Last week, we learnt a typical structure of feature stories. Today, we will learn more about hooks and kickers by analysing the best examples submitted in last week’s homework.
Best Hooks
Hooks are the very first words of feature stories, the openings that ‘hook’ the audience, inviting them to continue reading. Two of the best examples submitted in this week’s homework were:
The score was tied. Only minutes left in the game. The crowd were screaming at the London stadium…by Atta ul Wadood
‘All I could see was fire.’ These were the words of Muhammad Zubair – one of two passengers who survived after the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Airbus A320 crashed in a residential area…by Sheharyar Bajwa
Best Kicker
Kickers are the final line or paragraph of a story, neatly tying everything up and often referring back to the hook itself, giving the feeling that everything has come ‘full circle’ in the story and we are back at the beginning. One nice example from this week’s homework was:
…For now the question remains – is safety not guaranteed anymore, while travelling to or from Pakistan? by Bilal Bonsu
Best Homework Award
But this week’s best homework overall was the one that neatly employed both the hook and kicker. This was achieved by Sheraz Ahmed, Alhamdulillah. He began his story with the following hook:
It was my turn. I was very nervous. I slowly moved towards beloved Huzoor….
Then came his story’s Nut Graf and Main Body, in which the writer explained that he was so nervous because he was about to publicly perform his Amin ceremony (on completing the Holy Quran) with beloved Huzoor. Finally, he came to his kicker – the final sentence of his story – in which he once again referred to the nerves he had opened the story’s hook with:
…My nerves were gone.
Final Homework
- Write a 300-500 word (true news) story in feature style
- Include two original interviews as well as research
- Don’t forget to proofread your work, keep rewriting it and improving it until it’s perfect, applying Orwell’s writing rules as well as the presentation style we learnt previously.
- Submit by 6pm on Tuesday
- The best story will be published by Tahir Magazine on this website, insha’Allah
