Manuscript Analysis Free · in-browser · optional cloud history

Opening Hook Checker

Score your opening page against 12 hook checks — a named character, tension, an active first verb, filter words, lore dumps, and sensory detail.

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Runs in your browser. We don’t use your drafts to train models.
0 words 0 chars < 1 min
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Paste your text above, then click Analyze — or use Try sample for a quick demo.

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About this tool

Agents and readers decide on the first page. This checker scores your opening — the first paragraph and roughly the first 2,000 characters — against 12 checks: no weather, waking-up, mirror, dream or lore-dump opener; a named character early; dialogue or tension in paragraph one; an active verb in the first sentence; few filter words; a concrete sensory detail; a first paragraph under 100 words; and an early question or mystery. Each check passes or fails with a tip, and the total gives a verdict from "Consider rewriting hook" to "Excellent hook". Scoring runs in your browser.

What you can do

  • Twelve-check list tuned for commercial fiction openings
  • Pass/fail feedback with craft tips per criterion
  • Filter-word and lore-dump detection in opening paragraphs
  • Character-name detection within the first few paragraphs
  • Tension and dialogue presence checks for hook strength
  • Overall verdict from weak to strong opening
  • Fast re-test after revising paragraph one

Why manuscript analysis matters for fiction

Rule-based analyzers catch patterns human eyes skim past—especially in AI drafts where filter words, adverbs, and passive voice cluster predictably. Use metrics to prioritize revision, not to flatten your voice. Run a chapter first, fix the worst offenders, then scan the full manuscript.

Five-pass revision order · AI manuscript editing · Manuscript cleanup

How to use it

  1. Paste the opening of your novel (first 250+ words).
  2. Click Analyze to run the hook checklist in your browser.
  3. Review pass/fail for each criterion with specific tips.
  4. Revise weak areas — especially paragraph one — before querying.
  5. Re-test until you score a strong opening verdict.

Tips for fiction authors

  • Open with a character doing something, not thinking or observing. Action pulls readers in; contemplation pushes them away.
  • Name your protagonist within the first three paragraphs. Readers anchor to named characters faster than "the woman" or "he."
  • Avoid opening with weather, waking up, or looking in a mirror. Agents consider these red flags in query submissions.
  • Your first sentence should provoke a question the reader wants answered. A micro-mystery is stronger than a mood description.
  • AI openings often fail on filter words and lack of conflict. Run this checklist immediately after your first Story Studio chapter export.

Related guides

Why AI Writes Every Character Wanting the Same Thing How to Use AI to Diagnose and Fix Sentence-Level Monotony Why AI Resolves Every Scene's Emotional Beat Too Neatly Use AI to Find Where Scenes Overstay Their Welcome

Common questions
How many words does the checker analyze?

The first paragraph and about the first 2,000 characters (roughly 300–350 words). Most checks read paragraph one; the name, filter-word and mystery checks look a little further in.

Is a weather opening always wrong?

Not always, but it is a common weak opener. The checklist flags it so you can confirm the scene earns it.

Can AI-written openings pass?

Often not on the first pass — AI loves filter words and mood-setting without conflict. Use this to tighten hook paragraphs.

Is my opening uploaded?

No. Opening hook analysis runs entirely in your browser on Entangled Text.

Should I fix the opening before the rest of the book?

Yes for querying. For KDP self-publishing, a strong opening still drives sample-page conversion — polish it early.

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