Hooked from Page One: Nailing Your Novel’s Beginning, Episode 57
- Donna Carbone
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
The first page of a novel can make or break a reader’s attention. In this episode, we explore what goes into crafting an irresistible opening that hooks your audience from the very first line. From setting the tone and establishing stakes to introducing compelling characters and planting questions that beg to be answered, we’ll break down the techniques successful authors use to keep readers turning the page. We’ll also share examples of unforgettable openings, common pitfalls to avoid, and practical strategies you can use to strengthen your own writing. Whether you’re starting your first novel or polishing your next, this episode will help you create an opening that truly captivates.
SHOW NOTES:
Why Openings Matter
Readers, agents, and editors often decide within the first page whether to keep reading.
Openings set tone, genre, and expectations immediately.
A strong opening = higher chance of engagement and memorability.
Key Elements of a Strong Opening
Hook → A compelling first line or paragraph that grabs attention.
Character Introduction → Quickly show who the reader will follow (or why they should care).
Conflict or Stakes → Hint at tension, mystery, or problem to be solved.
Setting & Tone → Establish the world and mood without overwhelming with info-dumps.
Voice → Unique narrative style that makes readers want more.
Techniques That Work
Start in medias res (in the middle of action).
Open with a striking or unexpected detail.
Pose a question or mystery that demands an answer.
Use sensory detail to ground the reader immediately.
Show, don’t tell—avoid over-explaining.
Start with a first line that establishes tension, conflict, a disturbance or question
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Info-dumps and heavy exposition in the first pages.
Starting with backstory instead of present action.
Generic openings (e.g., waking up from a dream, weather descriptions).
Overly complex worldbuilding before grounding the reader.
Practical Strategies for Writers
Write multiple openings—experiment with different entry points.
Ask: Does my opening make the reader want to ask “what happens next?”
Share with beta readers and pay attention to where they get hooked.
Revise the opening last—once you know your story, you can craft the best starting point.
Examples
“If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: In love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.” The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah
“Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.” Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf
“Imagine a ruin so strange it must never have happened.” The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
“I became what I am today at the age of twelve, on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.” The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
“The idea of eternal return is a mysterious one, and Nietzsche has often perplexed other philosophers with it: to think that everything recurs as we once experience it, and that the recurrence itself recurs ad infinitum!” The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
“All this happened, more or less.” Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five
“Call me Ishmael.” Herman Melville, Moby Dick
‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.’ Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
“When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim's warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she did. This is the day of the reaping.” The Hunger Games, Suzanne Collins
SOURCES & LINKS:
“100 Best First Lines from Novels,” American Book Review, 2006
DO NOW: Read through some of the best first sentences. Notice what you like about them, what is similar among them, what draws you in.
Write several versions of your own for one work to see which captures the characteristics for a strong opening.
Next Episode: An interview with Joanna Monahan, author of Something Better
Authors Talking Bookish https://www.authorstalkingbookish.com
Hope Gibbs, author of Where the Grass Grows Blue https://www.authorhopegibbs.com/
Donna Norman-Carbone, author of All That is Sacred & Of Lies and Honey https://www.donnanormancarbone.com
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