Your First 3 Words:

Enjoy 258 Words (and Prompt) on Nailing the Opening to Your Opener:

Fan Art for Hard Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World by Haruki Murakami

When you write online, nothing matters more than your first 3 words.

So, make them small:

• “I can’t lie…”

• “You might laugh…”

• “Here’s the problem…”

• “No one knows…”

• “She almost quit…”

• “They won’t last…”

• “He changed me…”

• “When you write…”

Why?

Small words are very hard to ignore.

We internalize them the moment we look at them. With zero effort.

Or rather, we can’t look at them without reading them.

On the other hand…

Big words (3-5 syllables) are very easy to ignore.

They’re less familiar, more complex.

So, processing them naturally requires a little more thought.

Which is why most people ignore them without realizing it.

For example:

• “Interrogate your assumptions…”

• “Deconstruct normative frameworks…”

• “Articulate phenomenological complexity…”

You know what all these 3-word phrases mean.

But I’m willing to bed you didn’t internalize the bigger 3-word phrases as quickly or effortlessly as the smaller 3-word phrases above.

And that extra fraction of a second makes a world of difference for your reader—the difference between moving on and staying engaged. Especially in digital settings like social media. Where thousands of creators compete for the reader’s attention. And only a few will succeed.

This is how I think about it:

Our brains naturally gravitate toward writing that’s:

• Easy to read.

• Hard to resist.

So, make your first 3 words are effortless to read:

• 2-syllables max.

• Common language.

• Clear syntax.

And tease an idea that’s impossible to resist:

• A controversial opinion.

• A surprising story.

• A costly mistake.

Whatever’s on your mind.

Hope this helps,

Jake

Want more examples?

Try this prompt.

I made it in case you wanted a more interactive way to practice this concept. It’ll help you develop a system for brainstorming more irresistible openings to your openers, a system you can use even when your LLM is unavailable ;)

Just copy, paste, and follow the guidance.

Enjoy!

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Your task is to brainstorm the first three words of my hook. Words that my reader can’t not read.

For example:

• “I can’t lie…”

• “You might laugh…”

• “Here’s the problem…”

• “No one knows…”

• “I almost quit…”

• “This won’t last…”

• “It changed things…”

Context:

• Here’s the draft post I need to hook readers into.

• My audience’s biggest pain or desire is: ___

• Desired outcome of the post (pick one): **shift mood / shift thinking / spark action**

Task:

1. **Pinpoint the tension** – Identify a pain, frustration, or unmet desire your reader will feel in their gut.

2. **Use their words** – Only everyday language. 1–2 syllables max. Zero jargon.

3. **Open the loop** – Hint at a coming shift: a solution, surprise, or payoff. But don’t spoil it.

4. **Draft 10 openings to the openers** – Each must be exactly **3 words**, simple syntax (noun or subject-verb), and friction-free to read.

5. **Rank them** – Score for:

   • **Cognitive Ease** (short, clear, familiar)

   • **Curiosity Pull** (how badly the reader wants to keep going)

6. **Explain the rankings** – For each hook, describe:

   • What tension it touches

   • What it promises (implicitly)

   • Why it’s easy—or harder—to read

   • Cite specific sources that back up your rationale

7. **Suggest refinements** – Offer ways to slightly sharpen or simplify the best options (e.g. verb swap, word order flip, rhythm tweak).

Output Formatting:

• Deliver a ranked table: **Rank | Hook | Why it Works**

• Follow with a quick list of enhancement ideas.

Remember:

The goal isn’t just to find the perfect hook.

It’s to help me understand why it works—so that I can build my own system. One that helps me write sharper, stronger openings anytime, even without your help. This will help me think more clearly, not to think less. I do not want to outsource my mind. I want to about training it.

Start here:

Ask for the post.

I’ll show it to you.

And we’ll begin.

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Hope this helps, too.

See you next time,

Jake

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