In a post on Writers in the Storm, Laurie Schnebly Campbell says a few unique details in the opening of your story can invite readers in and assure them of a good time.
The kind of detail will depend on the type of story you’re writing, so there’s no single right or wrong answer. The element that piques your reader’s interest could be something about the setting, the people, or the situation. It could be your language, word choices, and turns of phrase. It could be a hint of fear, rivalry, romance, or something eerie. “Regardless of whether the reader perceives this as a fascinating world or an everyday world, they need to see something intriguing,” Campbell says.
Goal, motivation, and conflict are the core ways writers hook readers at the beginning. “It’s okay to keep the reader guessing about someone’s internal motivation,” Campbell says. “If their goal is a grabber right from the start, this reader will be excited by your story’s beginning…and willing to wait another chapter or scene to get an idea of why your character wants this goal.”
Regardless of why, the reader has to know what your protagonist wants right away, even if it’s not your main story goal. “We want to be engrossed with them as early as possible,” Campbells say. “Are they likable? Fun to hate? Easy to empathize with? Exciting to root for? Do we want to spend time with them?”
