Everyday, millions if not billions of internet articles, books, journal articles, etc. are waiting to be read. However we don’t have time to read so many while some is just not appealing to us.  Therefore, as a writer and an avid reader, the first ten seconds is the most important.

The first ten seconds is the reader’s first impression of the article, book, etc. During those ten seconds, they usually scan through two things: title and hook.  Once they get through those two thing, then they will determine whether to pass or keep reading.

THE TITLE

To me and probably most writers, the title is the most important thing when you are trying to capture the reader’s attention.  Sometimes, the title essentially is the hook of the article, the thing that is going to peak readers’ curiosity.  However, we may not always come up with the brilliant titles that fits our articles.

If the reader finds the title is not appealing enough to keep reading, there are two ways it can then play out.  They will just pass or keep scrolling or as they scroll slightly downward, the first or second sentence will capture their attention.  Then they will decide, is this article interesting enough for me to go on and read the whole thing? In a nutshell, TITLE IS IMPORTANT!

WHAT IS IN A TITLE?

I know I haven’t been writing (for fun) for very long but based on the countless writing lessons, I think I can say that a title should be short and concise.  It summarizes what the article is generally about although it shouldn’t be too broad. The title should also contain a little mystery to keep the reader curious enough to keep reading. It can even have a cute picture.

THE HOOK

The hook is the most important thing in an article beside the title.  When I was first learning the English writing structure, every time, right before the teacher assigned the class a writing assignment, we have to fill out an outline.  At the top, even before the introduction, there it is, large, capitalized, and bold, HOOK.  In my opinion, the hook can be many things but one thing it cannot be is at the end of the introduction paragraph.  It has to be the first or the second sentence of whatever you are writing.

WHAT IS IN THE HOOK?

Just like the title, the hook is a complete sentence that cannot be long.  It is the first sentence of your article, story, etc. After all, you are trying to make the reader curious not put them to sleep with a super long sentence. On the contrary, the hook is not about summarizing your article in a sentence.  It’s all about making sure the reader will continue reading your article.

WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT?

Honestly, I think both is important even though without one, the article might still work.  On the other hand, coming up with either, it can be challenging sometimes and that is why people say practice makes perfect.  The more you write, the better you will get at choosing the suitable title and coming up with clever hooks.