How to Hook a Reader in the First Sentence

In 2000, the average attention span was 12 seconds. In 1015, it was down to eight seconds. Recent studies suggest that now it's even shorter.

This means you have less time to capture your reader's attention than ever. Whether you're writing a script for a video, a marketing email, a Facebook ad, or an article, you need a strong start. If you can't get someone interested in the first sentence, it doesn't matter how good the rest of the piece is; no one will read it.

So, no pressure.

If you don't know how to start, here are my top tips to grab a reader's attention in under ten seconds.

Use a Statistic

You'll notice it's what I did above. And it worked; you're still reading. This is because when we hear a statistic or fact, we almost always want to know more. This is particularly true if it's a shocking statistic.

Using a statistic can be a great way to immediately grab a reader's interest. Furthermore, it adds credibility to your work. You are showing that this isn't about feelings. It's about facts, so people read on to see what this means. Where possible, cite your statistic to show that what they are about to read is informative and authoritative.

Make them laugh

It's a classic technique, but using humour is an easy way to make sure your reader is interested from the beginning. We all want to laugh and feel good, so reading something funny immediately pulls our interest and makes us want more. When we read something funny, our body produces a hormone that makes us feel good and triggers our brain to want more. Starting your work with a joke literally makes people crave more of your writing.

Of course, the joke should probably be related to the topic.

Everyone loves to laugh

Give an unpopular opinion

If you start a piece of writing with a somewhat controversial opinion, readers are sure to want to read on. They'll either agree with you and be thrilled to find someone who shares their opinion, or they'll be outraged and want to disagree. Either way, they'll want to read on.

You can also start with something surprising or controversial in this particular subject area. Going against the crowd is a great way to hook readers and immediately make them want to read on. Most people love giving their opinion and will feel a direct emotional response to a strong first sentence. If you're going to start with an unpopular opinion, don't be half-hearted. You need to commit to it and prepare for some people to leave comments disagreeing with you.

Address them directly

Another great way to immediately get the reader's attention is to make sure your first line speaks to them; literally. Asking a question is a good way to force your reader to engage with your work and think for themselves. It can even be a rhetorical question.

This reaches out and grabs your reader's attention and lets them know that what they are about to read will be engaging and thought-provoking and not something they want to miss.

Another way to address the reader directly is to give them an instruction. Tell them to "listen," and you'll find they probably do.

Make them a promise

If all else fails and you want to ensure your reader stays with you to the end, begin with a promise. Tell them in the first sentence what your piece is going to tell them or allow them to do. Most people don't want fancy stories; they want answers. With a short attention span, you need to give answers quickly.

After your fancy title, go straight in by telling them that if they read your work, by the end, they will be able to do X, or understand Y, or make a change to achieve Z. Straightforward, simple, and guaranteed to pull attention.