Cast, hook, and reel in!

Fishermen know it takes a good hook, specialized to the catch they seek, to successfully reel in their catch. Too heavy a hook and the intended catch is usually missed. Too light and it might escape. We use the same philosophy with writing. You need the right hook to catch your reader's attention and keep them interested in what you have to offer.

So what is a hook with regard to writing?

Essentially, the hook is the opening statement that attempts to grab the reader’s attention so that they want to read on. It's usually the first sentence and can be dressed in several ways.

I like to use a few different types of hooks, including asking a question, posting a quote, stating a statistic, or using an anecdote. Which one I use often depends on the post's subject. Keep in mind that the hook should strongly relate to the overall topic of the paper.

Let me explain these types of hooks you might use.