Writers in the Storm

By Jenn Windrow

Years ago, I found this graphic on Pinterest and immediately saved it to my computer. This was well before I started my developmental editing business. But as a writer, I always found it compelling. I firmly believe in the idea of hooking the reader, grabbing their attention, so they don’t want to wiggle off the hook, ensuring they want to stay captured and captivated.

But keeping them hooked requires more than a perfect first line.

However, writers obsess over the opening line of the book, something I fully support, but they then forget that every single chapter opening has the same job.

To hook the reader again and again and again.

If your chapters don’t pull readers in and push them forward, your story stalls. Quietly. Invisibly. Until readers drift off and never come back.

Hooks Aren’t Just for Page One

A hook is a promise. It tells the reader something interesting is happening and it’s worth their time to keep going. It engages them. It evokes emotion. It pulls them into the story.  

And while a killer first line is one of the best hooks you can have, it shouldn’t be the last hook in your book. Each and every chapter should have its own hook. But not just the start of your chapters, the end of your chapters as well.

Here’s why.

Every chapter opening should:

• Re-engage the reader
• Re-establish tension or curiosity
• Make it impossible to put the book down

And every chapter ending should:

• Create forward momentum
• Raise a new question or complication
• Make it impossible to put the book down (yes, that is listed for both, you want your readers to go to work exhausted the next day because they were up too late reading your words.)

When I’m writing, I will spend far too much time focusing on the opening paragraph to every chapter, as well as the chapter endings. For me, this is really some of the most important real estate my books have, and I spend the time making sure they do the job they were constructed to do.

Here is an example…

This is the end of chapter 3. I wanted to end the chapter with a bit of foreshadowing of what to expect.

A water nymph fought against the goblin guards. A nymph who would be used and abused to prove a point. A point the commander wanted hammered into my skull. Because I had saved a nymph, he would sacrifice one.

            And the mind games were about to begin.

And this is the start of chapter 4. A quick recap to reengage the reader, but also add the emotional tension and internal conflict the main character now faces.

The commander caught a nymph. Just another one of his sick, twisted, and manipulative ways to prove that he would always win the unspoken battle between us. A battle I wasn’t sure I was corrupt enough to fight.

But not every writer knows how to write a good hook. They struggle with what a good hook is supposed to do, how to construct it, and where to even begin. If you are one of those writers, here are 13 easy cheats to get you started.

13 Types of Hooks You Can Use Anywhere

These aren’t just for your first line. These are tools you can use at the start of any chapter, and even echo at the end to keep momentum alive.

1. Action

Drop us into something happening.

The blade slipped from her hand.

Why it works:
Action bypasses explanation and goes straight to engagement. The reader doesn’t need context yet, they need motion. Movement creates questions automatically. What just happened? Why does it matter?

Use it when:

• You’re entering a high-stakes moment
• The previous chapter ended on tension, and you want to pay it off immediately
• You need to accelerate pacing

Common mistake:
Starting with action that has no emotional anchor. Action without meaning is noise.

2. Analogy

Frame the emotional state quickly.

Grief settled in like a storm that refused to pass.

Why it works:
An analogy compresses emotion into something instantly recognizable. Instead of explaining how a character feels, you translate it into something the reader already understands.

Use it when:

• You’re shifting into a more introspective or emotional beat
• You need to quickly ground the reader in tone after a scene break

Common mistake:
Overcomplicating the comparison. If readers have to think too hard about it, you’ve lost the effect.

3. Command to the Reader

Break the fourth wall with intention.

Remember this moment.

Why it works:
It creates immediacy and importance. You’re signaling that what follows matters, which sharpens reader focus.

Use it when:

• You have a strong, voice-driven narrative
• You want to emphasize a turning point or key moment

Common mistake:
Using it without a payoff. If you tell the reader to pay attention, you’d better deliver.

4. Bold Statement or Interesting Fact

Make the reader pause.

Magic always comes with a cost.

Why it works:
It establishes rules, stakes, or intrigue in one clean line. It also invites the reader to test that statement as the story unfolds.

