“I have to write an essay about myself, but I don’t know where to start.” Does this sound like you? If so, rest assured that you are not alone. Writing about yourself can be one of the hardest things that you have to do, whether you’re writing a personal essay for a school project or for admission to a college or university. There are a lot of things to take into consideration when writing a personal essay, from which details are the most intriguing to potential readers to developing your own personal experiences into a story and knowing how to write sensitively about subjects and people in your life without causing offense. Try opening your personal essay by saying something unexpected, or by opening with a vivid and exciting memory from your life that ties directly into the essay you are writing. Look at these examples for contrast: Your personal essay is essentially the story of your life – or at least, the story of one important moment or journey you have made in your life. Therefore, you should try as much as possible to think of your essay as if it were a story. Let’s take a look at some of the worst possible beginnings for a personal essay: Why are these bad? The answer is simple – you aren’t doing anything to capture the reader’s interest. At best, you are telling the reader something that they already know. At worst, you are using a very clichéd opening the reader has likely heard plenty of times already. My eyes were red and burning as blood slowly ran down my forehead. My cramped and trembling fingers hovered over the keyboard like it was a Ouija board. I closed my eyes and, when I opened them again, the blog post was finished. It was like nothing I had written before. A narrative, quite simply, is a story. Unlike other essays in which you may need to argue or prove something, a narrative essay is about telling a story. Stuck on Your Narrative Essay? A good hook is key to nearly every essay you write, but maybe none more so than in the narrative essay. So, let’s take a look at how to start a narrative essay. Before you can fully engage in what makes the perfect hook for your narrative essay, let’s make sure you know what a narrative essay is exactly . So, please, start your essay off on an interesting foot. Please. Think of the children. No matter whether it’s funny or moving, starting your essay, right off the bat, with an intriguing anecdote from your story can be a great way to raise questions in your reader that keep them reading until the end. Authors do this all of the time. Okay, so, that didn’t happen. But, with any luck, that beginning has motivated you to read the rest of this blog post. And, therein lies the magic of a hook. Obviously that’s just one kind of example list of topics for presentation in english, but I hope you see what I mean! If you are arguing in favor of public schooling, you would definitely want to turn the above advice on its head. Have you talked about hooks in music? (Mentioned in this post) Maybe you could ask your students for their favorite songs and talk about the hooks and what makes those memorable and then apply that concept to essay writing. I couldn’t really call it a dilemma, for nothing is really shouting out at me, but I was wondering if you could please give some words of advice and maybe something would spark? Don’t stress, have fun! In a 1971 fight, Joe Frazier famously floored boxing champ Muhammad Ali with a strong left hook, leading to Ali’s first ever professional loss in the boxing ring. This is most definitely not the source of the word “hook” in writing, but the analogy is as solid as Frazier’s punch. No matter what type of writing project you’re getting into right now, you need a strong hook that knocks your readers’ socks off and gets their attention. Hi, I’m writing about hook on how to succeed at a job interview. Can you give me some suggestions? Thanks ? Hello, I am writing an argumentive essay about why uniforms should be in public schools. Any suggesttions? I hope those ideas get you started! As for your thesis statement, have you tried our Thesis Builder? You can use this tool to create a compare-and-contrast thesis: https://www.kibin.com/thesis-builder/type For your hook, you might consider a stirring/interesting quote from the book (or the movie). Another approach would be to start with a quote/line of dialogue that appears in the movie, but not the book — this could be an interesting lead-in to a discussion of how the two differ overall. Perhaps you could start with a short anecdote that gives a great example of good governance on a national or local level (depending upon the purpose of your paper). Thank you so so so much, Naomi! ☺️☺️☺️ You are such a huge help! You could even start your speech with headphones in. Walk up to the front of the room, listening to your music, take your earbud out and say student social service essays, “Oh, why is everyone looking at me?” Or something silly to demonstrate how you aren’t truly present when wearing your headphones. This of course would depend on the formality of the classroom and your personal level of comfort with performance. Or, lastly, #11: A Rhetorical Question, maybe something that asks what the meaning of “All men are created equal” is or something to really emphasize the passion MLK had for African-American rights, but I feel like that may be slightly irrelevant. Our lecturer like creative and crazy ideas, and i am confused how start a hook. any help? You might