Aim
Think about the beginning of your story; the first sentence is crucial and will need to ‘hook’ the reader. Consider the first 100 words to establish the tone of the story.
Objectives
- (All) Research opening lines to famous novels. Compare and contrast – add notes to Blog
A narrative hook is a literary technique in the opening of a story that “hooks” the reader’s attention so that they will continue reading. The opening may consist of several paragraphs for a short story, or several pages for a novel, but ideally it is the opening sentence in the book. Here are some hooks from famous novels:
“It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn’t know what I was doing in New York.”
Sylvia Plath, The Bell Jar
The opening of the Bell Jar is effective as it drives readers to question why it was an odd summer and why she was in New York, as well as setting the cynical tone for the novel.
“Dear Anyone Who Finds This, Do not blame the drugs.”
—Lynda Barry, Cruddy
The opening line of Cruddy is written in the style of the letter, addressing the reader and forging a connection that implores them to continue reading. The next part reading “Do not blame the drugs” makes the reader question what the need for blame might be and also making them want to read on.
“Chris Kraus, a 39-year-old experimental filmmaker and Sylvère Lotringer, a 56-year-old college professor from New York, have dinner with Dick _____, a friendly acquaintance of Sylvère’s, at a sushi bar in Pasadena.”
—Chris Kraus, I Love Dick
The opening of I Love Dick is quite different to the two openings previous as instead of relying on enigma to draw in the reader, it sets the scene and establishes the characters very bluntly. This characterization alone, due to the nature of the characters work and lifestyle, is enough to intrigue an audience.
“Your father picks you up from prison in a stolen Dodge Neon, with an 8-ball of coke in the glove compartment and a hooker named Mandy in the back seat.”
—Dennis Lehane, “Until Gwen”
This particular hook is effective as is directly addresses the reader using personal pronouns, as oppose to indirectly like in the opening to Cruddy. The direct address forges a connection with the reader and makes them want to read on.
- (All) Look at the story of a peer and supply feedback on their opening line
I looked at Shona’s story, her opening reads,” He went on a night out and lost his key last week, so he’s been using mine to lock the flat, which has been fine, I mean, he didn’t mean to lock me in, he forgot I didn’t have a key. He is forgetful. “
The feedback i gave is that it was a good hook in that I wanted to read on because it reads as panicked and made me question if it was true when the character said “he didn’t mean to lock me in”.
Angel Creative Writing 