Manuscript Analysis Free · in-browser · optional cloud history

Opening Hook Checklist

Score your first 250 words against fiction opening best practices.

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Runs in your browser. Results can be saved so you can reopen them when signed in — guests are nudged after a couple of uses.
0 words 0 chars < 1 min
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Paste your text above, then click Analyze — or try Sample.

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About this tool

Agents and readers decide fast. This opening hook checklist scores your first ~250 words against seven fiction opening best practices — avoiding weather and wake-up clichés, naming a character early, opening with tension or dialogue, limiting filter words, skipping lore dumps, and adding concrete sensory detail.

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.

Editing guides · AI manuscript editing

How to use it

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

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.

Common questions

How many words does the checker analyze?

It focuses on roughly the first 250 words, with extra context up to about 2,000 characters for character detection.

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.

Related guides

Why AI Writes Every Character Wanting the Same Thing How to Use AI to Diagnose and Fix Sentence-Level Monotony How to Use AI to Write a Character's Interior Monologue Style How to Control AI's Punctuation Habits to Match Your Authorial Voice