start with a compelling statistic that will draw your reader into the importance of this topic. Here is a good place to start: http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats Hi i am writing about gastric ulcers and how they are due to bacteria H.pylori which is caused by contaminated water. However I don’t know how to start the hook any help? 3. Give an inspirational quote. I hope that gives you some ideas! I’m trying to write an application to this high school… and I don’t know how to start my “what are your special talents, awards thesis theme skins wordpress, interests or achievements about which you are most proud. What have you learned about yourself as a result of these experiences?” I have everything planned out for the body paragraphs but I don’t know how to write the hook for it… Could you help me with this please? Thank you in advance ? If you’re trying to get the attention of a bunch of middle school girls, for example, you either need to be Justin Bieber in the flesh or write a hook that is geared toward that age group. Just as there is more than one way to skin a cat (not that I would know–I like my cats with skin and fur on them), there is more than one way to write a compelling hook that will grab your readers’ attention. For example, if you decide you agree with this statement, then you will want to start by humanizing one of these terrorists. Maybe open with a backstory on one of them to remind us that he is only human. Hello! I am writing an argumentative essay on whether or not the government should have the right to quarantine people during an outbreak. I decided that they should be able to quarantine people who pose a threat to public health, but I am not sure how to start my essay in a way that will capture the reader’s attention. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! The best hook for this type of paper would be a brief story about someone doing something that embodies all of these qualities. Which story you choose to write about will depend on the details of your paper. Hi Ms. Tepper! I’d also recommend this post, because it contains some great thesis advice for compare and contrast essays: https://www.kibin.com/essay-writing-blog/how-to-write-a-compare-and-contrast-essay/ #1: Advice, like a word of advice that MLK famously given because it does fall into “what MLK taught” pretty nicely, To get this awesome resource and start your ideas flowing, just enter your email in the box at the bottom right of this screen. Your exclusive hook sentences will be instantly sent to your inbox. I think your professor wants you to dive into the crux of Antigone’s conflict. Where: ancient Greece. Why: conflict between the law of god vs. the law of man. So for example: Thank you so much Naomi and hi from Tasmania, Australia ? Thanks for the comment! Appreciate you reading. A great hook would be to line up 3 or 4 real life news headlines that are intended to inspire these feelings. Hello, I loved your blog post by the way! I am writing a speech on the nature of joy and I am struggling with thinking of a hook. Do you have any suggestions? Can you help me to write a hook of an argument form regulation attire and wearing what you want do you know how to write a hook to start a paragragh about a character’s traits? Hi there–you could start by instilling a little fear in your reader. Pick a rapidly spreading disease and write a couple punchy lines about how quickly and by what method this disease can spread. Make sure you do your research to get the facts right and then turn it into a vivid scenario. Good luck! Very helpful. Thank you. Your answer could be that you want them to feel frightened, or motivated to action, or warm and fuzzy like they have a cute puppy on their lap, or interested in your life story. Hello Naomi thesis purdue, I’m writing an argumentative essay that’s suppose to answer the question “Is it more difficult for women to be taken seriously than men?” I say yes it is harder for women. Any ideas for a hook? Thanks so very much! Hi there– “Six months ago, I was terrified of water and couldn’t swim to save my life, and here I was accepting the most improved swimmer award at the annual swim team banquet.” Global solidarity is a big topic and you could approach it from many different angles. My first piece of advice is to save your hook sentence for last because the intro you write will definitely depend your thesis statement. Your hook sentence, just like the rest of your writing project, needs to speak to your specific audience. Getting the attention of a college professor is going to be a vastly different task than getting the attention of a group of stay-at-home moms, for example. Before you write your hook, ask yourself three key questions: It definitely sounds like any of those ideas could work for your assignment, but the idea of integrating a Gandhi quote in the introduction *really* stands out to me, especially since you need to include his ideas, too. That would be a seamless way to “introduce” him in an essay focusing on MLK without an awkward transition to his ideas later on. It also makes more sense to mention Gandhi in the intro than the conclusion since you generally should avoid new information in the final paragraph. Aspects like these include: Literary devices, setting, characterization, context & point of view. This definitely calls for telling a short 2-3 sentence story of an adult struggling with trauma. Put your reader