Find the Hook

" . . . I need only the environment created by the poems.  Just one or two lines, like a little hook . . . and that's enough to snag everything, what the poem says, what it means.  Everything follows the hook."  Teju Cole

How do writers discover the hook that snags readers?  Rather than hammer with the obvious, a nudge will do.

Probe the intensity of sunset avoiding adjectives like beautiful, spectacular or inspiring. Move beyond the obvious.

Consider connections and a metaphor to describe a scene many take for granted. Use a single sailboat to describe a mood. How does the slant of tree branches affect the texture of sky? Discover how an opposite view might nurture ideas.

Recall a personal moment with a sunset. Use sound and scent to enrich sight imagery.

Find the hook to attract a reader. Then reveal the details.