How to Write an Essay Introduction that Will Hook your Audience
How to Write an Essay Introduction that Will Hook your Audience
A great introduction is an important element of any piece of writing. Just think about it for a moment, how many beloved novels begin with an unforgettable phrase or sentence? When you are writing an essay introduction, you too must write something that will hook your reader, and make them want to read more. Then, once you have your reader hooked, you must keep them interested by skillfully seguing into the topic at hand, and then present them with a clear and concise thesis statement. If you can accomplish these things, you will have won your audience over and they will be eager to read the rest of your essay. If you fail to do these things, not only will your audience feel lukewarm about your writing, they may not understand the points you make in the rest of the essay simply because your introduction paragraph lacked clarity and direction. Why not give a few of the following tips and tricks a try, the next time you are trying to write out your next introductory paragraph.
Open with a Story
When you research your topic, try to identify one or two stories that are related to your topic. These can be used in your introductory paragraph to get your audience interested and to add an element of realism to your writing. A good story can also evoke certain emotions in your readers. This is a great way to put them in the mood that you believe is best for reading, understanding, and relating to the points. Just be sure that your story isn’t so long that you take too much time before you introduce your topic.
Start with a Fact or a Statistic
If you cannot find a good story, or you believe a story is not appropriate for your essay topic, consider opening with an interesting fact or statistic that is related to the subject of your essay. This will make your readers stop and think for a moment. Then, the will want to continue to read in order to learn more.
Make it Personal
Think about your audience. What about your subject directly impacts them? If you can identify a key point that will make your subject relevant to your audience, they will definitely be interested in reading more.
Transition by Asking Readers to Reflect
One of the best ways to transition into your essay topic after your hook is to ask your audience to reflect on what they just read. Here are a few questions that can accomplish this quite effectively:
- Doesn’t that make you angry?
- How do those numbers make you feel?
- Did you ever expect that this problem was so widespread?
- How would you feel if this happened to somebody you love?
End with Your Thesis
The last thing your audience should read in your introduction is a well-written thesis statement. Once this is complete, you are ready to move on to the rest of your essay.
More Help Writing an Introduction for an Essay
If you need additional help, you may contact us for writing assistance. We are available 24 hours per day.