Use it when:

• You want to anchor theme or world rules quickly
• You need a strong tonal reset at the start of a chapter

Common mistake:
Generic statements. If it sounds like it could apply to any story, it’s not pulling its weight.

5. Character’s Thoughts or Feelings

Pull us inside.

I shouldn’t be here.

Why it works:
This creates instant intimacy. Readers don’t just observe the story, they experience it from within the character.

Use it when:

• You’re reconnecting after a POV shift
• The emotional stakes are driving the scene

Common mistake:
Starting with vague or low-stakes thoughts. “I was tired” won’t hook anyone.

6. Definition

Reframe an idea.

Betrayal is just trust, turned inside out.

Why it works:
It signals theme and adds a layer of meaning to what’s about to happen. It primes the reader to interpret the scene through a specific lens.

Use it when:

• You’re setting up a thematic chapter
• You want to deepen the reader’s understanding of a concept central to the story

Common mistake:
Sounding like a dictionary or a quote board. It needs voice and specificity.

7. Dialogue or Quotation

Start mid-moment.

“You lied to me.”

Why it works:
Dialogue skips setup and drops the reader directly into conflict. It implies context without explaining it, which creates curiosity.

Use it when:

• You want immediate tension
• The scene begins with confrontation or high emotion

Common mistake:
Starting with neutral or mundane dialogue. If the line doesn’t create tension, it doesn’t belong here.

8. Foreshadowing

Hint at consequences.

This was the last time she would trust him.

Why it works:
It creates anticipation and dread. The reader now knows something is coming, and they’ll read to find out how it happens.

Use it when:

• You’re building toward a turning point
• You want to layer tension into a quieter scene

Common mistake:
Being too vague or too dramatic. It needs to feel earned, not manipulative.

9. Onomatopoeia

Use sound for immersion.

Thud. Something hit the floor behind her.

Why it works:
It engages the senses immediately. Sound is one of the fastest ways to pull a reader into a moment.

Use it when:

• You’re opening in the middle of an event
• You want a sharp, sensory entry point

Common mistake:
Overusing it or making it feel gimmicky. It should enhance the moment, not distract.

10. Question

Create curiosity.

Why was the door already open?

Why it works:
Questions naturally create forward momentum. The reader wants the answer, and the only way to get it is to keep reading.

Use it when:

• You’re introducing a mystery or problem
• You want to guide reader focus immediately

Common mistake:
Asking questions that don’t matter or get answered too easily.

11. Theme Statement

Anchor the story.

Power always demands a sacrifice.

Why it works:
It tells the reader what this chapter, and often the story, is really about beneath the surface.

Use it when:

• You’re entering a pivotal or reflective moment
• You want to reinforce the story’s core message

Common mistake:
Being heavy-handed. It should feel like insight, not a lecture.

12. Sentence Fragment

Cut straight to impact.

Not again.

Why it works:
Fragments strip language down to emotion. They’re fast, punchy, and often carry urgency or dread.

Use it when:

• You want a sharp tonal hit
• You’re continuing momentum from a previous chapter

Common mistake:
Overusing fragments so they lose impact.

13. Setting or Picture

Drop us into the world.

The castle stood silent, its gates wide open.

Why it works:
It orients the reader while creating mood. When done right, setting itself becomes a source of tension.

Use it when:

• Atmosphere matters to the scene
• The environment plays a role in what’s about to happen

Common mistake:
Letting description stall the story. Setting should create curiosity, not pause it.

Chapter Openings: Re-Hook the Reader

Every time a reader starts a new chapter, they’ve had a break. Even if it’s just a breath. You have to earn them back. Because you want them to stay rooted in your story, attached to your characters, and submersed in your world.

Strong chapter openings:

• Start in motion or tension
• Avoid re-explaining what we already know
• Anchor us quickly in who, where, and what matters

Weak openings:

• Ease in with description
• Rehash the last chapter
• Delay the point

If your chapter takes a page to “get going,” it’s already too late.

