The First Page: Hook Your Reader Now
The First Page: Hook Your Reader Now
Keys to writing a first page that hooks the reader and gets them to turn the page.
Key elements of that introduction tell the reader about the story.
Tone - dark, humorous, romantic, historical, etc. The reader is drawn to your writing voice.
Character - Who is in your story? What are they like?
Setting - Ground the reader in time and place. Characters, and stories, don't float in space.
Immediacy - Don't dither. Get your reader into the story. Save long descriptions and narrative telling for later, if at all. Plunge them in. The adage for scenes--late in, early out--is primary on the first page.
Keys to writing a first page that hooks the reader and gets them to turn the page.
Key elements of that introduction tell the reader about the story.
Tone - dark, humorous, romantic, historical, etc. The reader is drawn to your writing voice.
Character - Who is in your story? What are they like?
Setting - Ground the reader in time and place. Characters, and stories, don't float in space.
Immediacy - Don't dither. Get your reader into the story. Save long descriptions and narrative telling for later, if at all. Plunge them in. The adage for scenes--late in, early out--is primary on the first page.
Zara, this is excellent even for people that have been writing for a while. I sent it to myself as a contact just to remember as I start my second book. Thank you very much! Excellent Pearls of wisdom
ReplyDeleteMicheleElys Mer Hi! Thanks for the kind words. The first page, then the first ten, are critical to engaging readers.
ReplyDeleteZara AltairI wish my cell phones' voice would correctly write my words. That paragraph made no sense what so ever, while at the auto mechanics!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome post. saved it to an email for myself as a continual reminder. Thank you
Redheads are iconic. https://youtu.be/td2sewfxz88 Simple and strong.
ReplyDeleteZara Altair
ReplyDeleteAwww thank you!! only 2% of the population with good reason. LOLOL Thank you for the link, have collected those studies over 25 years, people attempting to understand the difference. What a nice thing to do for another person online, Thanks!!! That made my YEAR!!
PS I'm not irish, French ;D oddly my parents were both dark skinned and black hair. Cheers lady
MicheleElys Mer Haha! Lee Smallwood created a resource. :) https://goo.gl/MESbfy
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