By Janice Hardy 
on Anne R. Allen site:
Brainstorm your novel hook now
for your NaNoWriMo novel!
A great idea helps every novel get off to a great start, but not every idea starts out great. Some need a little work to find their true potential. The key is to find the novel hook within the idea that will grab readers and make them want to read on.
In the brainstorming stage, the novel hook is the gotcha—it’s the twist that will make the story compelling and fresh. That “ooooh” factor that probably got you excited about the idea in the first place. It might be a plot point, a character goal, or a conflict. It could even be the theme.
The novel hook is what sets your story apart from other books, and makes the novel different. The stronger the hook, the better the chance of selling the novel. (No pressure, right?)
Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog 