I'm a STEM person. I like data and facts. My professor said my essays are "technically correct but boring" and my hooks are "nonexistent." I didn't even know what a hook was.
A hook is the first sentence that grabs the reader's attention. Without it, people don't want to keep reading. Here's what I learned:
Types of hooks:
Question hook: "Have you ever wondered why the sky is blue?" Makes the reader curious.
Fact/statistic hook: "Every year, 8 million tons of plastic enter the ocean." Surprises the reader.
Story hook: "The first time I entered a lab, I accidentally set something on fire." Makes it personal.
Quote hook: "As Einstein once said, 'Imagination is more important than knowledge.'" Adds authority.
Bold statement hook: "Everything you know about studying is wrong." Challenges assumptions.
My before and after:
Before: "This essay will discuss climate change solutions." (Boring)
After: "What if the solution to climate change has been under our feet the whole time?" (Actually makes you wonder)
Before: "I learned a lot from my internship." (Yawn)
After: "The summer I spent sorting recycled materials taught me more about business than any class ever could." (Makes you curious)
What I do now:
I write the hook last, after I know what my essay is actually about. I try 3-4 different hooks and pick the best one. I ask my roommate: "would you keep reading?"
A hook is the first sentence that grabs the reader's attention. Without it, people don't want to keep reading. Here's what I learned:
Types of hooks:
Question hook: "Have you ever wondered why the sky is blue?" Makes the reader curious.
Fact/statistic hook: "Every year, 8 million tons of plastic enter the ocean." Surprises the reader.
Story hook: "The first time I entered a lab, I accidentally set something on fire." Makes it personal.
Quote hook: "As Einstein once said, 'Imagination is more important than knowledge.'" Adds authority.
Bold statement hook: "Everything you know about studying is wrong." Challenges assumptions.
My before and after:
Before: "This essay will discuss climate change solutions." (Boring)
After: "What if the solution to climate change has been under our feet the whole time?" (Actually makes you wonder)
Before: "I learned a lot from my internship." (Yawn)
After: "The summer I spent sorting recycled materials taught me more about business than any class ever could." (Makes you curious)
What I do now:
I write the hook last, after I know what my essay is actually about. I try 3-4 different hooks and pick the best one. I ask my roommate: "would you keep reading?"
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