The Hook, line and sinker

Every book on how to write always mentions a hook.  You need to hook the reader with the first lines. The first Sentence? The first Paragraph? The first Page?


The reader needs to form a question in his/her mind?  A question they want an answer to, so that they turn the page to find it.


Opening a book with action may not be such a good idea.  The reader needs to feel for the protaganist.  Why woud they care who wins that exciting battle with swords if they don't really know who they should be
rooting for?


Others have mentioned that a reader opens the book to read the first page to see if they want to spend their hard earned money on purchasing that book. An opening hook is important.  I, myself, read the flap and open to the middle and start reading. I want to know if the middle is any good.  Am I the only one that does this?  I can't be.  There needs to be "hooks" throughout the story. 


The Fire in Fiction by Donald Maas, tells us there should be tension on every page.  I agree.  Keep those inner thoughts and dialogue revved with tension.  Make the reader care about the hero, question the antagonist motives, worry about the characters. 


There are 250 words on a page.  When I open a book I am looking at 500 words, in those 500 words there better be something that intrigues me.  Do I want to read on to find out or go back and read what happened before? 


Remember to keep the tension, the questions, and the worry in the reader's mind.  When they stop reading to cook, clean or answer the phone, they think of the story, they need to return to it to find out what is happening. 

What Makes a Page Turner

I read Centennial by James Michener way back in the day. It began with the forming of the west, from the glaciers! At the time I had little kids. I didn’t have time to read about how the west was formed, I wanted the story, the people. I do remember scanning through the pages and finding a story of the first beavers. I stopped and read every word, but when the beavers went away, I scanned until I found where the story of the people really begins. Then I couldn’t put the book down.

 In this day and age, with the web and instant gratification, very few want to read about the land. They want a story. It’s important to research the information about the century you want to write about in your book. But I don’t want a history lesson.


In Prada and Prejudice by Amanda Hubbard, her research of 1800 England shows through in her writing. Not as history, though, as part of the story. Our protagonist, Callie, slips and falls and goes back in time to 1815. Ms. Hubbard tells of the dirt road with lots of ruts, trees, and the large house Callie finally reaches in her Prada heels. Interspersed throughout the story is what clothes are worn, the servants bring water up to the room for baths, and the town with its dress shop and dry goods store. I can visualize this small town outside of London without having to know how it got there. Will she get back to present day? Fall in love with the Duke? Will they find out she is an imposter? Will she find her confidence? Will she ever be able to walk in those damn Prada heels?

 Hook your reader with questions. Some answered quick, some not so quick.