Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers At Page One

Grab Your Reader on Page 1! If you have read books about writing fiction, it's a good bet you've heard this piece of advice before: Hook your reader in the first few pages or you will lose him or her for good.

Why is this bit of advice on how to write a fiction book so important? The reason is simple. If a novel or short story has a bad beginning, no one — including an agent or editor — is going to keep on reading. Yet as vital as this step to writing a fiction book is, there are very few books on writing fiction that solely address this topic — until now.

Author Les Edgerton, who wrote one of the best books on writing fiction, Finding Your Voice (for Writer's Digest Books), brings his published writing and editorial experience to bear in Hooked. Whether it's the opening line, paragraph or scene there are many reasons why stories fail in the first few pages. Here Les examines each of them in depth. He begins by providing an overview of story and scene structure including what constitutes an exciting opening scene, the dangers of opening with a summary, and the rare exception of starting with a prologue. He studies the four goals that must be met to ensure a successful start. These include: (1) Successfully introducing the story-worthy problem (2) hooking the reader (3) establishing the rules of the story and (4) forecasting the ending of the story.

Hooked is a book on fiction writing that should be on your must-read list because you'll save yourself a lot of wasted effort, avoid frustration, and bypass fumbling around for an opening scene that satisfies you (and readers). Knowing how to 'hook' your reader in the beginning lines of your story is what it is all about. It can make the difference between getting a rejection letter and having your story accepted for publication.

About the Author
Les Edgerton currently lives in Fort Wayne, IN. He has written 11 books and teaches writing classes and workshops.

Read an Excerpt!

Listen to an interview with author Les Edgerton where he shares insights on why it's essential for fiction writers to hook their readers' right from the start and offers tips on how to do it.