Comments on: Hook Your Readers: 3 Tips to Catch & Keep Your Audience

By: Where to Begin? – Debra Rieger

Where to Begin? – Debra Rieger — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 17:10:49 +0000

[…] teacher, Kristen Lamb. I love her wicked sense of humor and helpful examples. However, as I read her post, my heart dropped. I realized I’d started my book in the wrong […]

By: Top Picks Thursday! For Writers and Readers 04-19-2018 | The Author Chronicles

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 17:01:56 +0000

[…] It’s important for writers to keep their readers in mind. Janice Hardy discusses addressing the reader directly in your narrative, and Kristen Lamb shares 3 tips to catch and keep your audience. […]

By: Ramshah Akbar

Ramshah Akbar — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 07:00:01 +0000

Thanks again Kristen.

By: Writing Links…4/16/18 – Where Genres Collide

Writing Links…4/16/18 – Where Genres Collide — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 11:09:30 +0000

[…] https://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/04/hook-readers-story/ “Too many stories fall flat because they lack the barbs necessary for snagging the modern reader who has the attention span of an ADD hamster with a meth habit. Additionally, a lot of us writers fall into bad habits of assuming readers are stupid, that they need all kinds of brain holding to “get” what we are talking about which means we not only lack barbs…but necessary ” You do need to start with a problem. It doesn’t have to be explosive, just something that gets us into plot. […]

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Sat, 14 Apr 2018 11:11:00 +0000

Hoping to start to edit the first draft of my first novel soon. I want to finish the outline of No. 2 first. This has really made me think about both novels. Am I starting in the right place? Are the first few lines strong enough?
As a reader, I have found that the first chapter is great and then the book gets lost.

By: Barbara Meyers

Barbara Meyers — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 21:01:34 +0000

I often give a book 50 pages before I set it aside. If I’m not hooked by then, forget it!

By: Tom Gould

Tom Gould — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 18:15:14 +0000

I start reading a book if I like the sound of it and I always have to finish it no matter what. What I tend to do is look at how many chapters they are and read by the lowest common denominator, I.e. if there were twenty chapters two at a time.

By: Les Edgerton

Les Edgerton — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 14:04:31 +0000

Thanks for the shout-out, Kristen. Made my day!

By: Vivienne Sang

Vivienne Sang — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 13:43:59 +0000

Thanks Kristen. This is just what I needed. A sharp knife to cut off those fishheads!

By: Merry Bond

Merry Bond — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 13:01:06 +0000

I don’t just set in one hook, I try for two or three (one in the reader’s heart, one in their empathy, and another in their smile for the book I’m working on right now) which means that I usually end up writing the beginning of my book five to ten times.
I really appreciate the post. Now I’m wondering where and how I’m going to set my first hook.
Oh, and I linked back to your post in my blog this week (which will be published on the 15th)–yep, that’s how much you made me think about this! Thanks!