How to Hook Readers with an Irresistible Essay Introduction

The title of your essay, first sentence, and the first paragraph are critical elements to capturing people's attention.

13:25 27 March 2021

Getting them to read the post, and motivating them to share the post. Being an essay writer I know that if your essay opening is dull, no one will read or share it. That's a recipe for essay failure! Instead, instantly hook your readers with an irresistible essay introduction by following the writing tips below.

 

Present a Problem

 

Write like a copywriter and present a problem in the opening of your essay along with a promise to solve that problem if a person continues to read the full post. Keep in mind, problems don't have to be tangible or real. Copywriters create perceived problems all the time, and you can do it in your essay, too.

 

Make It Personal and Invite Participation

 

Don't just talk to your audience; talk with them. An easy way to invite them to participate in your post, boost interactivity, and engage them is to open your essay by asking a question. This helps readers personalize the post content, and it makes them feel like you value their opinions. Even if your opinion is unlikely to match the majority point-of-view, you can still start with a question that invites courteous debate.

 

Share Some Data

 

Statistics make great essay openers, particularly when statistics are surprising to your readers. Considering how well shock advertising works, it makes sense that opening an essay with a shocking statistic works to increase readership. However, you can use a variety of types of data to open an essay in a compelling way. Intriguing data brand new data, amazing data, and even questionable data can make your essay irresistible.

 

Tell a Story

 

People love stories, so think like a storyteller and start your essay off by telling a story that taps into your audience's emotions. Follow the first rule of fiction writing and show something to your readers through your words, don't just tell them something through your words. Patricia M. Odell, a free essay writer, emphasizes that stories are intriguing. Facts are boring. Therefore, pique your readers' emotions and make them want to learn what happens next by opening your essay with a great story.

 

Get Nostalgic

 

Remember when ... Those two words are perfect for the start of an essay because they invite readers to get nostalgic and think about a better time, a happier time, or simply a different time. Whether you're reminding people how lucky they are today than they were way back when or you're just trying to elicit emotions of happy times gone by, nostalgia is a powerful thing that leaves readers not only longing for different times but also longing to read more of your essay.

 

Start with the Conclusion

 

Write like a journalist using the inverted pyramid to provide the most important facts first. It can be tempting to overdo your essay introduction and fill it with extraneous details saving the "payoff" for last. However, this method of writing won't work. People who read essays move very quickly, and you need to make it clear what the reader will learn by taking the time to read your content at the very beginning of your post. If you're tempted to save your best point for later in your post, then you need to rewrite that post and push the most important information to the beginning. Hook readers with the best information first and leave it up to them to decide whether they want to keep reading. Don't save your best information for last and hope they stick around long enough to get to it.

 

Introduction as a Hook

 

An introduction is one of the most important parts of your text. It can help you attract readers as well as push them away. Moreover, a horrible introduction spoils even a perfectly written essay. You can provide bright information but your followers stop reading after looking through the beginning of your writing.

 

In this case, you should follow these solutions:

 

Present a Problem,

 

Make It Personal and Invite Participation,

 

Share Some Data,

 

Tell a Story,

 

Get Nostalgic,

 

Start with the Conclusion.

 

About the author: Bianca J. Ward is a professional essay writer at EssayWriterFree where she provides people with qualified works. Besides, she is a passionate photographer and traveler who has visited 52 countries all over the world. Bianca dreams about creating a photo exhibition to present her works to others.