Mary, Mary, Writers’ Fairy, Grant Me A Wish
The wish of being a better writer and of hooking my readers’ attention.
*swish*
“Read this, child, and your wish shall be granted.”
Sadly, outside of Mary’s Invisible Recruits series, magic requires a lot of hard graft. But it just got a little bit easier.
Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, some writing rules you’ve always known. “It was a dark and stormy night” has outlived its usefulness. Nowadays, we want to grab agents, editors and readers by the throat from the start.
So you come up with a clever first sentence that attracts the reader’s interest. Next, you set the scene by describing the swooping of the valleys below. And finally you construct the roads that funnel the reader from one scene to the next. Right?
Well, not according to Mary Buckham. Her book tore up the carefully laid infrastructure of my plot like a jackhammer. Has that woman no shame?
I can’t speak to her shame, but there’s no doubting she knows her stuff. Because she not only helped me fill in the freshly excavated holes with a perfect finish, but gave me the tools to build a better and stronger groundwork in the future. From where to place my hooks for optimum benefit to which types work best for my story, she leaves no stone unturned. Practical examples serve as road signs and guide you reliably to your destination: a true page-turner.
So don your hard hats, roll up your sleeves, and let’s dig deep to make the magic happen.
Writing Active Hooks by Mary Buckham is available now.
October 27, 2014
The first chapter is the hardest for me! Some people say it’s the middle, but I had no problem with that, I worry over how to get the reader’s attention. I’m on like version 20 of my first chapter now. (I only wish I was exaggerating) I’ll have to remember this book if I keep having problems. Nice review! 🙂
October 27, 2014
I recommend Mary Buckham’s writing books to everyone. I’ve learned so much from her. As for beginnings, don’t worry too much. Deal with it later. Once you have the rest sussed, the first chapter may fall into place. 🙂
November 26, 2014
It’s the one advantage of being a writer who never finishes anything… you get a lot of practice at writing beginnings! 😉
November 26, 2014
True, Mark. But getting a hook that works, and another one, and another, and placing them for maximum impact, is a skill I haven’t mastered yet. And before Mary Buckham, I didn’t even know what to look out for. Now I spend ages on the first paragraph, trying to cram in as many “hook hits” as I can. And it’s still tough…:-)
November 26, 2014
And then you have to maintain the interest without pulling too many of the hooks you’ve set out. Maybe fishing’s easier…
November 26, 2014
Yup. But so much tougher to do during my lunch breaks at the office… 🙂