To grab readers by the throat and keep them chained to your article, book, or poem, you need to write a great lead. Luckily, there are hundreds (maybe even thousands) of ways to hook readers with the first sentence…and here are some gripping ideas. 

But first, as usual, a writing quip for freelancers: 

“It’s important to try to write when you are in the wrong mood or the weather is wrong. Even if you don’t succeed you’ll be developing a muscle that may do it later on.” - John Ashbery. 

To become a successful freelancer, you need to write even when you don’t feel like it. It’s a job, not a hobby or pleasant past-time. Writing when you’re not in the mood is simply a muscle you develop over time. Similarly, writing great leads is a different type of muscle that you can flex until it’s strong and valuable. Here are a few tips on hooking readers right from your first sentence. 

Writing Great Leads: How to Hook Readers With the First Sentence 

Involve your readers. In The Magazine Writer’s Handbook, Frank Peterson advises writers to show only enough to keep your readers reading. Give them a peek at your best hand, and slowly reveal the rest. Writing great leads is like leaving a trail of bread crumbs throughout your article…your reader won’t rest until he’s eaten every last crumb. 

Offer a taste of what the article will reveal. “Monthly cycles, dipsticks, and brown semen are a few things you’ve probably never associated with healthy sexuality - but they’re all normal for men. So is an average penis length of five erect and three flaccid inches, which is significantly smaller than most men think is normal.” I used this lead for an article on male sexuality that I wrote for MSN Health. The editor rearranged things a little - but I thought it was a great way to hook readers with the first sentence. 

Startle your readers. “Eating your own brain may not seem very smart, but that’s how some organisms stay healthy. Scientists found that not only do certain single-cell organisms “eat” their damaged or aged parts, they also consume their own nucleus or brain if it’s diseased. Luckily, you don’t have to eat brains to keep your mind strong - you need only enjoy certain delicious foods.” I think this lead would hook readers from the get-go, but I haven’t actually sold this article (”10 Foods That Make You Smarter”) yet. 

Ask a provocative question. “Would you let your husband have a sleep over with a sexy colleague from his office?” The provocative part doesn’t necessarily have to be sensual; anything challenging, stimulating, or even confrontational is provocative. Writing great leads can involve catching your readers off-guard with a bit of controversy. 

Cite a dramatic fact. “On a scale of 1 to 10, penguins have an IQ of minus 5.” Okay, this isn’t the most dramatic fact ever, and this sentence may only hook readers who are totally enthralled with sealife, but you get the point. To write a great lead, hook readers with some true, dramatic statistic. 

Gross your readers out. “When Eric Westermann started his career as an archival photographer, he didn’t know he’d be removing teeth and bone fragments from the walls, cleaning clumps of scalp from the ceilings, and disposing of detached ears and toes at murder scenes. This 26 year old works for Crime and Trauma Scene Cleaners, Inc; his job includes decontaminating anything toxic, horrific, or deadly.” This introduction was for an article I wrote for Reader’s Digest Online, called “Ways to Make Work Better.”