Manuscript Analysis Free · in-browser · optional cloud history

Opening Hook Checklist

Score your first ~250 words for character, tension, filter words, lore dumps, and sensory detail.

All tools About & FAQ Filter words Sensory detail
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 fast — often on the first page alone. This opening hook checklist scores your first roughly 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. Paste your opening from Story Studio or any AI draft; scoring runs in your browser.

What you can do

  • Seven-criterion checklist 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?

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.

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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