How to Write Hooks That Actually Work

Why No One’s Reading Your Stuff... Yet

Author

Tirupati Rao
June 04, 2025

Hey friends,

Let’s cut the fluff:

Most people are writing great content — that no one ever reads.

Not because their advice sucks.
But because the first line sucks.

Last year, I stopped obsessing over algorithms and started obsessing over hooks — those opening lines that stop the scroll and make people care.

My reach?
Tripled. Then quadrupled.
And the best part? No hacks. Just human psychology.

Here’s the simple 4-part hook system that made all the difference.

1. The Bold Call-Out

Say something bold. Something sharp.
Something that punches through the noise.

Like this:

“If you study a little smarter, I can show you how to land a job 10x faster.”

“If you tweak a tiny thing in your profile,
I’ll show you how to fix what’s not working.”

Why it works?
It hits a nerve. Solves a pain. Makes you stop.
It tells your reader, I know what you’re struggling with and I’ve got you.

And no, it’s not about exaggerating.
It’s about caring enough to say something worth reading.

2. The Plot Twist

This is where you flip the script.
You make the reader pause and go, “Wait, what?”

Something like:

“LinkedIn engagement hacks are killing your credibility. Try this instead.”

“Everyone’s chasing content hacks.
But those hacks are killing your voice.”

Why this hits hard:
Everyone’s running in one direction — and you just turned around.
It’s disruptive. But more importantly… it’s true.

The world doesn’t need more agreeable content.
It needs a jolt. A perspective shift.

3. The Curiosity Tease

Forget clickbait. This is click-worthy.

Here’s an example:

“One thing I stopped doing before posting — and why my content performs better now.”

“There’s one thing I stopped doing before posting.
It changed everything. Here’s why.”

You’re not giving everything away.
You’re inviting the reader in.

It’s like dangling the last piece of a puzzle
They have to read on to make the picture whole.

Curiosity is what kept us reading late-night books under a blanket with a flashlight.
Tap into that.

4. The One-Liner Hit

Short. Sharp. Cuts through the feed like a blade.

One of my best-performing hooks?

“You don’t need followers. You need this system.”

“Most people overthink content. I made it simple — free.”

That’s it.

Less than 10 words.
But it made people stop, click, read, and comment.

Don’t confuse long with thoughtful.
Sometimes the most powerful words… are the fewest.

Here’s Your Quick Hook Builder

Want to use this in your next post? Start here:

  • The Bold Statement — Bold. Strong. Solves something people care about.

  • The Plot Twist — Challenges assumptions. Surprises. Disrupts.

  • Curiosity — Leaves a gap. Makes readers want to fill it.

  • One Liner — 10 words or less. No fluff. All fire.

Use one of these?
Tag me. I’ll read it.

Real Talk

This stuff isn’t “viral magic.”

It’s clarity.
It’s confidence.
It’s you — showing up like a pro in the first 3 seconds.

And if this helped, there are two things you can do next:

👉 Reply to this email with your best hook. I will respond.
👉 Share this post with one writer who needs a win today.

Coming Next Week:

"Steal My Hook Swipe File" — a free Notion sheet with 50+ high-performing hook templates you can remix.

Drop a comment or hit reply with “HOOK ME UP” to get it early.

Enjoyed this?
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👊 Or forward it to 3 friends who are tired of being invisible online

Until next week —
Keep writing like someone’s actually listening.
Because now they are.

— Tirupati

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And if you’re interested in more tips and resources, check out my Medium blog Tirupati Rao

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