This week I noticed a Tweet from a journalist about how she loves to read features with no hook. It gave me a moment’s pause.
I too, love to read those bonkers stories that seem to come out of nowhere but capture the zeitgeist perfectly.
Or profile pieces about people not attached to current projects but strike a chord because the individual is so interesting, or their story smoving.
Like Hadley Freeman’s emotional interview in The Guardian with the comedian Tony Slattery last month – something that came up just because she was interested in what had happened to him and decided to investigate, not because he was appearing in a new C4 show (hope he will be soon though!)
For the most part though, we’re in the business of news and news needs a hook. That’s why I didn’t know at first how to reply to the PR who pitched an interview with someone well known who wanted to talk about sustainability and fashion.
I’ve interviewed this person a couple of times before and I like them. I know they are extremely passionate about the subject and also give great soundbites.
But guys, the world and his wife are talking about fashion and sustainability at the moment! So when the PR emailed a second time, still without a specific angle in mind, my question for them was – all together now: what’s the hook?
