hook
/ˈhʊk/an opening that immediately captures attention
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
Origin: From fishing—'hooking' the reader
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Beginning and ending with power
an opening that immediately captures attention
“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”
Origin: From fishing—'hooking' the reader
beginning in the middle of the action
“The gun went off. Starting with action, explaining later.”
Origin: Latin `in the middle of things`
beginning without preamble or context
“Dropping readers directly into scene without setup.”
Origin: From television/film terminology
a clear statement of the main argument or point
“This essay argues that... The central claim, stated plainly.”
Origin: Greek `thesis` (proposition)
the opening sentence or paragraph of a news story
“Burying the lede means hiding the main point too deep.”
Origin: Journalist spelling of 'lead'
an ending that urges the reader to do something
“The time to act is now. Start today.”
Origin: From rhetoric and marketing
returning to the opening image or idea
“Beginning and ending with the same image creates closure.”
Origin: From the circular structure
a conclusion that lingers in the reader's mind
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”
Origin: Latin `resonare` (to resound)
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