In this second part of my weekly series on how to hook your reader’s interest in your story straight away, I focus on the shock factor and how it instantly grips your reader, making her sit up and take notice. She’ll feel compelled to read on and find out what on earth is going to happen next.
Here are a few examples for you:
- I knew she was dead even though the dull eyes stared back at me, mocking me, tempting me to raise the knife once more.
- Sam always knew his parents were strange. But when he saw them change colour and shape he knew they were really strange.
- He couldn’t believe his eyes. Surely not right there in the supermarket? The devil didn’t just walk nonchalantly into the local cash and carry.
- They tie the noose tight. They don’t care. Nobody cares. I scream and tell them it isn’t right – I don’t deserve to die.
Hopefully these will have inspired you to come up with a few ‘shockers’ of your own!
Esther Chilton 
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