right in the middle of what this situation looks like. I think it’s hard to describe what the fetus might be going through since there is no way that you can actually confirm that experience. So that might be why you are having trouble there. You might actually start off by sharing some compelling statistics about depression among women who have had an abortion (be careful that you get this research from a valid source without a bias) or perhaps by sharing a story about a woman who regretted this decision. Or… you could start on a happier note and start with an uplifting story about adoption. Good luck! I think you could really set the scene for how headphones isolate students from the world they are in right at the moment. How many things are these students missing out on by having their brains distracted by whatever they’re listening to in their headphones? Is there a specific story you could tell about yourself or someone you know? Hi Naomi! I will write about ” to what extent is it an obligation to reciprocate a gift in your country?” Can you give me some suggestions ? Thanks so much for the suggestion, I do have a good story to use! I think you’re on the right track! Hi Tala– The recommendation for your intro: “If you’re writing a literary analysis without the help of sources film review essay examples, try opening with a question that you’ll answer in your paper.” Check the post for the example though. ? hi, i am writing essay on good governance. how to start hook please some suggestions It sounds like you have to find a comparison that they can relate to. Hi, I have to write a persuasive speech for my English class with the goal of convincing district administration that my high school needs to implement literature circles/book discussion as well as time for reading for pleasure into the English curriculum free essay paper topics, because students in my school are not given nearly enough time to read literature (especially that which they enjoy). I need to convey that reading is a highly beneficial activity, contributing to increased cognitive abilities, that students who enjoy reading feel they don’t get to do enough of it write and essay, and that students who do not read often fall behind in mental development. I’m not sure what type of hook to use. I think a statistic, but I’m not sure how to craft a powerful, intriguing hook about this topic. Any ideas? One fun hook would be to start out with a personification of a dog; the trick is, don’t reveal that it’s a dog for a few sentences. For example, “When you first meet Oscar, he’s pretty shy for a three-year-old. Loud noises scare him and he’s super picky about what he eats. But he has these big brown eyes that you can’t help but fall in love with and he somehow knows how to make you feel like you’re the most special person in the whole wide world. My family adopted Oscar last year from the Animal House Animal Shelter…” ? hi im writting argumentative essay about pressure of being a university student, any suggestion on that? I need help starting off a hook for my Argumentative Essay. It’s about the Holocaust being taught in school, I need a hook. Any suggestions? It’s important to identify your audience no matter what type of writing project you’re working on. Doing so will help you select a message that speaks to them. For example, if you are writing an argumentative essay, your hook should reflect the strength of your argument, perhaps by stating a shocking fact. On the other hand, if you’re writing a love story, you might start off writing a sweet and romantic anecdote. And if you’re writing a frightening essay on the topic of nuclear warheads, you might select to begin with a chilling statistic. Have you found any interesting statistics that really bring to the forefront how many kids are dealing with mental health issues? I think that would be a great place to start. Maybe this will help you start thinking: https://www.nami.org/getattachment/Learn-More/Mental-Health-by-the-Numbers/childrenmhfacts.pdf Now that you’ve considered your audience, the purpose of your work, and settled on the type of hook you want to write, it’s time to make it shine. A good hook sentence will use only the right words and will be as polished and refined as possible. Write better hook sentences. You could start out with an interesting statistic about the correlation between happiness and green space in urban settings. I know there have been some interesting studies on that: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?hl=en&q=green+space+happiness&btnG=&as_sdt=1%2C5&as_sdtp= I’m writing an oral presentation on sexism in Australian society, and I have no idea how to start the intro! and I’m not sure how to write the conclusion either, it’s quite messy :/ Hi Tyler–I think this guy does a great job of describing a funnel intro: http://www.saidsimple.com/content/100893/ Either way best topic for essay competition, I think going for an emotional hook here would be the best play. Question Introduction: Many admissions essays begin with a question. While this is an easy way to begin an essay, admissions officers may perceive it as a "lazy introduction." No one wants to read an essay that begins with such tacky material as: "To be or not to be?" or "Are you looking for an applicant who has drive and determination? Well, I’m your guy." If you are going to use a question, make sure that it is an extremely compelling one and that your experiences