Chapter Endings: The Real Power Move

A strong chapter ending is what makes readers say, “Just one more.” You don’t need a cliffhanger every time. But you do need momentum. You need them to want to stay. You want them to turn that page and keep reading.

The most effective chapter endings...

• Introduce a new problem
• Shift the stakes
• Reveal something unexpected
• Leave an emotional beat unresolved

The Mistake I See Constantly

As an editor, I ensure that all my clients understand what I expect at the start and end of each chapter. Some of my clients might say I am too tough on openings, but I do it because I want them to create the best book possible.

However, I have noticed that writers treat chapters like containers instead of engines. They start soft. They end neatly. They move on. But stories don’t thrive on neat. They thrive on tension.

If a reader can comfortably stop at the end of your chapter, you’ve given them an exit. And the last thing you want a reader to do is exit.

Your job is to make them hesitate. Make them want to stay.

A Simple Fix You Can Apply Today

Take one chapter and do this:

Step 1: Rewrite the opening using a different hook type
Try action, dialogue, or a bold statement.

Step 2: Rewrite the ending to create a question
Not confusion. Curiosity.

Step 3: Read the transition into the next chapter
Does it feel inevitable? Or optional?

Final Thought

Your story doesn’t hook the reader once. It hooks them over and over again. At the start of the book. At the start of every chapter. At the end of every chapter. That’s what keeps pages turning.

Because you story is not built on good writing alone, it's built on relentless momentum. And momentum is built one hook at a time.

Be honest. Are your chapters pulling readers forward… or quietly letting them walk away?

About Jenn Windrow

Jenn Windrow once attempted to write a “normal” book—and promptly bored herself into a coma. So now she sticks to what she does best: writing snarky, kick-butt heroines, broody supernatural men, and more sexual tension than a vampire in a blood bank.

She’s the award-winning author of the Alexis Black novels and the Redeeming Cupid series, where the undead never sparkle and the drama is always delicious. Jenn moonlights as a developmental editor, helping other writers wrangle their wild plots and tangle-free prose.

When not arguing with her characters or muttering about Oxford commas, she can be found binge-watching trash TV, wrangling the slew of animals that live in her house (husband and teenagers included), or telling herself she’ll only have one more cookie.

You can find her at jennwindrow.com or lurking on social media where she pretends to be an extrovert.

Header image from Unsplash by Kaptured by Kasia 

by Ossandra White

As creatives, there are lots of things that stop us from…creating. There are physical reasons, like fatigue, sickness, chronic illness, pain, discomfort, eye strain, and other such issues that hinder our bodies from actually doing the thing. There are situational constraints, such as busy schedules, other obligations, or simply the day’s 24-hour limit.

But sometimes, even when we are feeling our best and have cleared our schedules, we sit down to write and something still stops us. What if we could get down to the very root and core of it all, pinpointing the exact reasons why we are stopped so that we can correctly diagnose a solution? This article may help you get started towards doing just that. I can’t cover everything, but I can try to walk you through some of the things that you can do to step closer towards identifying the things that stop you and figuring out what to do about them.

Self-Assessment

If you are attempting to be productive and you just don’t feel right, try stopping, closing your eyes, taking a deep breath, and checking in with yourself. Create a go-to list of questions to ask yourself when you feel unsettled and actually answer honestly. You often must admit there is a problem before you can treat it.

• Am I feeling pain or discomfort anywhere in my body?
• How long have I been staring at a screen?
• Am I unintentionally holding my breath?
• Is there any stressful situation happening in my life that my soul is troubled about?
• When was the last time I…
  • …ate a meal?
  • …drank water?
  • …went to the restroom?
  • …got sleep?
  • …did something I enjoyed that had nothing to do with work?
  • …stretched?
  • …got fresh air?
  • …took a moment to appreciate nature?

You may already know other triggers that cause you to feel strange. Place those on your list as well.

Different Barriers

Once you’ve checked in, you’re likely to know what you’re facing. Physical, mental, and even spiritual barriers exist. Sometimes, all three types at once. Not all problems can be solved, but knowing the reasoning behind our blocks typically helps us put things into perspective and give ourselves grace. 

