The beginning is possibly the most important part of a story. For the writer, it’s do-or-die territory. If you don’t get a reader interested in the story right from the start, their journey through the book isn’t going to be as enjoyable—or they may not even make it through the book at all. So stay tuned for some tips on how to write a great Hook!

First, we need to talk about what the Hook actually is. Generally speaking, it’s the very beginning of a story, ranging from the first scene to the first few chapters (depending on the story’s length and pacing). The Hook is kind of a first-impressions moment for your readers. You’ll introduce them to the most important elements in your story—the plot, the setting, and the characters.

(Note: When I say “plot,” I mean the general happenings of the story, not the true conflict. This won’t come into play until the First Plot Point, and won’t really even be hinted at until the Inciting Event.)

I think by now you’ve seen why the Hook is so important. If you don’t hook your readers in now, there’s a distinct possibility that you never will. So let’s take a look at some helpful points to keep in mind when writing your story’s Hook:

1. An overall question

This is what most people think of when they hear the word “hook” in a story context. Whether you’re opening your story in medias res (in the middle of things) with witty dialogue and/or action, or whether you’re drawing your readers out slowly with description, you need to introduce a question. Something that will keep your readers reading… something that will intrigue them.

“Beyond the Mask” begins rather slowly, echoing the mysterious air of the film. While music plays, Will narrates a somewhat cryptic set of paragraphs. But since this is an action movie, it doesn’t stay so peaceful for long…

The camera pans to a British navy ship sailing peacefully past a stone tower in the middle of the night. Suddenly, the doors of the tower open, and William Reynolds, assassin, marches out and begins unpacking a rifle. His colleague steps up beside him with a measuring instrument, and Will brings the gun to his shoulder, saying, “Call the shot, Mr. Brand,” and adding under his breath, “One last time.”

This Hook provides many questions—namely, “Who are these guys?” and “What are they doing?” (Also, if you’re observant enough to catch Will’s muttered statement, you might ask the questions, “Why is this the last time?” or “The last time for what?”) Then more questions are added to the mix as Will shoots two of the soldiers aboard the ship, and he and his companion pull up their masks, zip-lining down to the boat.

“In Time of Need” begins at a slower pace… we start as morning dawns in London, England, and the city begins to awaken. Then we pan on to Beasley’s Tenement house, where children are sleeping in a room upstairs. Suddenly, that’s all interrupted when Mr. Beasley comes marching in through the door. He begins to shake the kids awake, becoming infuriated by the accidental impudence of a half-asleep boy named Tad Griffin. The scene ends after Tad greets his little sister, Ava, and runs off to the factory, worried that he’ll be late.

The question in this Hook is really just, “Will Tad be late for work?” Since this is a short story, however, more questions are soon to follow.

You might think that the good questions are only found in action-packed stories—the ones that have you on the edge of your seat, wondering whether or not the character will survive. However, there are many questions that can be asked in slower-moving stories, as well.

It all depends on if the audience cares about the characters. If they do, then they will follow your story wherever it goes, no matter how slow-moving it might seem at times. (More on this when we get to Point #3.)

As in the case of “In Time of Need,” the story isn’t necessarily action-packed. The Hook is not full of gunfights and chase scenes—instead, we are given verbal and internal conflict. But this can be just as useful when trying to draw readers in. If they’re only reading your story for the big explosions and flashy fireworks, they aren’t going to get anything out of it in the end.

(Note: Be careful not to lie to your readers when you’re trying to hook them. Make sure that whatever the hook promises will be fulfilled later on. If you open with action, your audience will expect the story to be action-packed. And, above all, be careful when opening with a dream sequence. When used improperly, it can mislead, confuse, and lie to a reader about what the story is about.)

So whether your story’s opening question is simply “What’s going to happen next?”, or “Why did the character do that?”, make sure that you keep your audience engaged with what’s happening.

2. Setting introduction

There are many different methods you can use to introduce setting. Sometimes, it’s done with a bit of description before the dialogue ever begins, and sometimes little descriptions are thrown in between dialogue and action. And some writers use a little of both.

However, you have to be careful of a few pitfalls. First, make sure you’re not describing things too little. In some stories, it seems like the characters are just talking in an empty room because of the lack of description. You want your readers to be able to see the setting in their mind’s eye, so give them something to go on.

Second, make sure you’re not describing the setting too much. Most characters don’t automatically pause at the threshold of a room to take note of every piece of furniture. (Yes, I’ve actually seen that done in stories before.) Of course, there might be exceptions if the character is extremely paranoid, cautious, or attentive to detail.

