In "How to Tell a Story", Peter Rubie and Gary Provost have this to say about hooking the reader:

"Ever thought of yourself as a fisherman, baiting, luring and snagging your reader? Hooks bring to mind sharp metal objects with worms attached, wiggling invitingly to fish that become snagged fast on the end of fishing lines.

"Hooking a reader is about catching that reader from the outset: no explanations, no setup or slow windup to your story, but bang - straight into it. It's about going for the jugular, in a literary sense; and some of the most susceptible readers to this form of writing are editors and agents. Hook them, and you'll get published not just once, but consistently."

Like most other writers and editors, I can identify with this - to some extent. I often speak in terms of 'hooking" the reader. But when I think about what it really means... it's not fishing hooks that come to mind, but curtains. Not 'sharp metal objects', but flowing fabric.

Curtains????

Having read the introductory paragraphs above, I know that some of you are already sitting there thinking: "But I don't need one of those high-action starts. 'Go for the jugular?' No... I'm quite happy to sit down and read a book that quietly draws me into the character's world..."

Well, so am I - sometimes. You see, there's no one type of opening that gets me in. Some books I read plunge me into the middle of the action right away, and I'm happy to hang on for the ride, breathlessly waiting to see what happens next. Others just make me want to know more, and I keep turning pages to find out what I want to know. But the key is this: whatever the pacing is to begin with, the author has crafted the beginning in such a way that I am SOMEHOW "drawn into the character's world".

That phrase "drawn into" implies involvement. It shows that I'm interested (if I were not, I'd be slamming the book closed and looking for something else to read).

If the pacing is not the issue, then what is? How, exactly, can the author make sure that readers become involved? Is there a trick to hooking readers?

What captures your attention right at the beginning? What makes you want to read on?

Hooking Your Reader - It's All About Craft

There is no 'trick' to getting your reader involved. Rather, it's a matter of applying your craft. A good craftsperson (in any field) learns that to achieve a certain outcome, you need to perform a related action. If you're a fisherman, you'll realize there's craft involved in fly-tying - you have to prepare the components to get the required result. But let's get away from the fishing analogy and talk about making curtains. Now, making a basic curtain is not brain surgery. So why do so many people get it wrong? Either they don't measure properly to begin with, or they don't pin the hems before they sew. Measure properly, pin carefully, iron as you go - and it's hard not to end up with a satisfactory curtain. It is, after all, just a rectangle with hems.

Let's relate curtain-making to crafting a good beginning.

To Make a Good Curtain:

(1) Measure, (2) Pin, (3) Iron, (4) Sew (5) Hang.

Result? One evenly-sewn curtain that hangs straight in attractive folds.

To Craft a Good Beginning:

(1) Measure (Get the measure of your readers. What will hook them - fast start, deep characterization, woman in jeopardy... what else? What's the best 'hook' that you can craft from your main character's situation?)

(2) Pin (Pin down your beginning. Think it through - why will this work? Write a rough draft. Sit back and look at it. Does it look right? Do you need to take the pins out and move the fabric slightly?)

(3) Iron (Apply heat. Smash out the wrinkles. Make sure the fabric of your story is smooth and ready to be seen in public. Then read it out loud. Does it sound good?)

(4) Sew. (This is it. It's all in place - but it won't stay there until you stitch it up. You have to 'sew' the opening on to the rest of the chapter. A great beginning doesn't work unless it flows smoothly into the rest of the story. Remember, you're drawing the reader into the plot. It's like looking at the overall fall of the fabric - the craftsmanship that goes into it has to be right, or the result disappoints.)

(5) Hang. (Your finished chapter is ready. You're going to display it where everyone can see it, just like a curtain at a window. If it doesn't hang together... they'll dismiss the results.)

Yes, a basic curtain is just a rectangle with a hem.

Yes, a first chapter is just the beginning of someone's story.

But the craftsmanship that goes into either determines the overlook LOOK, the overall IMPRESSION and the overall EMOTION that the finished product arouses in the reader. Craft your opening carefully and you are sure to hook the reader.

6 Quick Tips on Hooking Any Reader

1. Craft a beginning that makes an implicit PROMISE. (A romance promises to entertain; to prove the value of love. A murder mystery promises intrigue, horror and suspense. A techno-thriller promises fascinating technology laced with suspense.) What does YOUR beginning promise? How can you make good on that promise?

2. Focus on an important CHARACTER. Usually that will be the LEAD or one of the other main characters. The reader is ready to identify with someone right away... so make sure you create the right impression and get the reader INVOLVED in this person's story.

3. Introduce CONFLICT. This doesn't have to be car-chase type conflict, or a fight, or a knock-down, drag-out argument. Conflict can be a character's inner turmoil. The sooner you introduce conflict, the sooner you hook your reader. The over-riding question in your reader's mind should be something like "What's she going to do now?" or "How's he going to solve this one?"

4. Set the right TONE. Readers like to know where they stand from the start. Is this novel going to be a comedy? A heart-stopping adventure? A mystery? Choose words and emotions carefully to set the tone from the very first page.

5. Break up the FIRST FIVE PAGES and see whether it works, bit by bit.

Does the first paragraph make the reader want to know more? Does the first page arouse curiosity or empathy for the main character? Is this interest sustained over the first TWO pages? What about the first FIVE? The 'first five pages' test is a good one. Nearly every writer can write a gripping opening paragraph. Most can achieve a good first page. But after that... it's sad but true: some writers just can't help themselves. They decide that having 'hooked the reader' on the first page, they can now relax and start explaining the background. Aaarrgghh! (Kiss of death.)

6. A good opening hook is CUMULATIVE. When you craft a good opening, keep building to a good chapter hook. At the end of the chapter, the reader should be be so captivated by the story that she HAS to keep reading. And so it goes on... really, a carefully-crafted opening is nothing but the curtain-raiser for the rest of the book. The implicit promise in a good beginning is that the whole book will be a good read.

Don't let your reader down. Make your story fabric hang in graceful folds. The reader will never know the amount of craftsmanship that went into achieving that perfect finish. And why should they? All you care is that they'll admire the result... and want to come back for more.