Marketing Basics

The Hook is the absolute entry point of your marketing. It is a single, scroll-stopping line or phrase displayed in high-contrast text on the first slide or within the first 3 seconds of a video. Its sole purpose is to hijack user attention and force them to stay.

• Second-Person "You": Triggers instant self-insertion (e.g. "You were sold to the shadow lord, but he forgot to tell you the rules.").
• High-Stakes Irony: Juxtaposes safety with sudden, romantic, or fantasy dread.
• The Curiosity Gap: Creates an immediate question that can only be answered by reading further.

The Teaser is a high-fidelity prose excerpt, dialogue segment, or core scene summary that follows the hook. If the Hook catches the reader, the Teaser reels them in by demonstrating the raw flavor, rhythm, and tension of your writing.

• Tension Excerpts: Focuses on key verbal sparring, magnetic eye contact, or high-heat stakes.
• Timeline Anchors: Grounds the scene in a specific, exciting moment (e.g., "Right before the masquerade...").
• Voice Mimicry: Preserves the exact narrator or character perspective found in the actual manuscript.

A Reel (or TikTok short-form video) is a vertical 9:16 video looping atmospheric background clips, text layouts, and audio. It relies on emotional visual trances and auditory hooks to connect readers to the mood of the book.

• Atmospheric Loops: Dark castles, glowing ink, stormy woods, or high-contrast shadows.
• Trending Audio: Leverages active platform sounds to boost algorithmic distribution.
• Quick Cuts: Keeps the viewer's eyes engaged, timed to the beat of the music.

A Slideshow (TikTok Photo Mode or Instagram Carousel) is a multi-swipe image post. It is currently the highest-converting format for fiction because it allows readers to control their pace, swiping through the text like a book.

• Text Baking: Overlays styled fonts directly onto character portraits or settings.
• Dynamic Progression: Slide 1 (Hook) → Slides 2-4 (Teaser Scene) → Slide 5 (CTA & Cover).
• High Engagement: Swiping is counted by the algorithm as active user interaction, expanding post reach.