Activity

Good morning, Avensers! (Side note: every time I see that word, I want to say “Avengers Assemble!” or something like that)

Today, I am going to start a series on story structure. Because that’s what I’m learning a lot about right now. All of this information is coming from my notes from reading Structuring Your Novel by K.M. Weiland.

The first thing you really want to have in any book, short story, novel, or novella, is the hook. What is the hook? It’s what pulls your reader in and presents your character, setting, and conflict.

You need to capture your readers’ attention from the very first sentence. That doesn’t mean it has to be full of action, it can be pretty much anything. For example, what is the first sentence in Pride and Prejudice? “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

Why does that sentence cause the reader to keep reading? There are a lot of potential reasons, but I think it’s because the reader wants to know who is the rich man and why does he want a wife? So we keep reading to find out who he is and who he picks.

In addition to the first sentence, the hook continues on for at least a paragraph to introduce the character, the conflict, and establish setting. Basically it sets the tone for the whole story. None of these things need to be described in great detail at first. Think of it as an opening shot in a movie. If you’ve seen the movie, The Fellowship of the Ring, you’ll probably remember how the camera glances over many parts of hobbiton while also introducing Bilbo, Frodo, and Gandalf. And of course, The Ring. It’s always easier to do that in a movie than in a book, but it is also possible when writing.

Your assignment this week: Look at some of your favorite books and just re-read the first page. How does the author hook you in? What does he or she describe to set up the character, conflict, and setting? Now look at your WIP and see how you did with your hook. Let us know what book you chose to look at and how you think they did with the hook. If you’re feeling brave, share your own first sentence as well.

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