Hook, is it an intuitive knack or can it be learned?

The title is important to catch people's attention and the opening paragraph must make the reader want to find out more. If you are writing an article you can start with a question "Did you know that....!" or "Would you believe that...", or simply introduce the subject and make the reader want to know more by hinting at something that will be fully explained later in the article. Using some of the best key words for the topic, at the start of the article, also helps in search engine optimization.

Every good writer is good at the intro of their articles. I may know what to write but to get a catchy sentence to hook the readers' attention to read on is something I am yet to learn.

I think a hook is definitely important, particularly when you are writing fiction, but critical with nonfiction (which can tend toward the more boring anyway). In one literary magazine I read, for example, they feature opening lines from novels. That should tell you something. You've got to get your reader interested and moving on to the next page, especially in the beginning. How many times have you opened a book in the bookstore and read the first line or paragraph before deciding to purchase it? That said, it's not an easy task. Ok, it probably is easy for some writers, but I think most have to work at it. One idea I read was to just start writing, then go back (in your editing stage), and throw your first two lines out and re-write. This way, you have had time to think about where you are going/have gone with your story, and how you can use that to make a great opening. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? How do you write a great hook? Practice, practice, practice! Good luck with your writing. The fact that you are even asking the question means you know a hook is important.

I think some people do have this naturally, but you really can learn it. Some people just take longer at getting it than others, and I don't think all people need to know how to do this, anyway. You own style doesn't have to be like anything, it just has to be you. I'm one of those people with "a knack"...but that doesn't mean I can do it all the time, nor do I want to, though I have made it my sincerest wish to try to learn the mechanics of this mystical "attention grabbing first sentence". I've found that, it tends to need to just...stand out, a memorable first impression. It can be funny, just beautiful, weird, mysterious...as long as it ties into the story, then...it grabs! The starker the contrasts the more things stand out. But in the end, all this thought needs to be finished by intuition..in my view. What do you FEEL should be the first sentence? What do you feel would be any one of those things I just mentioned? Then follow up with thinking on how well it fits -- and be open! Even if you don't think it's awesome, that doesn't mean someone else won't!

A hook is usually more important in non-fiction, because if you can't get the reader interested in the subject right away, they're going to move on. It's a knack, but one that can be learned. I write a lot of articles for various sites, and I've gradually learned to make the opening one that will keep a person reading. I see a lot of articles that make you go two or three paragraphs deep before you even get a good sense of what it's about. The hook has to be the first couple of sentences. I think the best way to learn how to do it is read a lot of articles and analyze what they're doing. What's the difference between the ones that make you want to keep reading and the ones that look boring?

When I write fiction, I've been told by people that I do a good job with that first sentance/scene. I have gotten to where I almost always start with a person saying something - I don't know why, but it seems to be a very effective hook for me. I guess that wouldn't work if you aren't writing fiction tho...

Okay, i am in no way shape or form a writer, i am however a reader and heaven knows i have plodded my way through a good many pitiful beginnings in fiction and non-fiction alike. If it is a non-fictional article about something i am intrested in i will keep going (after all i won't learn anything if i let the first sentence stop me) if it is fiction i will keep going because i know it will get better (you have to have faith). I have read several of your articles and i have NEVER had to force myself to keep going they are always informative and intresting. I have actually sent links to other people so they can read them too. However, if you think you need to improve something then i am sure you can learn whatever it is you think you need to learn.