Cramping and Stiffness

Stretching regularly is good when we sit at our desks and hunch over screens all day. Roll your neck and shoulders. Flex your fingers and wrists. Come away from your workstation. Bend and move around. Sometimes, being locked in one position for too long can cause our brains to be locked as well. If it helps, set an interval timer to remind you.

Eye Strain

Staring at a screen for too long can have us seeing stars! Take some time to look away. Close your eyes and place your palms over them. Count and think of something pleasant. Go look at something else, like art or nature. Admire things in your environment. Take a moment to appreciate the beauty in the mundane. Look at something without the intention of working on it. 

Deprivation of Nature

Studies have shown that most humans feel better when exposed to sunlight and fresh air. Though people have created these little industrial domes powered by electricity and cutting ourselves off from the world, it can actually do some good to ‘touch grass’, as the kiddos say these days. If you can’t go outside, open a window, or at least look out of one. If you have any house plants, tend to them. If you have pets or other humans, spend some time with them. Even if you can’t access real nature, try looking up nature ambience on YouTube. You may find calm in the sound of wind, rain, or birdsong.

Lack of Sleep

There are only twenty-four hours in the day, and it seems strange to spend so much of them sleeping. But sleep is important! Our brains need rest! Sometimes, we are rushing around and trying to do so much that we neglect ourselves. This, in turn, makes things more difficult for us.

I often push myself for days on end without rest. It may seem that busy and productive people have to power through like this, but sometimes, when we take care of ourselves, the load becomes lighter and easier. Once, I was staring at a page with a sleep-deprived brain. I couldn’t make it work until I fell asleep unawares and woke up with fresh perspective. Things that seemed so difficult in the darkness of night suddenly seemed almost comically laughable in the morning light.

Ignoring Doctor’s Orders

I know some rules are annoying, but regimens from medical professionals usually have our own best interests in mind. When we’re sick or have a chronic illness, it is important to adhere to what our healthcare providers suggest. Avoiding short-term aggravations could be costing us in the long run.

Indecisiveness

Analysis paralysis. So many options stand before us that we freeze up. In these cases, we can postpone choosing by focusing on something else, ask others what they think, or even leave it to chance and roll a die or something. This, of course, depends on how high the stakes are. I’d think twice about a crucial life decision, but might spin a wheel to settle on what color a character in my story is wearing.

Negative Self-Talk

Many of us can stand up to the criticism of others. However, when the call is coming from inside the house, it may be more of a problem. Often, it can help to combat lies with truth. For every negative thing your mind thinks, declare a positive thing back at it.

Lack of Focus

When we strain our brains with work for too long, they often start wandering away on their own. Give your brain a break by breathing, praying, meditating, thinking of other things, or even doing something else you enjoy. Play a game. Watch a show or movie. Listen to music and dance. Read something for enjoyment. Sometimes, doing these things can help you return refreshed and renewed.

Stress

Things happen, and we’re supposed to keep going. Nevertheless, not taking time to acknowledge that something is wrong, even if we can’t do anything about it, can lurk idly in the back of our brains. Our minds trying to progress without stopping to mourn or accept can be like a computer with a large program that opens on startup and keeps running in the background, causing laggy slog. When these pop up, we can’t always shut them off completely.

They may be necessary in the grand scheme of things. But often, clicking into them and accepting that they are running in the background calms things down better than leaving them ignored. They’ll still be stuck on their intro screens if we don’t face them. Just like in life. Grief doesn’t always go away, but acknowledging and learning to grow with it can be more liberating than pretending it doesn’t exist while letting it bog down our souls. Reaching out and talking to others about it may also help. Sometimes, we just need to get things off our chest so we don’t stew in it all alone.

Fear of Failure (or Success)

If we don’t want to work, it may be that our brains have fast-forwarded to all the things that will happen as a result of the writing.

If we write, we might finish this chapter

…then, the whole manuscript…

…then, we’re going to have to edit…

…then, we’re going to have to send it to proofreaders…

…then, when we finally publish, what if a reader leaves a bad review!?

This may sound outlandish, but really reflect on your brain’s thoughts. Channel what you could be dreading. Consequences are important to consider, but with something like this, it’s good to focus on one thing at a time. If a bad review is really what you are trying to avoid, you can remind yourself that you could also get a good review and that reviews are not the end goal. Why are you writing? What is your passion? Let these things surpass any fears or doubts you may have.

Personifying Our Obstacles

Sometimes, it can be helpful to personify the things that stop us. Taking them out of ourselves and looking at them as their own being can make it easier to defeat (or even care for!) them.

Negative self-talk may feel hopeless, but envisioning it as another person talking to us might motivate us to speak up for ourselves and prove ‘them’ wrong.

We may not feel it necessary to eat (though it really is)! But if hunger were a pet, we may be more motivated to nurture it. And, sometimes, it just takes us paying attention.

What holds you back? How do you work through it?

* * * * * *

About Ossandra

Ossandra White, also known as Wordigirl, is truly a Jill of all Trades. She writes amazing books, crafts fabulous websites and branding designs, and creates worlds that rock. She'll be teaching at the Creating Creativity: Dragon Edition, virtual conference, on May 15th and 16th, 2026 and would love for you all to join her! You can find more information at http://www.mindpotential.org. Or you can contact Ossandra directly at Ossandra White | Jill of all Trades

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Top Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay

by Ellen Buikema

Have you ever paid close attention to dialogue tags?

If not, that’s awesome. They were well written! If written poorly, they can pull the reader right out of the story—never a good thing. But when written well, dialogue tags help our understanding of emotion and tone, not ruining the flow. 

The Objective of Dialogue Tags

Dialogue tags tell the reader who is speaking. Sometimes the tags include the attitude of the speaker.

Use a new line of dialogue for each speaker, and attach the dialogue tag to the appropriate line.

“Where are you off to?” asked Alice, my babysitter.

“To bed,” I replied, irritated at her. “Where else would I be going, barefoot in my jammies?”

Construction of Dialogue Tags

Dialogue tags can come anywhere in a sentence, before, after, or in the middle of the dialogue. They are introduced by commas unless there are question marks or exclamation marks ending the dialogue.

End of a sentence tags:

“You make the best cake ever,” he said through chocolate frosted lips.

“How do you always know exactly what to say?” she asked.

Beginning of a sentence tags:

I hollered, “Hey! Get back here!”

Georgia glanced behind and said, “Absolutely not. No way.”

Mid-sentence tags:

“These math problems look tricky,” I said, frowning at my worksheet. “There’s no way I can finish all of it today.”

“Well, that sucks. I’m only here for a few days!” Kaitlin whined into her cellphone. “We haven’t seen each other in forever. When are you free?”

“Adam,” my father demanded, “get off the phone and finish your homework!”

 When placing dialogue tags in the middle, be sure the tag still comes after the first line of dialogue so that the reader knows right away who is speaking. Hunting for names pulls the reader out of the story.

Actions can be joined with dialogue tags using commas.

Dialogue tags with action:

“Hey,” he said, walking toward me down the hallway.

“I thought that was you,” I said, giving him a grin.

The Following are not Dialogue Tags

Actions and Descriptions

It’s not a dialogue tag if it can stand by itself as a sentence.

The following line from the section on the Objective of Dialogue Tags uses a dialogue tag. (The comma after To bed is the clue.)

“To bed,” I replied, irritated at her. “Where else would I be going, barefoot in my jammies?”

An alteration changes the tag into an action beat.

“To bed.” I rolled my eyes. “Where else would I be going, barefoot in my jammies?”

The eyeroll is an action that shows the character’s irritation, rather that saying/telling that the character is irritated. (It’s better to show than tell.) Since I rolled my eyes is a complete, standalone sentence, it isn’t a dialogue tag.

Periods separate the action/description from the dialogue in place of commas.

Facial expressions

“To detention.” She scowled. “Where else would I be going right now?”

“Really!” Tim’s eyebrows raised. “What did you do?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Her eyes glazed over.

