This blog post by a book reviewer is enlightening, and it gives me something new to think about regarding the writing of a novel’s hook. I’ve been taught in classes and in reading how-to books about writing that the opening sentence/paragraph/page should grab the reader’s attention. This is the first article I’ve read that addresses the importance of a novel’s opening matching the rest of the book in tone.
by Andrea Lundgren
As a book reviewer, I read a lot of first chapters and beginnings to judge whether I want to review a book. Instead of being moved by the cover or hype from other readers, I usually have only the blurb and the words themselves to guide me (I often haven’t even seen the cover until afterwards).
And I’ve come to the conclusion that a book doesn’t have to be flashy to “hook” me. It doesn’t have to start with a bang, and even that much-discussed opening sentence or paragraph doesn’t have to be artistic, original, awe-inspiring, or amazing.
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