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Write a Brilliant Hook: 5 Easy Steps to Writing your Scene and Story Hook
Need help starting your story?
Learn how to hook your reader with your opening line!
In today’s competitive book market, a writer needs to capture their reader in the first paragraph, if not the first line. A good hook sets the tone for a book, gives voice to the character, and immediately draws the reader into the story.
There are plenty of great writing books that offer ideas on what kind of first line to write, but how do you find the right words? Best-selling, RITA and CHRISTY award-winning novelist, and nationally acclaimed writing instructor Susan May Warren has spent a decade teaching novelists how to write brilliant stories — starting with hooking their reader with the first line. Using her simple SHARP technique, you’ll
• How to make your reader care about your character
• How to immediately anchor your reader into the story
• How to raise a thematic question that makes your reader curious
• How to plunge your reader into the story action
• How to tap into your reader’s emotions — and use them to keep your reader turning pages
With examples and application questions, you’ll discover the perfect first line for your story that will hook your reader!
Learn how to hook your reader with your opening line!
In today’s competitive book market, a writer needs to capture their reader in the first paragraph, if not the first line. A good hook sets the tone for a book, gives voice to the character, and immediately draws the reader into the story.
There are plenty of great writing books that offer ideas on what kind of first line to write, but how do you find the right words? Best-selling, RITA and CHRISTY award-winning novelist, and nationally acclaimed writing instructor Susan May Warren has spent a decade teaching novelists how to write brilliant stories — starting with hooking their reader with the first line. Using her simple SHARP technique, you’ll
• How to make your reader care about your character
• How to immediately anchor your reader into the story
• How to raise a thematic question that makes your reader curious
• How to plunge your reader into the story action
• How to tap into your reader’s emotions — and use them to keep your reader turning pages
With examples and application questions, you’ll discover the perfect first line for your story that will hook your reader!
- GenresWritingNonfiction
49 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2016
34 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Susan May Warren
223 books3,684 followersI can't help be amazed at the gifts God has delighted me with - a wonderful husband, four amazing children, and the opportunity to write for Him.
I've been writing as long as I can remember - I won my first book writing contest in first grade! Over the years, writing has become, for me, a way to praise God and see Him at work in my life.
Although I have a degree in Mass Communications from the University of MN, my real writing experience started when I penned the The Warren Report - a bi-monthly newsletter that detailed our ministry highlights.
Living in Russia meant I never lacked for great material - and those experiences naturally spilled out first into devotionals and magazine articles and finally into my first published story, "Measure of a Man," in the Tyndale/HeartQuest, Chance Encounters of the Heart anthology.
Susan and husbandI grew up in Wayzata, a suburb of Minneapolis, and became an avid camper from an early age. My favorite fir-lined spot is the north shore of Minnesota - it's where I met my husband, honeymooned and dreamed of living. The north woods easily became the foundation for my first series, The Deep Haven series.based on a little tourist town along the shores of Lake Superior. I have to admit - I'm terribly jealous of Mona, the heroine of my first full-length book, Happily Ever After, a Christy Award Finalist published in 2004 with Tyndale/Heartquest.
Our family moved home from the mission field in June 2004 -- and now we live in the beautiful town I'd always dreamed of! God has amazed me anew with His provision, and blessings -- and allowed me a season when I can write full time for Him.
I 'm delighted you've stopped in to visit. My hope is that you'll be blessed and encouraged by soul-stirring stories of regular people interacting with a God who loves them.
I'd love to hear from you! I love getting mail, especially from readers and I welcome your questions and comments. Write to me at susan@susanmaywarren.com. And, if you're interested, sign up for my newsletter, a quarterly sneak peek into upcoming releases and projects. Thank you for your interest and support.
God Bless and Happy Reading!
In His Grip,
Susan May Warren
I've been writing as long as I can remember - I won my first book writing contest in first grade! Over the years, writing has become, for me, a way to praise God and see Him at work in my life.
Although I have a degree in Mass Communications from the University of MN, my real writing experience started when I penned the The Warren Report - a bi-monthly newsletter that detailed our ministry highlights.
Living in Russia meant I never lacked for great material - and those experiences naturally spilled out first into devotionals and magazine articles and finally into my first published story, "Measure of a Man," in the Tyndale/HeartQuest, Chance Encounters of the Heart anthology.
Susan and husbandI grew up in Wayzata, a suburb of Minneapolis, and became an avid camper from an early age. My favorite fir-lined spot is the north shore of Minnesota - it's where I met my husband, honeymooned and dreamed of living. The north woods easily became the foundation for my first series, The Deep Haven series.based on a little tourist town along the shores of Lake Superior. I have to admit - I'm terribly jealous of Mona, the heroine of my first full-length book, Happily Ever After, a Christy Award Finalist published in 2004 with Tyndale/Heartquest.
Our family moved home from the mission field in June 2004 -- and now we live in the beautiful town I'd always dreamed of! God has amazed me anew with His provision, and blessings -- and allowed me a season when I can write full time for Him.
I 'm delighted you've stopped in to visit. My hope is that you'll be blessed and encouraged by soul-stirring stories of regular people interacting with a God who loves them.
I'd love to hear from you! I love getting mail, especially from readers and I welcome your questions and comments. Write to me at susan@susanmaywarren.com. And, if you're interested, sign up for my newsletter, a quarterly sneak peek into upcoming releases and projects. Thank you for your interest and support.
God Bless and Happy Reading!
In His Grip,
Susan May Warren
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 26, 2017
Loved it!
I absolutely loved this book! I'm going to grab the other titles and check them out, too! Great insight on revising a story for relaunch or learning how to create a great hook for your first book.
I absolutely loved this book! I'm going to grab the other titles and check them out, too! Great insight on revising a story for relaunch or learning how to create a great hook for your first book.
July 14, 2016
It's funny how people can teach the same thing, but you glean something new. I had several of those "ah hah" moments during this short how-to on creating compelling hooks. Excellent tips on needed elements and questions to consider. Great examples too. I especially liked the examples of crafting a hook for a scene - and reading through the various forms one scene opening went through before she got it just right. Great tools for the beginning line, paragraph, and scene, as well as a reminder to use this idea of hooks throughout writing to get the "I couldn't put it down" phenomenon.
There are a handful of errors in the book, but they're easy enough to overlook.
There are a handful of errors in the book, but they're easy enough to overlook.
February 3, 2017
Really enjoyed this book! It was short, quick, and to the point. The advice was mostly about writing a hook, but I thought it could be applied to the big picture of a whole story. I'd recommend this book to people interested in writing.
June 5, 2016
Very helpful
This book really guided me on how to work on a better opening for my stories. I think the method is really good.
This book really guided me on how to work on a better opening for my stories. I think the method is really good.
July 8, 2016
This book was a tremendous help and I plan to read again. It was easy to follow and full of great tips for writers.
September 9, 2016
A great little book
This is a great little book that gets right to the point. If you need to know how to get your novel going with action at the start, this is for you!
This is a great little book that gets right to the point. If you need to know how to get your novel going with action at the start, this is for you!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews