Hi Phoebe! Thank you so much for your posts - so incredibly insightful to peel back the layers of the industry. I'm a young writer working on a WIP, but I'm worried that a)the hook will lose timeliness, particularly if centred on something like remote working/return-to-office and b)not too sure how to proceed once I have that hook. Appreciate one half of this is a publishing question and one half a writing question but happy to hear any thoughts at all, if you have the time. Thank you!
Hi Kimi! Thanks for reading. Hmm I think yes some hooks that are particular time sensitive (eg about the pandemic or remote working) could feel dated quickly but is there perhaps a way you could reword it so that it feels current? Remote working still exists and is very common now so I think you can still mention it but reference the key point from your plot too? And once you have a hook, start writing! I’m not sure how far you’ve got, but my advice is always to get the first draft down and edit it after - you’ll feel so much better once you have something to work with, and you can also refine the hook after you’ve written, too. I hope that helps a bit! Good luck - exciting!
Thank you so much for this post, Phoebe. My agent and I have had some lovely feedback on my second novel, about the writing and the world building, and all sorts of things, but ultimately we've been told a few times by the editors that they just "couldn't realise the vision for it". I do have a hook, or I thought I did, but I understand as well that a lot needs to come together in a manuscript for an editor to truly champion it. We'll keep trying.
I'd like to know more about the placement of books in bookshops, because I know that spaces on book tables and even bestseller shelves are sponsored by publishers. How does that work? And how much does each space cost? And how does a book get selected for a certain space?
So helpful. I first understood the concept of 'hook' when an editor (who was trying to improve my work ...) said she'd received a submission with the hook 'Three nuns win the Lottery'. 'Now do you see what I mean?' she said, and I did. That novel came out later ('Small Miracles' by Anne Booth) and I was chuffed to have had that insider knowledge of its beginnings. (Btw, just a tiny point - your links go a very very faded pink compared to the rest of your very clear text and sometimes I can hardly see them.)
I'd love to know what editors really mean by 'high-concept' ideas? It seems quite ambiguous and can perhaps vary by editor. Is it just a killer hook or something more?
Also if you have time to do a post at some point on how publishers work with audiobook narrators/publishers that would be really useful - e.g. does someone review the audio in house or do you leave it all up to the audiobook producer? How do audible daily deals work? Etc
Will do a post! No the official Sunday Times list is just physical copies. But the Bookseller posts ebook and audio lists and there are bestseller charts on audio retailers eg Audible, Apple etc.
This is super-helpful, thank you Phoebe! The importance of hooks to the industry is obvious, and to many writers embarking on a project too: they can't find the huge amounts of time and effort to develop a project if they're undermined by the fear that at the end it won't, actually, be pitchable like this. And it's also helpful to literary writers, I'd argue, even if the hook is less obviously plotty: what kind of experience will the reader have, if they read this?
What doesn't get said so often, perhaps, is that thinking about hooks can be helpful even if you're one of the many process- not product-driven writers, who just don't know what the product will be till they've followed the process; demanding that they work out the hook, then structure and write the first draft to fit it, shuts down their creative mind.
Thinking about your hook - tentatively, like a pencil sketch, watching lines emerge and evolve, some which you gradually thicken up as they look like the important ones, and others which you ignore, can be a really help. Then second-draft is like gradually inking things in, and erasing the rest...
Thank you so much for all these examples - really useful! And yes please to the bestseller list as a topic! I always wonder 1. why there are different bestseller lists in different places for the same time period and 2. how they can all be best!
Ah, you've got me there! It's years since I've read bestseller lists in newspapers. Possibly Times versus Daily Mail or Guardian? Certainly Times vs New York Times, but they're probably by country rather than international.
The official one in the UK is the Sunday Times list, and that’s for UK only, the NYT is equivalent but for the US market only. The Guardian and Daily Mail don’t have official bestseller lists :) I will do a post explaining! X
This is another really informative piece. The hook seems like a massively distilled down explanation of the book but without sales language. Is it the clarity or distillation that is selling the book?
Another great post. Thank you. I'd like to see your planned post about booksellers. Also, how do TV, radio and Richard and Judy bookclubs work? Do publishers submit titles to them?
Yes we submit a selection titles to R&J, not many any more, and if you get selected the publisher has to pay a LOT of money to then work with them on it. R&J sadly doesn’t have the same impact it used to though. TV and radio yes the publicist pitches you and then the producers/commissioners ask you to come on if they’re interested! (This is all free).
And now my WIP has a hook! The examples were super helpful, because I always thought of a hook being a little bit longer than these. The examples helped me cut it to a logline length that would only take about 5-10 seconds to say, and I was thinking more like 30. I really appreciate you breaking it down like this.
Hi Phoebe! Thank you so much for your posts - so incredibly insightful to peel back the layers of the industry. I'm a young writer working on a WIP, but I'm worried that a)the hook will lose timeliness, particularly if centred on something like remote working/return-to-office and b)not too sure how to proceed once I have that hook. Appreciate one half of this is a publishing question and one half a writing question but happy to hear any thoughts at all, if you have the time. Thank you!
Hi Kimi! Thanks for reading. Hmm I think yes some hooks that are particular time sensitive (eg about the pandemic or remote working) could feel dated quickly but is there perhaps a way you could reword it so that it feels current? Remote working still exists and is very common now so I think you can still mention it but reference the key point from your plot too? And once you have a hook, start writing! I’m not sure how far you’ve got, but my advice is always to get the first draft down and edit it after - you’ll feel so much better once you have something to work with, and you can also refine the hook after you’ve written, too. I hope that helps a bit! Good luck - exciting!
