Grab Your Reader on Page 1! Of all the advice you've read on writing successful fiction, it's a good bet the one that sticks in your mind most is this: Hook your reader in the first few pages or lose him for good. Why is this bit of advice 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 information is, there are very few books that solely address this topic-until now. Author Les Edgerton, who wrote the very successful 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, scene, or page, there are many reasons why stories fail in the first few pages and 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 insure a successful start. These include: (1) Successfully introducing the story-worthy problem (2) to hook the reader (3) to establish the rules of the story; and (4) to forecast the ending of the story. Hooked is a book 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 you're satisfied with. Knowing how to 'hook' your reader in the beginning lines of your story is what it's all about. It can make the difference between getting a rejection or having your story accepted for publication. Read an Excerpt! Listen to an interview with author Les Edgerton about why it's essential for fiction writers to hook their readers right from the start and share insights into how to do it.
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