To avoid the above pitfalls, you can mention one or two things that might stand out in the room. Other elements can be thrown in throughout the scene. (“She walked over to the polished mahogany desk.” or “From behind a shadowy stack of cardboard boxes in the corner, there came an eerie moan.”) And there are some things that you just don’t need to describe (like the type of flooring or the little crack in the ceiling). If you’ve done your job right, readers will be able to fill in the gaps using their own imagination.

In “Beyond the Mask,” we start out right away hearing Will speak in British accent, and the words “19^th century” immediately fly through our minds. (At least, they flew through mine.) This is followed up by the navy ship and the tower, plus the costumes—all decidedly 19^th century. Since the movie takes place in many different places, “19^th century” is really the only setting that needs to be introduced.

In “In Time of Need,” we got a glimpse of London during the brief description at the beginning of the story. A scene later, we see more of the city through Tad’s eyes as he dashes through the streets on his way to the factory.

3. Character introduction

Not only do you have to introduce your MC, but also any supporting characters that are around for the beginning of the story. Of course, some supporting characters won’t be introduced until later on, and the antagonist doesn’t have to be personally on set until later on. (This all depends on your story’s needs.)

There are three things you’ll need to remember when introducing the supporting characters:

1. Their Lie (or Truth, depending on their arc)
2. Their Want (or Goal)
3. Their Ghost (or Backstory)

(Note: Sometimes, a character’s Ghost/Backstory won’t be revealed until later on in the story, but it’s still good to keep it in mind as you’re introducing them.)

As for introducing the MC, you’ll need to remember the same points—their Lie, their Want, and their Ghost. But since they’re the protagonist, we get to introduce them in a special way. And this is done through something called the Characteristic Moment.

This moment introduces your MC’s personality—and even their strengths and weaknesses—all in one scene. Of course, you can leave some things for the audience to learn later on, but we want to show exactly who the MC is.

The best way to introduce the MC is to put them under a little heat. This might be a friendly argument, a secret mission gone wrong, or a backhanded comment from their archnemesis. Then just let them do what they do best—and do it according to their Lie. Show how serious they are about living according to the Lie and getting their Want. Depending on their personality, they might use a witty comeback, withdraw into their mind, or come to blows. But they will always hold fast to their Lie.

The Characteristic Moment in “Beyond the Mask” is made up of two scenes, really. The first scene, which we’ve already discussed, introduces Will Reynolds, the assassin. The next scene, where Will approaches Charles Kemp and quits the EIC, shows his determination to no longer be an assassin. We’re also shown his Want (redemption), and his Lie (that he can redeem himself).

In “In Time of Need,” the Characteristic Moment is brief because of the shortness of the overall story. We see Tad’s Want in the first scene when he tells Ava he wishes he could stay at the tenement house with her. The Lie actually gets introduced at the Inciting Event but, again, since this is a short story, the plot points are all roughly equal to one scene. So the Lie comes into play only one scene later, during Tad’s conversation with Reverend Sheppard.

To add to the Characteristic Moment, we have to make sure that the audience cares about the MC. But with their vehement loyalty to their Lie, how can we make them still seem likable? Especially since some MCs’ flaws are such a huge part of their personality.

The answer to this is what we call “petting the dog.” This means that you’ll create a scene early on in the story where the MC protects someone or something weaker than he is. (Make sure this scene still fits into the plot… an out-of-place scene will just confuse readers.)

This “pet the dog” method is really just portraying the potential of a character, which I talk about in this post here.

In “Beyond the Mask,” Will’s new life as a minister after almost dying shows viewers his good side. The way he tries to be a good reverend even though he knows virtually nothing about God—and the way he interacts with Charlotte—shows that he is capable of doing at least some good. (Though, as he will later learn, he can never be good enough.)

In “In Time of Need,” Tad pets the dog by showing his affection and protective instincts for his sister throughout the story—though particularly in the first scene.

Your character could own a pet, pick up trash on the side of the road, or polish their grandma’s favorite tea set every day. In the case of Carl Fredrickson from the movie “Up,” we sympathize with him because of his love for his deceased wife.

Here are some more examples of Hooks:

1. The birth of Jesus; Messala’s return to Jerusalem (“Ben-Hur”)
2. Carl meets Ellie; Married life (“Up”)
3. Prayers for George; Who is George Bailey? (“It’s a Wonderful Life”)
4. Riley is born; Introduction to Riley’s mind (“Inside Out”)

And that’s all for today! Don’t forget about the Positive Change Arc template I linked to at the beginning of this series… it’s helpful to follow along with, even if you don’t fill it out.

Comment below what your favorite book or movie’s Hook is!