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Write a Compelling Intro and Hook That Stops the Scroll

Drafts several distinct opening hooks for a piece and recommends the strongest one.

Optimized for
ChatGPTClaude
§ When to use this

Most readers leave in the first few seconds, so the opening is the highest-leverage sentence you'll write, and the hardest to get right under pressure. Writers default to warm-up throat-clearing ('In today's fast-paced world...') that wastes the one moment attention is highest. This prompt attacks the blank-page problem by generating several openers across proven hook types, surprising stat, vivid scene, bold claim, relatable problem, sharp question, so you can feel which entry point fits your piece instead of forcing the first idea. Each opener must lead naturally into your actual argument, not just dazzle and dead-end, and the word cap keeps it from sprawling into a second article. Because hooks are so audience-dependent, you set the [AUDIENCE]: what stops a CFO is not what stops a teenager. Use the labeled types as a menu; often the winning move is to take one hook's angle and rewrite it in your own voice.

§ The Prompt— fill in the fields, then copy or open in a tool
§ Customize0/4 fields filled
your prompt — fill the fields above
You are an intro specialist. Write [NUMBER] alternative opening paragraphs (a hook plus a setup) for the piece below. Each should grab a [AUDIENCE] reader in the first sentence, create a reason to keep reading, and lead naturally into the main argument. Use different hook types: a surprising stat, a vivid scene, a bold claim, a relatable problem, and a sharp question. Keep each opener under [MAX WORDS] words and honest to the content.

Label each opener by hook type, then recommend the strongest one with a one-line rationale.

Piece topic and key point:
[TOPIC AND THESIS]
Open with your prompt →ChatGPTClaudeSends your filled-in prompt straight into a new chat.
§ Example Output

What you can expect back

Surprising stat: Nearly 80% of small businesses have months where revenue swings by half, yet the budgeting app on your phone assumes a flat paycheck. That single wrong assumption is why your forecasts keep breaking, and why it isn't your fault.

Relatable problem: You open your budgeting app, enter a tidy monthly income, and then a slow month hits and the whole plan collapses. Sound familiar? The tools weren't built for how real businesses actually earn.

Sharp question: What if the reason your budget never holds isn't your spending, but the app's math?

Recommendation: Lead with the relatable problem, it mirrors the reader's exact frustration before naming the cause, which earns trust fast.

Illustrative example — your results will vary by tool and inputs.

§ Pro Tips

Get sharper results

  • 01Give the model your real thesis, not just a topic; a hook that doesn't pay off the article's promise backfires.
  • 02Read the openers aloud; the one you'd actually say to a friend usually beats the cleverest written one.
  • 03Mix two hooks (a question that follows a stat) if no single opener fully lands.
  • 04Save rejected hooks; a strong unused opener often makes a great social caption or email subject for the same piece.
§ Variations

Adapt it for your case

Cold-open scene

Ask for a 2-3 sentence narrative scene that drops the reader mid-moment before zooming out to the thesis.

Hook plus nut graf

Request each hook paired with a 'nut graf' that states what the piece delivers, ideal for journalism-style posts.

Channel remix

Have it adapt the winning hook into a tweet, an email preview line, and a video opening line.

Best For — Roles
Tags#hooks#introductions#engagement
§ FAQ

Common questions

How long should an intro actually be?

Long enough to hook and orient, usually 2-4 sentences online. The word cap keeps openers tight; if a hook needs room, raise [MAX WORDS] slightly rather than letting it ramble.

What if none of the hooks fit?

Pick the closest angle and rewrite it in your voice, or rerun with a sharper thesis. Weak hooks usually trace back to a vague topic input.

Can a hook be too clever?

Yes. If the opener wins attention but doesn't connect to your argument, it costs you the reader on sentence three. Reward relevance over flash.

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