In her excellent book Polish Your Fiction, Jessica Bell covers 10 strategies for ensuring your fiction work is ready to capture an editor’s interest. This checklist is just as important for non-fiction writers, especially if you include ‘names-have-been-changed’ examples!
You must catch most editors with the first sentence. Bell suggests you:
- …”introduce a conflict that has the potential to spark reader’s interest.”
- Hint at genre. In non-fiction, you might hint at the topic.
- Keep it short, yet long enough to “conjure vivid imagery and intrigue.”
- Relate it to the plot of your story (or the theme of your non-fiction piece).
Example: Weak First Line Hook
My mother showed me a the boxes of manuscripts her mother had given her.
Example: Strong First Line Hook
“What do I do with them?” My mother opened a closet full of boxes–titles taped to each.
Even though punctuation rules require me to use two sentences in the second version, it’s worth it.
- Have I introduced conflict? Possibly. My mother has a decision to make. Just because she’s asked my advice, doesn’t mean we are going to agree on what to do with these boxes.
- What topic do you think a book with this opening might address? There are several directions I might go with this opener such as how to polish a relative’s rough manuscript. Yet, this could be an opener for a book on coping with an aging parent’s decline (the reason the mother has inherited boxes of manuscripts). The following sentence must strengthen the hint.
- Is it short and vivid?
- Does it related to the theme of my book? Because the conflict appears directly related to the manuscripts, it might seem logical that the book should be on writing. The emphasizes the importance of the second and third sentences.
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