How are you going to grab that agent’s or editor’s attention and make them want to request your entire manuscript? Here are some tips.

• Make your characters three-dimensional – have strong, well-defined characters from the first scene, and make them vivid enough to hook the reader into their emotions
• A strong plot – don’t start with all the subplots immediately, but give a good idea of what the main plot is going to be, so the reader knows immediately if they want to read further
• Tight writing – cut the flowery speech, unnecessary adjectives, and most especially the adverbs. Watch for passive sentences as well (“The newspaper was read” instead of “We read the newspaper”)
• Unique voice – practice your craft until you have your own style and voice, and any agent or editor can spot that immediately
• Something new – never try to write what’s currently selling, because it’s already out of fashion by the time you get your book to the market. Write what’s in your soul, and it’ll be something they’ve never seen before (or never seen in that light)

“But what about that great ‘hook’ sentence?” you ask. Every English teacher has told you that you need one. Well, here’s the trick to writing a great opening sentence:

Finish the book first! The best way to craft the perfect opening sentence and chapter is to have the whole thing finished, and edit the first part to match the ending.