Tone of voice

“I thought I already said I’m sorry.” His voice wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy either.

Must You Always Use Dialogue Tags?

The most important thing to remember is to make your dialogue easy to read and understand.

When writing short dialogue, with a few words in each line, you won’t need as many dialogue tags, especially if there are only two people chatting.

“I'm trying to read,” Ali said.
“Why?” Bill asked.
“To better my mind,” Ali answered. “What do you need?”
“Oh, nothing,” said Bill.

Some of these tags are longer than the dialogue itself. They are distracting and not really needed. If the characters are previously introduced, the tags aren't necessary.

“I'm trying to read,” Ali said.
“Why?” Bill asked.
“To better my mind. What do you need?”
“Oh, nothing.”

The second example removes the second set of tags. It reads faster. It’s simple. Simple is good.

If you are writing with more than two characters, use tags to clearly show who is speaking.

Internal Dialogue? 

To show what a character is thinking—their internal dialogue—eliminate the quotation marks and use italics for their thoughts. Some writers include the word thought as a dialogue tag, to make it clearer for readers. 

I hope he doesn't ask me to let him in for a drink, she thought. That was the worst date ever!

Personally, I feel using the word thought in the internal dialogue is unnecessary for most readers, but can be helpful in books for young children.

Dialogue Dynamic

Too many tags can make your dialogue unwieldy. Deciding when to use them depends upon the number of characters in the scene. In the first example, there are two characters: the babysitter and her charge. If a starting point has been stated and the lines alternate, some tags can be omitted.

“Where are you off to?” asked Alice, my babysitter.

“To bed.” I replied, irritated at her. “Where else would I be going, barefoot in my jammies?”

“You don’t have to be mean about it.”

For a longer scene or one with more characters, the reader may lose track of who is speaking. It’s easy to get lost in dialogue, even with only two people, if there is a lot of back and forth and not enough context.

Make dialogue interesting by using a combination of action, dialogue tags, and lines without tags.

“Where are you off to?” asked Alice, my babysitter.

“To bed.” I rolled my eyes. “Where else would I be going, barefoot in my jammies?”

“You don’t have to be mean about it.”

I stopped, turned around to face her, and muttered, “I’m sorry, Alice.”

The actions and expressions still tell the reader who’s speaking but make the scene dynamic.

Word Choice in Dialogue Tags

Some actions that would be hard, at times impossible to do while speaking, like holding their breath. You can sigh, groan, or laugh out a word or two, but probably not over the length of a few sentences.

Ponder the following: 

• Would this happen?
• Will it take the reader out of the story?

Act it out, when in doubt!

“I doubt it. I was hopeful, but I truly knew it couldn’t happen for me,” she sighed.

Try sighing that! There’s no way to sigh for that long. It’s not natural. There’s not enough breath.

Instead try:

“I doubt it. I was hopeful, but I truly knew it couldn’t happen for me,” she said.

“I doubt it.” She sighed. “I was hopeful, but I truly knew it couldn’t happen for me.”

“I doubt it. I was hopeful, but I truly knew it couldn’t happen for me.” She sighed.

Dialogue Flow

The reader’s experience can be hindered, or made satisfying by the way the dialogue tags are structured.

• Introduce dialogue with a separate line for each speaker and a tag that shows who’s speaking.
• Consider the placement of the tag and the commas that introduce or follow.
• Use actions and either omit or use a variety of tags to make your dialogue dynamic.
• Consider the reality of your word choice when it comes to dialogue tags. Is it a physical reality?

Read here for 12 helpful lists of dialogue tags.

How do you feel about using the word said in dialogue tags? When writing dialogue, do you tend to put tags in the middle, beginning, ending of a sentence, or mix it up? Has dialogue ever pulled you out of a story? What’s one of your favorite dialogue tags?

* * * * * *

About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written Parenting ... A Work in Progress, non-fiction for parents, and The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon chapter book series with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works in Progress are The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and The Crystal Key, MG Magical Realism/ Sci-Fi, a glaze of time travel.

Find her at https://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon.

Top Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay