Writing Craft
Start with Action
Hook Your Readers Right Off the Bat
By Writer Depot on August 21, 2025
All writing advice says to start with a good hook. If readers aren’t drawn in right away, they’ll put the book down before the story even begins.
One of the most effective ways to earn their attention is to start in motion. That doesn’t mean you need car chases or sword fights on page one. “Action” here simply means something is changing. Conflict or some type of disruption allows readers to feel that the story is alive.
What a Weak Start Looks Like
Any good story starts with describing the status quo; giving the reader a snapshot of the protagonist’s world as it is when the story begins. A weak start would be a plain description of their life, like for example:
“It was a quiet morning in the village. Birds chirped. The baker lit his oven. All was peaceful.”
The problem isn’t so much in the description as in the lack of forward direction. There is no question pulling the reader in.
Another common weak start is a backstory dump. Launching into childhood memories, ancestral history, or a geography lesson before the characters act makes for restless readers.
What a Strong Start Looks Like
Don’t feel pressured to write the most innovative introductory sentence in the history of literature. That is a good way to get stuck before you have even begun. A strong opening scene should leave the reader with a clear question somewhere within the first paragraph.
Having said that, here are two examples of great first paragraph hooks.
“Ash fell from the sky.”
This is from Brandon Sanderson’s The Final Empire, the first novel in his Mistborn series. It is a deceptively simple hook, just five plain words in a standalone sentence. Yet it conveys a lot. Ash doesn’t naturally fall from the sky in our human experience. The reader will instantly wonder what happened to make ash fall. Is it a fire? A volcanic eruption? Only if you keep reading will you find out. And if you do keep reading, you will learn that ash falling form the sky is an integral part of the Mistborn backstory. So, in this simple way does Sanderson reveal a small part of backstory, of theme, and of the underlying conflict of the series, while simultaneously hooking the reader.
“Renowned curator Jacques Saunière staggered through the vaulted archway of the museum's Grand Gallery. He lunged for the nearest painting he could see, a Caravaggio. Grabbing the gilded frame, the seventy-six-year-old man heaved the masterpiece toward himself until it tore from the wall and Saunière collapsed backward in a heap beneath the canvas.”
From Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, this paragraph is full of action verbs like stagger, lunge, grab, heave, tore, and collapse. It also sets the stage – a museum – and the character. Something nefarious has happened to this old man, or is happening to him, for a curator to handle an important piece of art in this way. Only if you keep reading will you find out what. This type of start also tells the reader something of the genre. There will be action ahead, and probably lots of it.
Different Ways to Begin with Action
To find your hook, think of the ending. What is the first incident that leads to this end? Why can't your protagonist simply walk away from this moment? These are the questions you must answer to find your hook.
The incident in question needs to contain action, or motion, in some form.
- Conflict. An argument, a chase, or a scuffle instantly creates stakes.
- Disruption. A knock on the door, a stranger arriving in town, or a broken routine tells us something is off.
- Mystery. A locked room, an empty cradle, or blood on the doorstep makes readers lean closer.
- Tension. Action doesn’t have to be loud. A character hiding a letter or pretending not to notice someone can be just as gripping.
The thing that leaves them wondering signals to the reader that the story has begun.
Action Needs Clarity
Throwing readers into chaos without context can backfire. A sword fight with nameless characters in an undefined location runs the risk of confusing rather than hooking a reader. The best openings combine motion with orientation: Who is the protagonist? What is their struggle or flaw?
Think of it less like blowing up the house and more like striking the match.
Tips for Editing the Opening Scene
- Cut the warm-up. Many drafts start two pages too early. Trim until you hit the moment of change.
- Save the backstory. Sprinkle it in once readers are invested.
- Check the first scene. Ask yourself what changes in the scene. If the answer is “nothing,” rewrite.
- Lean on tension. A whispered secret can grab attention just as well as an explosion.
The Takeaway
Don’t waste your opening on a history lesson. Start with conflict, disruption, mystery, or tension. Pull readers into the story first, then unfold the world around them.
(Want to keep tension high beyond the opening? See our article on ending chapters with hooks.)
