How to Make Readers Pick Up Your Book

i.e. hook them in!

The hook is something I talk about lots when I’m editing. In my opinion, it is one of the single most important things about your book: it is the thing which decides your book’s marketability (i.e. how likely it is to sell), and also helps inform your editing, titling, and overall package (the cover design, back-cover copy/blurb etc.).

Having a great hook means it is much more likely that readers – and by ‘readers’ here I am including agents and editors – will pick your book over others. So spending time making sure your hook is clear, unique and attractive is an extremely worthwhile thing to do.

What is a hook?

So what is a hook? The hook is the thing about your book that first ‘hooks’ a reader in. It’s how you would describe your book in just a line or two – like an even shorter version of an elevator pitch.

• A woman witnesses a murder from a train window – that’s The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

• A young boy discovers he is a wizard when he’s invited to attend a wizarding school – that’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the US)

• At a prestigious New England college, five gifted students join an exclusive Classics class and venture down a dark path – The Secret History by Donna Tartt

• Two writers switch genres to beat writer’s block, and end up learning more than they ever expected – Emily Henry’s Beach Read

The hook is what first gets your readers’ attention, so there are some things to bear in mind. It cannot give away any twists in your book – otherwise there’s no need for anyone to then read the book! And it must be unique. That’s not to say that your book can’t have the same overall story arc as others – romance books always end with the heroes getting together, for example – but there must be something specific enough to make your book stand out.

Photo by Ugur Akdemir on Unsplash

When to think about the hook

I always suggest thinking about your hook as early in the process as possible – ideally when you’re first brainstorming and outlining your idea! Even if you’re a pantster and don’t like to plot much in advance, you can still be clear about the hook before you begin.

There are two reasons I suggest this. Firstly, it makes sure that you have a great hook from the beginning. There’s nothing worse than finishing a book and realising that it doesn’t have a great hook (or that the hook is the twist, and so you have nothing you can use to entice readers in in the first place!). Secondly, it can help inform everything else about your book. Whilst you’re writing or editing you can ensure you’re fulfilling the promise your hook makes to the reader, and when you get to titling your book, briefing a cover and writing the back-cover copy or blurb you have a clear sense of what you’re trying to get across to readers – or, if you are aiming to approach agents and publishers, it can help you hone your pitch and make it clear that they will find it easy to sell your book.

How to find your hook

Whether you are just getting started with your writing or you already have a full manuscript, there are ways to help pinpoint the hook of your book. In general, your hook should be a line or two only, be specific to your book, and crystallise the central premise or set-up of your novel.

Here are some tips to help you think about and hone your hook:

Ask a ‘what if’ question

Have your hook ask a question which readers will be desperate to know the answer to. What if we could bring dinosaurs back from the dead? What if Hitler had won World War 2?

Raise the stakes

Make sure it’s clear what your protagonist has to gain – and what they risk losing. The higher the stakes, the more tempted we are to dive in.

Add concrete details

Make your hook memorable by sprinkling in a tangible detail or two to ensure it feels specific rather than vague. It’s not just any enemies-to-lovers romance – but one about the First Son of the United States and the Prince of Wales.

Invert expectations

Turn our expectations on their head! Perhaps it’s a murder mystery – but rather than the plot unfolding forwards, your protagonist is heading into the past, and could stop the crime before it happens.

Make it personal

If a story feels personal, we’ll care more about what happens. Whether the hostage taker is the protagonist’s husband, the murderer is their son, their new boss is their accidental one-night stand – make the story feel close to home.

How do you like to write? Do you always have your hook clear in your mind before you put pen to page?

If there are any topics you’d like me to write about, please let me know! And do share your favourite hooks in the comments – I love finding new books to read.

Abi