Thank you so much for responding! Hugely appreciate it. Look forward to reading more and thanks for all you're doing!
Thank you so much for this post, Phoebe. My agent and I have had some lovely feedback on my second novel, about the writing and the world building, and all sorts of things, but ultimately we've been told a few times by the editors that they just "couldn't realise the vision for it". I do have a hook, or I thought I did, but I understand as well that a lot needs to come together in a manuscript for an editor to truly champion it. We'll keep trying.
I'd like to know more about the placement of books in bookshops, because I know that spaces on book tables and even bestseller shelves are sponsored by publishers. How does that work? And how much does each space cost? And how does a book get selected for a certain space?
Thank you 🤓
Will try to incorporate into a post - thank you for reading!!
So helpful. I first understood the concept of 'hook' when an editor (who was trying to improve my work ...) said she'd received a submission with the hook 'Three nuns win the Lottery'. 'Now do you see what I mean?' she said, and I did. That novel came out later ('Small Miracles' by Anne Booth) and I was chuffed to have had that insider knowledge of its beginnings. (Btw, just a tiny point - your links go a very very faded pink compared to the rest of your very clear text and sometimes I can hardly see them.)
Great example! And thank you re the pink links, I’ll see if I can change the settings!
Great post - thank you!
I'd love to know what editors really mean by 'high-concept' ideas? It seems quite ambiguous and can perhaps vary by editor. Is it just a killer hook or something more?
Also if you have time to do a post at some point on how publishers work with audiobook narrators/publishers that would be really useful - e.g. does someone review the audio in house or do you leave it all up to the audiobook producer? How do audible daily deals work? Etc
I’m sure I can incorporate that at some point!
Really interesting - thanks! And yes, I would love an explanation of bestseller lists. Do they include e-books and audio (including Spotify)?
Will do a post! No the official Sunday Times list is just physical copies. But the Bookseller posts ebook and audio lists and there are bestseller charts on audio retailers eg Audible, Apple etc.
So helpful! Sharing and saving. I feel like my WIP has several hooks to choose from and I’m going to play. Thanks!
Thank you for reading and sharing!
This is super-helpful, thank you Phoebe! The importance of hooks to the industry is obvious, and to many writers embarking on a project too: they can't find the huge amounts of time and effort to develop a project if they're undermined by the fear that at the end it won't, actually, be pitchable like this. And it's also helpful to literary writers, I'd argue, even if the hook is less obviously plotty: what kind of experience will the reader have, if they read this?
What doesn't get said so often, perhaps, is that thinking about hooks can be helpful even if you're one of the many process- not product-driven writers, who just don't know what the product will be till they've followed the process; demanding that they work out the hook, then structure and write the first draft to fit it, shuts down their creative mind.
Thinking about your hook - tentatively, like a pencil sketch, watching lines emerge and evolve, some which you gradually thicken up as they look like the important ones, and others which you ignore, can be a really help. Then second-draft is like gradually inking things in, and erasing the rest...
Great advice, thank you, and thanks for reading! Love the pencil sketch idea.
So helpful, thank you! I've immediately scribbled my hook on a piece of scrap paper! Hope I don't lose it!
And yes I'd love a post on the bestseller list!
Noted and I hope you don’t lose your hook too!!
Thank you so much for all these examples - really useful! And yes please to the bestseller list as a topic! I always wonder 1. why there are different bestseller lists in different places for the same time period and 2. how they can all be best!
Noted and will do! Which different lists are you referring to, out of interest?
Ah, you've got me there! It's years since I've read bestseller lists in newspapers. Possibly Times versus Daily Mail or Guardian? Certainly Times vs New York Times, but they're probably by country rather than international.
‘Happy hooking’ – what a wonderful sign off. :-)
:) thanks for reading, Nick!
The official one in the UK is the Sunday Times list, and that’s for UK only, the NYT is equivalent but for the US market only. The Guardian and Daily Mail don’t have official bestseller lists :) I will do a post explaining! X
Thank you! I've clearly misremembered what I used to read in the papers.
Fascinating piece, thank you
Thank you!
Fourthed for the bestseller list as a topic!
Noted! Thank you!
This is another really informative piece. The hook seems like a massively distilled down explanation of the book but without sales language. Is it the clarity or distillation that is selling the book?
A bit of both but also it’s the strength of the hook itself.
Another great post. Thank you. I'd like to see your planned post about booksellers. Also, how do TV, radio and Richard and Judy bookclubs work? Do publishers submit titles to them?
Yes we submit a selection titles to R&J, not many any more, and if you get selected the publisher has to pay a LOT of money to then work with them on it. R&J sadly doesn’t have the same impact it used to though. TV and radio yes the publicist pitches you and then the producers/commissioners ask you to come on if they’re interested! (This is all free).
I think a post about submitting for say R&J, prize lists would be really interesting as many people are unaware of costs that are sometimes involved.
Will try to do this at some point!
Thank you for explaining.
And now my WIP has a hook! The examples were super helpful, because I always thought of a hook being a little bit longer than these. The examples helped me cut it to a logline length that would only take about 5-10 seconds to say, and I was thinking more like 30. I really appreciate you breaking it down like this.
I’m so glad it helped!
Another great post, Phoebe - and yes please to how the bestseller list works in a future article.
Noted and thank you!
Thank you for this clear and inviting set of observations!
Thank you for reading!