Q3 Craft Your Story: Hook Your Audience
Now that you have selected a topic, it's time to craft your story. It's fun to think about how you will capture your audience with a hook.
What is a hook?
It refers to the opening line or scene in a story that is created to immediately grab the audience's attention that makes them want to keep watching or reading it. This is often done through a mysterious situation, surprising event, a quote, a catchy sound or visual effect, or a question that sparks curiosity.
Five Tips for creating a hook to engage your audience:
- Keep it short and clear (1-3 sentences).
- Make sure it introduces and leads into your main story topic.
- Make sure you cite outside information to avoid plagiarism.
- Create your hook last after your digital story is completed.
- Avoid starting with a definition or stating the text that may appear on the opening.
Consider how the beginning 30 seconds of the short digital story of Krakatoa captures your attention. Does it make you want to watch all of it?
Direct link (5:56)
Krakatoa (0:33)
How can I create a hook?
- Start by asking a thought-provoking question, this encourages them to think and connect with your topic.
Example: "Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in the ocean?" - Use a surprising fact or statistic that relates to your story that might pique their interest.
Example: "Did you know that more people have access to a mobile phone than a toilet?" - Tell a short, exciting anecdote related to your topic.
Example: "Last summer I volunteered to be a playground worker and lost track of one of the students. Guess what happened!" - Create a vivid scene to lead into your topic.
Example: "Last weekend my dog escaped from the leash and dashed out into the busy street, I ran after him, and remember hearing car horns and screeching brakes." - Use a quote that relates to your message.
As Taylor Swift said, "No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind."
Competencies & Standards
MITECS Michigan Integrated Technology Competencies for Students, and
2. Digital Citizen
c. Demonstrate an understanding of and respect for the rights and obligations of using and sharing intellectual property
3. Knowledge Constructor
a. Plan and employ effective research strategies to locate information and other resources for their intellectual or creative pursuits
c. Curate information from digital resources using a variety of tools and methods to create collections of artifacts or solving authentic problems
4. Innovative Designer
a. Know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems
6. Creative Communicator
a. Choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication
b. Create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations
d. Publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences
Websites and Documents
Websites
Videos from Outside Sources
21t4s Documents & Quizzes