Most novelist spend the entire time they’re writing praying to the gods for a great opening paragraph. That is, a hook which will entice readers to read on.

Their prayers were answered for these two writers.

Blonde Faith (WALTER MOSLEY)

It’s hard to get lost when you’re coming home from work. When you have a job, and a paycheck, the road is set right out in front of you: a paved highway with no exits except yours. There’s the parking lot, the grocery store, the kids’ school, the cleaner’s, the gas station, and then your front door.

The Fall of Troy (PETER ACKROYD)

He fell down heavily on his knees, took her hand and brought it up to his mouth. “I kiss the hand of the future Mrs. Obermann.” He spoke in English. Neither she nor her parents understood German, and he disliked speaking demotic Greek. He considered it vulgar.

Ian Rankin shares the method he uses to write the Rebus mystery novels in this excellent article.

Crime of passion | By genre | Guardian Unlimited Books notes: “He took me upstairs to see his office because I’d asked what date he started writing Exit Music and he said he’d check the manuscript because he dates every page: he started on 1 February 2007 and finished on 27 March - just two months to write a bestseller. But what is most interesting about this first draft manuscript is that he writes messages to himself in capital letters mid-text, saying things like: ‘I’M WONDERING IF THE GIRL COULD PLAY A PART IN THE BOOK.’ This is the girl who finds the body right at the beginning of the novel and ends up playing quite an important part in the plot.”

Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider books about a 14 year old spy have sold ten million copies worldwide.

In an interview, Anthony Horowitz: The secret life of a spy master the author talks about the Alex Rider character: “He’s not surprised that those about Alex Rider have been the most successful. ‘Alex is the most real character I’ve written,’ he says. ‘I vividly remember being 14. That was the age when I started to get happy: I started being a writer and stopped being a loser.’”

I’ve just written an article for my new write a book membership site about defining moments in a character’s life; you discover that defining moment by evaluating your own defining moment. Once you can see what it is, you understand how to find it in story characters.

The defining moment of your story person’s life can be looked on as a seed: this is what shaped your character and it’s what will make him real to both you and your readers.

In unsuccessful novels (and you’ll know as you write it that the book’s not coming to life) characters are either wishy-washy or cardboard.

Find the defining moment: it’s the beginning of really getting to know your character.

Discover the secrets of writing a book which will sell in Writing Freelance Star: Write A Book.