Creating a good "hook" for a book

[Aaron]

I'm perfecting a novel I wrote and of course one of the main things they say you need is a good "hook" within the first paragraph or even the first line.

This makes sense to me, but I think I might be weird as a reader. Cause a lot of books with good hooks seem to throw a LOT of information all at once to create intrigue. But when I get bombarded with a lot of info in the first paragraph, I mentally crawl into a fetal position as I try to remember all the things going on at once (names, settings, what's going on?, etc.)

I tend to prefer stories that start simple and draw you in slowly. Example A character is doing something but we're not sure why.

Admittedly, this kind of thing works best when a book is highly recommended or the reader already has an incentive to read it. But I find that's just what works for me. And that's the kind of opening I want to write. Am I crazy?

[Roughseasinthemed]

Agree. Less is more. Find the main point and then add some extra inf (minimal) and leave the first page/chapter with something hanging.

Apart from the last point, it's a bit like writing a newspaper story. Start with the important news and add relevant background, or facts.

We don't need to read unnecessary clutter, too many names, trivial detail, loads of adjectives, description etc. But, it does depend on the style of book.

[Keith]

As a reader I like figuring things out and would rather not have an information dump at the beginning. In my writing I try and start off with action with the intent of drawing the reader in and getting them wondering, hopefully then they'll be patient later when I need to dump some backstory.

[Michael]

I agree with everyone here. If you give too much information, it could be counter-productive, because you haven't left the reader with enough questions they will want to answer. You want to give the reader a missing piece of information to get them asking questions. Keith alluded to this by saying he likes to get "them wondering".

My novels tend to have 2-3 plot threads. In that case, I can write a quick first chapter, leave a question unanswered and move on to the second thread. I hope to get my readers pondering not only how things at the end of chapter 1 will conclude, but this new plot thread in chapter 2 will tie in with the first thread.