You may think this is a strange title for a blog post about writing, but I'll explain.
THE HOOK
Fishing requires a hook, That sharp metal barb on which the poor worm is impaled.
Writing also requires a hook.
In writing, the hook is the first sentence. Not just any sentence but a strong introductory sentence.
The importance of this first sentence cannot be overestimated. It’s the key to getting readers to read what you write whether that's a blog, essay, magazine article, short story, or book. In the writing biz, we call that the hook sentence of course.
A writer has only a few seconds to hook the reader.
BAITING THE HOOK
When you fish, you bait the hook by putting a worm on it. In writing, the bait is the title of your book and/or the cover.
Just as a wiggling worm captures the attention of a fish, a writer captures a reader's attention with the title and cover so that the book browser stops and takes a closer look at your book—just as a fish swimming by stops to look at the worm.
Once the hook is baited, the fisher waits for the fish to bite. In the book world, once the reader’s attention is caught by the title, the cover, or maybe the author's name, you have a few seconds to see if the reader bites.
SETTING THE HOOK
When a fish goes after the worm, the hook is set and the fish can be reeled in.
When a book browser reads the first sentence which is so compelling that the next couple of sentences are also read, the hook is set. The browser is tranformed into a book buyer, and you get to reel in your catch.
TAKEAWAY TRUTH
Another way fishing and writing are alike is that both take patience.Come back tomorrow for 5 Ways to Create Great Hook Sentences.
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