So what makes a good hook? How can we begin and end our chapters in a way that makes readers stay up late into the night, wanting to know more of the story so badly they'll risk sleep deprivation the next day?
1) Stop in the middle of the action. There's nothing like being in the middle of a scene when the chapter ends. We have to keep going so we can find out what happens to the character.
2) Make us worry. There has to be something important at stake for your character. If your character has just fallen out of a gondola in Venice, for instance, we are going to be worried.
3) Make us interested. Find a way to keep your reader guessing and wanting to know what comes next. Your chapters shouldn't end with your characters talking about a shoe sale or sitting around drinking tea. This is a problem I had early on in my writing, especially in my first novel.
Treat every chapter ending like it might be the last page a person reads. Strive that hard to keep them hooked, and you'll be pleased with what you come up with.
What are some strategies you employ to keep readers hooked?
