Reading Time: 5 minutes

Today I want to teach you how to hook readers.

Modern attention spans are at an all-time low. For many, reading feels like a chore. Unless you know how to pull your readers in, they’re likely to check out.

The temptation is to just tell readers what you think. To get to the point. To be efficient. Not so fast.

Imagine a pirate-themed birthday party. The grand event? A treasure hunt where kids have to unearth a giant chest of prizes and candy. The kids gather around a map, eager to be the first to find the loot, when suddenly an adult plops the treasure down, saying: “I know you kids just want the candy. Here you go—now you don’t even have to search for it.”

What was intended to be kind—giving the treasure away—actually robs the kids of a rewarding experience.

Create Curiosity

In the same way, writers who give away everything up front neglect their readers’ insatiable desire to wonder. They drain the thrill from the hunt.

Big Idea: If you want to captivate readers, create curiosity.

Clarity and curiosity work together. If you state something plainly, readers will learn but probably not care. However, make them curious, and that same information will turn to fascination.

Curiosity is a way to serve readers. It pushes them toward critical thinking rather than spoon-feeding them pat answers. It’s a sign of author humility: Don’t just take my word for it—come see for yourself.

3 Ways To Transform Information Into Fascination

How can you create curiosity? Here’s a few tactics (with examples) …

#1: Debunk a Common Narrative

Predictable prose makes readers passive and disinterested. To get their attention, shake things up.

In his book, Fighting Shadows, Jon Tyson rouses readers with this warning about modern faith:

Why this works: When you question something familiar, it prompts readers to ask: “Oh no, have I believed something false? Have I been duped with the masses?” It moves them from casual readers to alert investigators. They now have skin in the game.

Takeaway: Present something your audience naturally assumes or agrees with, then turn it on its head unexpectedly.

#2: Expose Half-Truths

Sometimes the narrative you’re debunking isn’t totally false.

For example, in Jordan Raynor’s book, The Sacredness of Secular Work, he has a whole chapter called “half-truths about heaven.” He writes:

Answers that are “half-true.” Not full-blown lies, but enough to “steal our joy.”

Now that’s intriguing. Makes you want to read further.

Takeaway: Not every narrative needs to be disproven—just clarified. Show how popular opinion oversimplifies things—how there’s more to the story.

For example, if your audience favors private education over public for their kids, say something provocative like: “What if a private Christian education isn’t the best thing for your child’s faith?”

Now that you have their attention, you might follow up with a point about:

• The importance of discipling your kids, not just outsourcing to a religious institution
• The judgmental spirit that creeps into some private school environments
• The potential spiritual danger of turning God into a subject at school

By challenging the blanket assumption that sending your kid to a private school guarantees a better outcome, you create curiosity in your readers. You push them beyond the binary (public or private). You yank them from autopilot, reminding them that—even at a Christian school—kids need parents who are fully engaged as their primary disciplers.

Whatever your topic, uproot common misconceptions your audience is likely to believe. Create cognitive disonance, then slowly bring resolve.

#3: Invite Readers to Find the Flaw

This one’s my favorite.

Remember those “What’s Wrong With This Picture”” activity pages? The goal is to find all the wonky, out-of-place aspects in a scene.

This concept—scanning something to find its flaws—is very effective in capturing reader attention.

In Fighting Shadows, Tyson includes a whole paragraph which mimics how the gospel is typically explained. Then, brilliantly, he asks readers to figure out what’s missing. He intentionally leaves something out, and now it’s up to us to find it.

Suddenly, a paragraph that would otherwise feel forgettable becomes irresistible. Reading becomes a sort of game. We want to discover what’s missing. To solve the mystery.

And the moment people want to read your words, you’ve succeeded.

Pro Tip: Don’t Rush the Punchline

If you’re tempted to solve the mystery immediately for your readers, don’t. Make them wait.

Look at how Tyson does this. After inviting readers to read a paragraph and spot its flaws, he continues to cultivate curiosity by:

• Reinforcing how “right” this wrong paragraph sounds … ”Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?”
• Asking the reader again to find the flaw … ”But did you notice what was missing?”
• Listing wrong answers … “It wasn’t extra narrative details. It wasn’t the miracles, etc.”

Finally, he gives the answer. By this point, the anticipation is palpable. This whole section is only a few paragraphs, but it masterfully provokes curiosity.

Summary

How can you create curiosity in whatever you’re writing right now?

Like any literary strategy, curiosity can be overused. However, in my opinion, it’s more often neglected.

I hope these ideas help you hook readers:

1. Debunk a common narrative
2. Expose a half-truth
3. Invite readers to find the flaw
4. And always remember—save the punchline

Let me know how it’s going.

See you next Saturday. I’m rooting for you.