The Trick to Holding a Reader's Attention is... episode artwork

EPISODE · Aug 28, 2026 · 44 MIN

The Trick to Holding a Reader's Attention is...

from Story Nerd · host Valerie Francis, Melanie Hill, Kathleen Foxx

There are a whole lot of people writing memoir and the competition to get an agent is fierce! In this episode Kathleen and I discuss the story-related challenges to writing memoir, we gush over the killer opening line (and all the other 'hooky' lines in the sample pages), and we reveal the trick to holding a reader's attention. Enjoy! -V.   The Hook Formula: the works-every-time method for describing your book in a way that captivates readers and makes them beg for more. Submit your query letter and first 10 pages writing sample at storynerd.ca. For your FREE First 10 Pages Checklist, visit valeriefrancis.ca/checklist To learn to read like a writer, visit Melanie's website. To subscribe to Kat's Keynotes (Substack), click here. Watch us on YouTube!

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Aug 28, 2026

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The Trick to Holding a Reader's Attention is...

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