Hook, Line and Sinker

The Hook, Line and Sinker is a simple tool to assist writers in achieving fundamental writing goals. It is not a formula to follow, but a guide for writers to model. Writing is an art form, and therefore is very personal. Hook, Line and Sinker is not designed to remove a writer's freedom of form and style. It is designed to help writers meet the minimum requirements of any good introductory paragraph.

A good introductory paragraph is the foundation of clear and concise writing. It should:


Catch the reader's attention with your opening sentence. It should hook their interest enough to make them want to continue reading what you have written. Don't restate the question and avoid bland factual statements. Write something clever, yet accurate. Use emotional or descriptive language. Approach your topic from a unique angle or perspective. Take your time and put some thought into the first sentence. It should reflect the quality of the rest of your work.		Clearly indicate the position you are taking in the essay in your thesis statement. Be sure it directly relates to the question that is being asked. It should reflect the primary focus of your essay. The reader should be able to relate the remainder of your paper to this line. Write actively. Be sure the verbs you use mean what you want them to mean. Evidence or examples you are going to use in the essay should support the thesis		Give the reader a blueprint of what is to come. As the reader goes down through your essay, what will he or she find? What evidence will you provide to support your thesis statement? Indicate the evidence you will use to support the thesis. The sinker should present a snapshot of the main topics of each of the paragraphs in the body of your essay. Use clear and concise language. Avoid writing statements like, "In this paper..."