devotional for a publication, they will have guidelines for a word count. Most of the time, you will have between 270-400 words. You need to make sure every word counts. Budget some of those words to use descriptive language in the hook. You want your reader to paint a picture in her mind so that her heart is ready to hear God’s truth and to remember it. Use words that convey emotion as well.

how to write a compelling devotional hook

If you are interested in writing devotionals, keep a notebook nearby during your regular Bible reading. When the Holy Spirit bring a truth to your attention and how it relates to your life, jot it down. From these writings you can write a devotional and submit it to one of these seven places that have open submissions.

Rachel Schmoyer is a pastor’s wife who is loving her church life. She writes about the hard parts of Scripture at readthehardparts.com. She has had devotionals published in the past, but now she is looking forward to getting her first Christian Living book published. You can connect with Rachel on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Categories
Mystery/Thriller/Suspense

Setting the Hook

mystery suspense thriller

Without a perfect bait a fisherman loses their chance in catching a fish. They must take their time and ease that wiggly worm onto the hook before lowering their line into the water. It’s just as important for a writer to do the same with a novel. Forget the worms and the book will fall flat. How can we do this? Here are some important areas we should reel in on in order for our mystery/suspense/thrillers to be noticed and not cast back into the lake.

Great first lines – Most readers will shop for a book by reading that very first line. It doesn’t matter if the next chapter is amazing. If the opening doesn’t hook, the reader will go fishing elsewhere. This is especially true for works of suspense. We want to set up the mystery right from the first sentence. Every word needs to be carefully chosen. We must edit and re-read the beginning over and over until we get it right. Think about these openings. “Once upon a time…” or “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”—Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities. These are first lines we’ve remembered over the years. They stood the test of time and caught the reader’s attention. Let’s do the same.

Inciting incident – What exactly is this? It’s the event that the character is thrust into that shatters their world and changes it forever. Doesn’t necessarily have to be action-packed, but it has to be trouble for the main character. Loss of spouse, fired from their job, news of a health condition. Of course, for suspense writers it could be the character is kidnapped, witnessed a murder, found out their identity was stolen. The problem must not just scratch the surface but be a story that is sustainable as well as develop the character’s arc. It has to be resolved by the end of the book. Create an inciting incident that will sink your reader into wanting more.

Introducing characters – Just like in an interview, first impressions are extremely important. We need to give the reader reasons to like them. What should we consider to set the hook? Descriptions are important. We don’t want them to appear mousey or brazen. Give small snippets of personality and appearance. The mystery will leave the reader turning the pages to find out more. How does the character talk? What sets their dialogue apart from secondary characters? These are areas we need to think about so the hero and heroine will stand out on the page and make them believable.

Backstory – This is the character’s past. How did they grow up? What traumatic event happened that affects the way they deal with the inciting incident? Backstory is important, but we need to know the right timing of when it should appear. Not too much in the first fifty pages—just snippets to lure the reader. Then as the story progresses more backstory is given. However, do it carefully. We don’t want to take the reader out of the story. Weave it in and it will create a powerful tale.

Foreshadowing – This can be done effectively or totally fizzle in the beginning chapter. We need to be careful how we foreshadow upcoming events. Giving away too much robs the reader of the joy of figuring out the clues of the thriller. They like to be surprised. However, if we don’t give at least a hint of something to come, the reader may be disappointed and stop reading. Reel them in with the mystery!

These are just some areas to consider in writing the first chapter. Ending chapter one with an unanswered question will intrigue the reader to turn that page to find out the answer.

Baiting the reader at the beginning will ensure a great catch! Let’s get our lures right the first time by setting the hook with a powerful suspenseful opening.

How do you set the hook? Share your thoughts on what works for you.

Darlene L. Turner writes romantic suspense and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. She won the 2019 and 2016 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense contest. She was a finalist in the 2019 ACFW Genesis contest and won in 2017. She lives with her husband in the Forest City of London, Ontario. Darlene’s debut novel, Border Breach, will release in April, 2020 and is now available to pre-order. Click here to order.

Visit Darlene at her website, where she believes there’s suspense beyond borders

Social Media links:

Facebook: darlene.turner.902

Twitter: darlenelturner

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Categories
Fantasy-Sci-Fi

The Tightrope We Must Walk

Your main character stands on the edge of a cliff, a five hundred foot drop to jagged rocks below. The villain steadily creeps up, but as a reader, I haven’t connected with your MC yet. I might keep reading because I’m curious to find out what happens, but my heart isn’t involved.

Curiosity doesn’t drive story, heart does.

So, what makes a story compelling? How well we balance tension and character development.

If I don’t care about your MC, the tension won’t matter.

If I care about your MC but there’s no tension, I’ll put the book down.

For fantasy and science fiction, it’s especially important to establish an empathetic main character before bringing in too much tension.

Fantasy and science fiction require good amounts of world building. If I’m a reader trying to both 1) connect to a character from another world and, 2) understand the world the character is in, I’m going to need some help.

As the writer, this is where you shine.

Weave in backstory to reveal the heart of your main character.

Say your first scene starts with a battle. Your reader has no idea who your main character is as a person, what his/her desires are, or what brought them into this battle. Your reader might be curious to see if your MC survives without getting injured, but their heart isn’t in your story yet.

Time to drop in backstory! Have them save a child right before the dragon gets to him (commonly called a pet-the-dog moment), and then have a secondary character say something that reveals a growth in character arc: “I couldn’t have done that if I was her, not after_____.” Please don’t be that obvious, but for the sake of example, bear with me!

Reveal a weakness and why it’s a weakness.

I bet if you’re afraid of something today, it’s because you had a negative experience with it previously. Same goes for your main character (or any, for that matter). Let’s say your MC is a pirate from centuries past who’s turned over a new leaf and now helps ships lost at sea, saving the passengers. He’s brave and daring but terrified of the dark.

Your reader’s likely curious why he’s afraid, but we need to grab your reader’s heart. Instead of leaving it at “he’s afraid of the dark,” drop in some dialogue where your MC and a secondary character chat about how your MC and his family were caught in a huge ocean storm, his daughter was swept overboard, and because it was dark he couldn’t find her.

Now your MC is someone your reader can empathize with. Now your reader has some heart in your story.

Maintaining the right balance between tension and character development is a tightrope all writers have to walk, but done well, it draws readers in not just out of curiosity, but because their heart is invested in your story.

That’s a story worth writing!

Sarah Rexford is a Marketing Content Writer, working with brands to grow their audience reach. She studied Strategic Communications at Cornerstone University and focused on writing during her time there, completing two full-length manuscripts while a full-time student. Currently she trains under best-selling author Jerry Jenkins in his Your Novel Blueprint course and is actively seeking publication for two books.

Instagram: @sarahjrexford
Twitter: @sarahjrexford
Web: itssarahrexford.com