Read the openings to several of your favorite books. Make a note to yourself about where you think the narrative hook is in the story. The hook is the moment in the story's narration where you read something that makes you feel as if you have no choice but to continue reading the story. Note how fast this narrative hook comes in some of your favorite stories. This will help you get a feel for the timing of the narrative hook.
Start with an opening narrative hook. The opening narrative hook is the hook that grabs the attention of your readers in the first few lines of your story. Decide whether you will use a character-based hook or an event-based hook. A hook based on character is when you introduce a character and make him so mysterious and interesting that readers will read on just to find out more about the character. An event-based hook is when you introduce an event of some type, such as a car accident involving important characters, that compels your readers to want to find out what happens next.
Apply narrative hooks at key points in your story. This isn't as difficult to do in a short story, but for a novel, keeping a reader's interest involves using narrative hooks throughout. You should almost always place a narrative hook at the end of each chapter. Readers tend to leave boring stories after completing a chapter. A hook at the end of each chapter will help you keep readers around.
Ensure that your narrative hook always forces readers to ask themselves questions. Will Emma get her memory back before she marries the wrong man? Will Zach survive the car accident, and will he ever be able to play football again? Every dramatic event in your story should strive to pose questions you will eventually answer for your readers as a way of rewarding them for sticking with you.
Avoid misleading narrative hooks and dramatic events. Don't set your readers up to stick around for something you never deliver. If you don't follow through on your hooks, your readers will learn not to trust the stories you tell.