What’s a narrative hook?

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A narrative hook is something in a story that captures the audience’s attention and makes them interested in finding out what happens next. This is often found at the beginning of a story and serves initially to “hook” the audience into continuing to read or view a story. There are several ways this can be done, although starting a story in media res or “in the middle of the action” is one of the more popular methods. A narrative hook can also occur during the body of a story, to ensure that a reader is intrigued and engaged when events might otherwise slow down.

The purpose of a narrative hook is for a narrator to effectively capture the attention of his or her audience. In this sense, “narrative” simply means a story being told and “hook” refers to the idea of ​​an object grabbing something and pulling it along. A storyteller typically wants to use a narrative hook to capture his audience and then not let them go. Nearly every story begins with some kind of hook, which serves to grab an audience’s initial attention and make them invest additional time into the story.

One way a storyteller can create a narrative hook is through a technique for starting a story in the middle of the action, known by the Latin term in media res. This means that a storyteller typically does not begin with the birth of a character, but instead begins in the middle of the action. Audiences typically see this kind of initiation and immediately start asking themselves questions about what’s going on.

The Star Wars movie, for example, begins with a space battle in which one large ship chases another, blasting it with lasers. This immediately grabs the attention of the audience and makes them want to know what events have led up to this moment. Because of the questions that arise in an audience that sees this type of narrative hook, however, it’s important for a storyteller to explain a great deal of information afterwards to avoid confusion.

A narrative hook can also be used within the body of a story, to maintain a story’s inertia, or otherwise propel events forward. Some events and details may need to be told by a narrator, but ultimately they can slow down the flow of a narrative and potentially make an audience feel bored. The use of a narrative hook within these details and events ensures that the audience’s attention is held throughout the narrative. This is especially important for longer jobs where the conclusion may not be reached for some time.

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