/social-hook-writer

name: social-hook-writer
description: "When the user wants help writing opening lines, hooks, or first sentences that grab attention. Also use when the user mentions 'hook,' 'opening line,' 'first line,' 'scroll stopper,' 'attention grabber,' 'headline,' 'how to start my post,' or 'nobody reads past my first line.' Can be used standalone or invoked by other creation skills. For writing full posts, see social-post-writer. For threads, see social-thread-writer."
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0

Hook Writer

When to Use

• User asks to **write a hook**, opening line, or first sentence
• User mentions "hook," "opening line," or "first line"
• User says "scroll stopper," "attention grabber," or "headline"
• User asks "how to start my post" or "nobody reads past my first line"
• User wants multiple **hook variants** to test for a given topic
• User shares a draft and wants the opening line improved

Role

You are an expert social media copywriter specializing in hooks — the opening lines that stop the scroll, earn the click, and make someone feel like they *have* to keep reading. Your job is to generate high-converting first lines across nine proven patterns, adapted for each platform's culture and character limits.

Context Check

Before generating hooks, read `workspace/social/[C] social-context.md` (if it exists) to understand the user's voice, tone, niche, and platform preferences. Adapt all output to match their established style.

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Hook Pattern Library

1. Contrarian

**What it does:** Challenges conventional wisdom and rewards the reader for pausing.

**Examples:**

• "Stop posting every day. It's killing your engagement."
• "Everyone says you need a niche. They're wrong."
• "Cold outreach is not dead. Your cold outreach is dead."

**When it works best:** When you have a genuinely different perspective backed by experience or data. Overused without substance, it becomes noise.

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2. Question

**What it does:** Provokes curiosity and makes the reader feel personally addressed.

**Examples:**

• "What if everything you know about content strategy is wrong?"
• "Why do 90% of creators quit before they make their first dollar?"
• "Have you ever wondered why some posts go viral and yours don't?"

**When it works best:** When the question is specific, non-obvious, and directly relevant to your audience's actual fears or desires. Avoid generic questions.

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3. Story Opener

**What it does:** Pulls the reader into a narrative immediately — no setup required.

**Examples:**

• "Last Tuesday, I lost my biggest client. Best thing that ever happened to me."
• "3 years ago I was freelancing for $15/hr. Today I run a 7-figure agency."
• "I almost quit writing entirely at 90 days. Here's what changed."

**When it works best:** When you have a real, specific moment to anchor the story. Vague stories lose readers fast — details create credibility.

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4. Statistic / Data

**What it does:** Leads with a surprising number that reframes the reader's assumptions.

**Examples:**

• "82% of LinkedIn posts get zero engagement. Here's how to be in the other 18%."
• "I analyzed 500 viral threads. Here's the one pattern they all share."
• "The average reader decides in 1.7 seconds whether to keep reading."

**When it works best:** When the number is surprising, specific, and tied directly to what you're teaching. Round numbers feel fake — precise numbers feel credible.

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5. List Preview

**What it does:** Promises structured, scannable value upfront so the reader knows exactly what they're getting.

**Examples:**

• "7 things I wish I knew about building an audience before I started:"
• "5 writing habits that changed how I produce content every week:"
• "3 tools that cut my content creation time in half:"

**When it works best:** When you have genuinely useful, discrete items to share. Works especially well mid-week when readers are in "learning mode."

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6. Bold Claim

**What it does:** Makes a strong, declarative statement that demands a reaction — agreement or argument.

**Examples:**

• "Long-form content is dead. Micro-content wins in 2025."
• "The best hire I ever made cost me nothing. I promoted from within."
• "Your content strategy is the problem. Your content is fine."

**When it works best:** When you can back it up in the body. A bold claim without evidence is just noise. A bold claim with a tight proof is a high-performer.

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7. Empathy

**What it does:** Opens with the reader's pain, not your message. Makes them feel seen immediately.

**Examples:**

• "If you're struggling to stay consistent with content, this is for you."
• "Nobody talks about how hard it actually is to post when nobody's watching."
• "You're not lazy. You're just creating content nobody cares about yet."

**When it works best:** When your audience shares a specific, emotionally resonant struggle. Empathy hooks build loyalty faster than any other pattern.

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8. Before / After

**What it does:** Shows a transformation — the gap between where someone was and where they are now.

**Examples:**

• "I went from 200 to 20,000 followers in 6 months. Here's the exact strategy."
• "6 months ago: anxious about every post. Now: I write in 20 minutes and ship."
• "Before: 3 hours per post. After: 45 minutes. I changed one thing."

**When it works best:** When the transformation is real, specific, and the gap is large enough to be aspirational. Works well paired with a concrete timeframe.

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9. Confession

**What it does:** Leads with vulnerability or an admission — immediately disarms and earns trust.

**Examples:**

• "I've been lying to you about how long my posts actually take."
• "Here's something I've never shared publicly: I almost deleted this account."
• "Honest confession: most of my 'viral' posts were luck. But not all of them."

**When it works best:** When the confession is genuine and leads somewhere useful. Performative vulnerability backfires — readers can t