provide answers. Action Introduction: An Action Introduction takes the reader into the middle of an action sequence. By not building up to the story, it forces the reader to read on to find out not only the significance of this moment in time, but what led up to and followed it. It is perfect for short essays where space must be conserved or for narrative essays that begin with a story. Art is a reflection of one's self-identity in the most unaffected manner. Because art is very personal, it has no right or wrong. The type of art that has influenced me most is music. At times, I think the world around me is crumbling to the ground, but it never does. Like most people, I face the crunches of deadlines and endless demands on my time, but I have never encountered the type of adversity that can crush people, that can drive people crazy research paper on animal rights, that can drive them to suicide. To this day, the United States remains driven by the American Dream, and we often hear of immigrants who come to this country to search for opportunities that their native countries lack. In these tales, immigrants succeed through hard work definition essay on student, dedication, and a little luck. As idealistic as the story may seem, I have been fortunate enough to experience its reality in the life of one very important man. His example has had great impact on my personal expectations and goals, and the manner in which I approach my own life. EssayEdge Says: The first ten words of this essay will catch your reader’s attention, mainly because they create a mental image of perfect natural beauty. Note that you should try to avoid repeating key words. In this instance, it would be easy to avoid repeating the word "beauty." You could simply use "magnificence" or "loveliness" instead. "Experience is what you receive when you don’t get what you want." I remembered my father’s words as I tried to postpone the coming massacre. Just as during the fall of the Roman Empire, my allies became enemies and my foes turned into partners. In fast and furious action with property changing hands again and again, I rested my fate on the words of one man, hoping he would rescue me from this dangerous tailspin. Do these experts realize the heartbreak they are inflicting on my young life? While the uncertainty of tomorrow’s attire is the most pressing concern for many seventeen-year-olds, I must worry about much greater issues! It is August 31, the market is down over 300 points and the value of my stock portfolio is falling fast. EssayEdge Says: With one word, this introduction takes an essay question about the person who has most influenced you and turns it back around to the admissions board. In effect, you are telling them that you have thought about their question thoroughly. You have thought about it for so long that you have a couple of questions of your own - questions that have sparked an interesting commentary. Surrounded by thousands of stars, complete silence, and spectacular mountains, I stood atop New Hampshire's Presidential Range, awestruck by nature's beauty. Immediately, I realized that I must dedicate my life to understanding the causes of the universe's beauty. I promised God I would eat all my peas, but He didn’t care. A confused eleven-year-old girl, I sat and listened to my father pace. With each heavy step echoing loudly throughout the silent house, my family’s anxiety and anticipation mounted while awaiting news of my grandfather's health. My heart racing, I watched the clock, amazed that time could crawl so slowly. Finally, the telephone interrupted the house’s solemn silence. I heard my father repeating the words "yes, yes, of course." He then hung up the receiver and announced my grandfather's death and cancer's victory. EssayEdge Says: Did the first sentence of this introduction confuse you? This was no doubt its intention. By creating a little mystery in the first sentence, the reader is forced to keep reading and keep wondering 5 paragraph essay writer, "what is this kid’s secret?" until the final word, which pops in the reader’s mind, sort of like a gunshot: "riflery." EssayEdge Says: This introduction is indeed compelling, but it raises important questions about appropriate content. Be careful to avoid writing a personal essay that is far too personal. You do not want your reader to think that you might have character weaknesses that prevent you from handling stressful situations well. EssayEdge Says: This introduction is clear and to the point, and will prepare your reader for the ideas you want to discuss. However, it is rather unexciting and will not immediately engage your reader. As mentioned, you should try to preface it with a more creative statement. In addition, it makes one typical error. One should usually avoid using contractions in a formal essay, for example, "I’ve." Personal Introduction: The Personal Introduction takes the reader directly into your mind. It says, "This is what it is like to be me. Let me take you to my little world." Since there is a little voyeur in even the most stern admissions officer, this type of introduction can be very effective. It is always in the first person and usually takes an informal, conversational tone: Creative Introduction: A creative introduction catches the reader off-guard with an opening statement that leaves the reader smiling or wondering what the rest of the essay contains.
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