When it comes to writing well, it's worth paying attention to the first line. People are busy. Judgments are often instantaneous. So whether you're writing a blog post, the first line of your eBook, or your author bio, a strong start is important. Writing well should continue beyond the first line, but if you don't catch them quickly (readers), you won't catch them at all. Extra emphasis should be placed on your title and leading paragraph.
Blogs and Articles
When you're trying to catch the reader's eye with your blogs and articles, there are several elements that come into play.
1.
Your title needs to be short, to the point, and clear. Clever titles that don't tell the reader what they'll be reading or extremely long titles that are cut short by Google's search results do you absolutely no good. Short, punchy, and on-target. What question is your blog or article answering? What topic is your blog or article covering? Who is your blog or article intended to reach?
2.
There is power in metadata. WordPress plugins make it easy to optimize your articles, but even if you're writing on another platform, take advantage of any opportunity you have to provide an excerpt or description of the article, since that will typically display under the title in search results and help draw people in.
3.
Get to the point. Start with your main point and flesh it out as you go. Look at the first line of this blog. It's clear that we're going to be discussing writing, how to improve it, and the impact of your first line.
eBooks
When it comes to eBooks, you have to first overcome the challenge of your
eBook cover before you can even get them to read a line, so additional focus is needed on creating a cover and title that attract readers. These guidelines can help:
1. Unless you are a graphic artist,
hire someone to create your cover. It will make a difference and is always worth the investment.
2. Choose your title carefully. The proliferation of eBooks means that there are often multiple eBooks with the same title. Make yours stand apart.
3. When it comes to writing well and catching your reader's attention and interest with the first line, consider this analysis of the opening lines of
The Hunger Games and why they worked, as analyzed by Kristin Nelson on
Pub Rants.
When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth but finding only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course, she did. This is the day of the reaping. (Copyright: Suzanne Collins, Hunger Games, Scholastic Press 2010)
First impressions matter, so make the most of yours.
When it comes to writing well, it's worth paying attention to the first line. People are busy. Judgments are often instantaneous. So whether you're writing a blog post, the first line of your eBook, or your author bio, a strong start is important. Writing well should continue beyond the first line, but if you don't catch them quickly (readers), you won't catch them at all. Extra emphasis should be placed on your title and leading paragraph.
Blogs and Articles
When you're trying to catch the reader's eye with your blogs and articles, there are several elements that come into play.
1. Your title needs to be short, to the point, and clear. Clever titles that don't tell the reader what they'll be reading or extremely long titles that are cut short by Google's search results do you absolutely no good. Short, punchy, and on-target. What question is your blog or article answering? What topic is your blog or article covering? Who is your blog or article intended to reach?
2. There is power in metadata. WordPress plugins make it easy to optimize your articles, but even if you're writing on another platform, take advantage of any opportunity you have to provide an excerpt or description of the article, since that will typically display under the title in search results and help draw people in.
3. Get to the point. Start with your main point and flesh it out as you go. Look at the first line of this blog. It's clear that we're going to be discussing writing, how to improve it, and the impact of your first line.
eBooks
When it comes to eBooks, you have to first overcome the challenge of your eBook cover before you can even get them to read a line, so additional focus is needed on creating a cover and title that attract readers. These guidelines can help:
1. Unless you are a graphic artist, hire someone to create your cover. It will make a difference and is always worth the investment.
2. Choose your title carefully. The proliferation of eBooks means that there are often multiple eBooks with the same title. Make yours stand apart.
3. When it comes to writing well and catching your reader's attention and interest with the first line, consider this analysis of the opening lines of The Hunger Games and why they worked, as analyzed by Kristin Nelson on Pub Rants.
