Comments for Vivacious Vixens of Romance Blog

Comment on When Life Is Good by vivaciousvixensofromance

vivaciousvixensofromance — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:41:02 +0000

I know what you mean! The reason I’m trying so hard to get an agent is because of my crappy day job. Sheesh! One of these days we will…

~Phyllis~

Comment on Hooking Your Readers by Anna Kathryn Lanier

Anna Kathryn Lanier — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 02:55:52 +0000

Good points, Phyllis. I think I do pretty good with the opening lines….it’s what comes after that I have trouble with…lol. “Damn the man” is one of my favorite openings, unfortunately, I have to revamp the story and may have to lose that line!

Comment on Hooking Your Readers by Jannine

Jannine — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:49:53 +0000

Loved your post, Phyllis. I’ll begin a book (first few lines) several times before I get the hook I want. I have no problem leaving the reader wanting more at the end of each chapter. But those opening lines in a book are crucial. It’s the first thing I look at when I peruse the shelves at B&N: the hook, the back cover blurb, the ending. LOL, I have to read the ending before I decide to buy.

Comment on Hooking Your Readers by Mary Ricksen

Mary Ricksen — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:28:08 +0000

Great and informative post! Thanks really liked it.
Good sage advice.

Comment on Hooking Your Readers by Diane

Diane — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 21:26:41 +0000

Great post, Phyllis. Sometimes we need reminding on these things. I invariably end up cutting out the first few chapters after I’ve written a manuscript to find that hook. I hate wasting good words, but sometimes we have to.

~Diane

Comment on Hooking Your Readers by Monique DeVere

Monique DeVere — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 20:26:26 +0000

Hiya, Phyllis!

Great post. I hear you on the opening and chapter end hooks. I always try to have both. Luckily, the first part that comes to me when starting a new MS is the opening hook. So far, they haven’t been too bad. However, after reading what you had to say, I think I’ll be really juicing them up from now on.

Of course, I like to think they’re perfect already–tee-hee

Hugs,

~*Monique*~

Comment on Hooking Your Readers by Word Actress

Word Actress — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:00:41 +0000

WOW – awesome post. just what I needed to get started on a self-imposed boot camp writing week-end. As we write, we KNOW about short attention spans and good opening and closing chapter lines and of course we all want to tell a compelling story. Thanks for reminding me of how best to capture and hold our reader’s attention. Happy week-end all…Best, Mary Kennedy Eastham, Author, ‘The Shadow of a Dog I Can’t Forget’ and the upcoming novel, ‘Night Surfing’

Comment on Hooking Your Readers by amydetrempe

amydetrempe — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:50:24 +0000

Great examples. I know I don’t always start off with a hook. Usually once I am into the story and have gotten it out of my head and typed I go back to the beginning to discover a very boring beginning. But that is easily fixed. Hooking is not what I am thinking about when my characters are screaming to be written so my initial beginning is never my final beginning. Though it would be nice to write without ever having to revise. Oh, dare to dream – lol.

Comment on Hooking Your Readers by Ginger Simpson

Ginger Simpson — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:04:01 +0000

Excellent post, my friend. I can attest to the fact that you excel at the “hook.” It’s too bad that those of us who started writing several years back didn’t have someone to point out the importance. As a reader, you KNOW these things, but somehow when you become an AUTHOR, your fingers are along the keyboard so fast, words flowing onto paper, you think from a totally different perspective. Thank God for good editors and critique groups to help us learn. You should contact Lea Schizas who is conducting the Muse conference online in October and see if you can offer this information in a seminar. People can really benefit from you.

Comment on Hooking Your Readers by Jerrica Knight-Catania

Jerrica Knight-Catania — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:03:16 +0000

Great post, Phyllis! I’m sure I’m in the minority, but I actually liked the opening of the girl in the opera box…of course, I studied opera in college, and anytime there’s mention of a white-gloved hand, I know it’s an era I’m going to enjoy reading about. But you make wonderful points about hooking the reader and I like the additions you made later…definitely more interesting.
I hope I’ve done this in my own writing! And I’ll certainly use your tips going forward