Hook the Reader
You never get a second chance to make a first impression!
Why HOOK the reader?
LEADS.......Let's think and discuss.
What might your friend say if he or she has good news?
Example: "Hey, guess what! You won't believe this!
What if your friend has bad news to share with you?
Example: "You might want to sit down for this."
Now, would you like to hear more from your friend?
So in just a few words, your friend has given you a hint that has made you want to hear more, right? This is exactly what you should do for your reader in the first few sentences of your writing.
A few ways to HOOK the reader...
Which LEAD makes you want to keep reading and why?
Lead 2: I wish someone had warned me sooner. Then maybe I wouldn't have jumped when the limb snapped. And maybe I wouldn't have fallen down the ravine.
Which Lead makes you want to keep reading more and why?
Lead 2: Galileo lived a long time ago before fancy telescopes. But he looked into the space and saw the satellites of Jupiter. Today we can see so much more of our universe thanks to the wonderful telescopes in our planetariums.
Lead 3: If Galileo could see us now! Hundreds of thousands of people flock every year to planetariums around the world to view a universe that he first encountered with the satellites of Jupiter. Today, powerful reflecting telescopes help us examine celestial bodies that are millions of miles away.
Make your reader want to read more...
Make them never want to stop reading!
Do I have a good LEAD?
- Does the lead make you want to read on?
- Can you describe the lead as dramatic, reflective, introductory or a "grabber"?
- Can you tell what the piece might be about?
- Does this lead have a clear voice that can be described?
- Would you be interested in reading on?
NEVER, EVER, EVER.......
In the Introduction Paragraph
NEVER. . .
bluntly announce the essay's intent ("In this essay I will...),
make unreasonable statements,
apologize for the material that is being written ("In my humble opinion..."),
go into a detailed account of the writing,
include random information that has nothing to do with the essay,