What is the one hook that will work for any story, regardless of genre? By Laurie Faria Stolarz

    

For this month, we’re discussing the idea of hooks. Which hooks work best? Which entice the reader, compelling them to the very end of the story or book? In my opinion, hooks come in all shapes and varieties, suiting readers of all tastes. But, is there a universal hook that works for everyone? 

    Yes, I think there is*.  

    For me, ever since I was a young reader, I’ve preferred stories of mystery and suspense as those have always made me feel as though I’m actively involved in the story. When “hooked,” I read carefully, trying to figure things out – to catch nuances and foreshadowing and hunt for clues and themes.

    When I was an early reader, I loved books of the “choose-your-own-adventure” variety, as I was actively engaged, figuring things out right along with the characters – or better yet, with a careful enough read or reread, even before the characters. 

    As I continued to read, my taste in reading expanded and I would find myself hooked by other genres too: historical fiction, drama, fantasy, memoir… 

    Regardless of genre, the stories that “hooked” me were those in which I’d find myself turning pages, eager to learn the fate of the characters and how their plots unfolded. Like with reading stories in the mystery/suspense genre, I made predictions along the way, “hooked” by asking myself questions.

    In my opinion, the best hook a story can have is that of inciting curiosity, making the reader ask questions, starting at page one: Why is the character hiding? Who is after her? Why is she so fearful? Why is he so angry? What will happen to them at noon? What is the significance of the ring and why does he need to bury it? What will happen if she doesn’t find it? Et cetera, et cetera.

    Question, question, question…

    In this way, the writer teases the reader, creating a landscape in which the reader feels “hooked” by mystery, regardless of genre. The writer gives just enough information to incite curiosity, but not too much information that would spoil the intrigue, and not too little information that would distance or frustrate the reader. It’s a balancing act, for sure.

    So, the best hook? Start with a question the reader will ask, and start at page one. The whole book or story, regardless of genre, should be mysterious and suspenseful, inciting questions.

 

* My hook for this blog. Did you ask yourself the question: what is the universal hook that Laurie is talking about? If so, I've proven my point.