The Happy Paper

Writing the Hook

1. Begin with a simile or a metaphor.

Life exists as a rollercoaster full of ups and downs. OR Family stands as open as a book.

2. Begin with a question.

Who should be deemed the greatest athlete of all times?

3. Begin with a definition.

Oxford Dictionaries states that students who suffer a decline in motivation or performance in their final year of high school or college might be afflicted with senioritis.

4. Begin with a quotation.

“Give me liberty or give me death.” (Patrick Henry) OR “No man is an island” (John Donne)

5. Begin with a comparison to a well-known person or celebrity.

Daisy Buchanan’s reputation in The Great Gatsby greatly parallels that of the late, great Marilyn Monroe.

6. Begin with a relevant and rational prediction the future.

In the year 2025, education as society has known it, will be changed forever.

7. Begin with a dilemma.

Deciding between two of the most top-ranked schools in the United States must be the one of the most difficult decisions a teenager might make. OR Much like present day peer pressure, the girls involved in the Salem Witch Trials seemed powerless to overcome the social connections that they endured.

8. Begin with an anecdote (possibly from the text).

As the two cousins pedaled their new bikes to the beach, the youngest of them, 6 years old, met an old, shaggy-haired man weaving unsteadily on a battered old bike.

9. Begin with a rhetorical question.

Could anyone really purposely murder a child? (Note: For a paper on abortion)

10. Offer a “how-to” tip(s).

First, commit a heinous and unforgiveable crime. (Note: For a paper on the Death Penalty).

Adapted from: http://www.thewritertoday.com/2009/07/10-writing-hooks.html

THE CLINCHER

The clincher, also referred to as the closer, is your last opportunity to connect with the reader. One way to make the most of this moment is to return to the technique you used for your grabber.

1. Complete the anecdote.

As previously stated, the two cousins pedaled their new bikes to the beach, and the youngest of them, 6 years old, met an old, shaggy-haired man weaving unsteadily on a battered old bike. That young boy taught the older man how to ride his bike. Hence, the young boy became the embodiment of the old adage that “a little child shall lead them.”

2. Make a prediction or recommendation based on the facts or statistics.

In no time at all, American citizens will stand up and fight for the rights of all mankind.

3. Ask a final rhetorical question.

How can we stand by and allow this to happen to our own fellow citizens?

4. Use a new quotation or refer back to the opening quotation.

Patrick Henry stated, “Give me liberty or give me death,” and according to Benjamin Franklin, “they who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

OR

Patrick Henry stated, “Give me liberty or give me death.” The U.S. government has chosen liberty. Freedom is not just a right; it remains a privilege as well.

5. Continue the original description of a character, setting, or object.

Nothing can compare to a dog’s dedication, intelligence, and friendship. Because a dog offers all these wonderful qualities and more, dog owners realize why a “dog is man’s best friend.” Anyone should feel fortunate to have a dog as an animal companion.

TRANSITIONS

Within Paragraphs: Use transitions to link ideas with the paragraph. Use only those that are necessary to make your ideas clear. Too many transitions distract the reader from your message and slow down the transitions, which are boldfaced, are effectively used.

Although he was a