Do you find yourself writing essays that are not as impressive as those written by your peers? Have you ever wondered why your essays do not get satisfactory grades? Essay writing can be very challenging for college students, despite the fact that it is a compulsory academic requirement.
Well…
The secret to a great essay lies in the hook. A good essay must keep the readers ‘hooked’- literally! If you want to impress your professor enough to get good grades, you cannot afford to start your essay without a bang.
The 20 seconds rule
People, and indeed your professor, will judge your essay within 20 seconds of reading it. You literally only get 20 seconds to make an impression on the reader; do not waste them. And how do you make a great impression? You write a great hook!
What is a hook in essay writing?
A hook can be described as a literary device used in the opening sentence of a piece of writing to draw the reader’s attention. Just as they were used by Aristotle in drama, hooks are used in writing to bring a dramatic effect to the piece of work. In Aristotle’s time, hooks were used to draw spectators in and keep them glued to the act. The same concept applies to good writing, which requires the reader to get so engrossed in the piece of work that they want to keep turning the pages. In other words, a great essay begins with a striking introduction so as to pique the interest of the reader and encourage the reader to continue reading.
How to Keep Your Readers Hooked
So how do you create a hook?
First, you want to set the right mood. Next, allude to the theme just enough to create some mystery. Remember, your goal is to keep the reader reading!
What makes a good hook?
I bet you are already aware that essays are a little different from you average write-ups. It isn’t really an essay if it doesn’t start with an introduction, is it? A good essay presents the topic in an introductory paragraph. This paragraph should pose the topic statement, which will form a basis for the essay. It is therefore important to offer the hook just before you introduce the topic.
The downside?
The hook may not be easy to come up with, especially if you are not an expert in essay writing. If this happens to you, you might want to work on the body of your essay first and then develop that bang that your paper needs. You may also want to draft a plan for your essay before you actually start writing.
This will help you envision the complete essay in your mind and make it easier for you to put it down on paper. Besides, who doesn’t want to save time?
Before you start writing a hook for your essay…
Wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone could just sit behind their laptop, type away, and end up with the perfect hook? Unfortunately, this could not be further from the truth! Writing the perfect hook requires some practice (and skill!). You must be wondering how much we know about creating a good hook for an essay. The answer is: A LOT! If you stick with us, you will find out too but first, below is what you must do before you start working on your hook:
Establish the purpose and objectives of your essay
The easiest way to figure out the best hook for your essay is to have a clear goal and objective. Are you aiming for an informal tone or a formal one? What kind of feeling would you like to elicit in your readers? The answers to these questions will help you decide on the best hook for your essay.
Determine the kind of essay that you are writing
For the sake of logic and consistency, you must know whether your essay is narrative, persuasive, narrative or descriptive.
Create an outline
It is true that you will encounter more complex tasks in college than essay writing. Still, an outline is important because it gives you a picture of what the actual essay will look like.
Consider your audience
Remember the tone of your essay depends on your audience.
So what does a good hook for an essay entail?
A quote
A memorable quote is always an excellent way to begin your essay.
Advice
If you are writing a narrative essay, it may be a good idea to begin your introduction a general word of advice to your readers such as: “Never bite the hand that feeds you”.
Add a shocking fact
Make your essay intriguing by adding an unexpected or little known fact. For instance, you may write, “Celery and apples contain negative calories”.
Rhetorical question
A rhetorical question is a great way to cause your readers to ask themselves an important question before ultimately providing the answer. For example: “Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all had professional ENL writers at our disposal?”
A joke
Jokes are a fun way to engage your readers. However, jokes must only be used in informal papers.
Contradictory statements
By making a contradictory statement, you can prepare your readers for an impending discussion on the topic.
Statistics
For a formal essay, remember to include a few statistics in support of your argument or topic. Now that we have shared our top tips for creating a good hook, do you still feel unable to do it on your own? Do not fret. It takes a lot of time, skill, and expertise to create that perfect hook. Whether you are having a hard time creating a compelling hook or simply require some assistance with a professional essay writing service, CustomWritings.com is here for you. They have a host of experienced ENL writers who are looking forward to helping you with your homework!
