Content Hooks Matchmaker
What You Get
A smart matching system that takes your topic, finds the right hook pattern from a library of 40+ proven hooks, then writes it for you. No more staring at blank pages wondering how to open something.
Why This Works
The opening determines if people keep reading. But there’s no one “right” way to open. A contrarian hook works for some topics. A story works for others. Direct authority works for others.
Instead of guessing, you describe your topic and audience. Claude matches you to 3 hook patterns that actually fit. You pick one. Claude writes it. You move on.
The Prompt
I need to write an opening for content and I want the right hook for the topic.
Here's what I'm working with:
- Topic: [YOUR TOPIC]
- Audience: [WHO YOU'RE WRITING FOR]
- Intent: [What do you want them to feel/do? e.g., "curiosity," "motivated," "scared straight," "permission"]
- Format: [Blog post / social post / email / sales page / podcast]
- Tone: [e.g., "conversational," "authoritative," "humorous," "inspiring"]
- Length limit: [e.g., "2 sentences," "one paragraph," "under 50 words"]
Before you write, match my topic to hook patterns from this library:
## HOOK LIBRARY (40+ Patterns)
### CONTRARIAN HOOKS
1. "Everything you know about [X] is wrong. Here's why."
2. "The hardest truth about [X]."
3. "Stop doing [X] if you want [Y]."
4. "What nobody tells you about [X]."
5. "[X] isn't what they told you it was."
6. "[X] is broken. Here's what to do instead."
7. "The advice everyone gives about [X] is actually backwards."
### PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HOOKS
8. "I spent [X hours/months/years] doing [Y] so you don't have to."
9. "I made [specific mistake] and here's what I learned."
10. "This one thing changed everything about how I [X]."
11. "I have a confession to make."
12. "The worst [X] decision I ever made taught me [insight]."
13. "I wasted [amount] on [X] before I realized..."
### AUTHORITY / EXPERTISE HOOKS
14. "Here's exactly how I [X]."
15. "Here's exactly how [recognized expert] does [X]."
16. "This is the system that [specific result]."
17. "The [specific method/framework] I use to [X]."
18. "I've [X] for [time period]. Here's what actually works."
19. "[Specific number] of [X], and here's the pattern I see."
### CURIOSITY / PATTERN HOOKS
20. "The biggest mistake I see in [X]."
21. "There's a pattern here nobody's talking about."
22. "You probably don't realize [surprising fact about X]."
23. "Here's the thing about [X] that changes everything."
24. "Most people get [X] exactly backwards."
25. "There's a difference between [thing people think] and [reality]."
26. "Three types of [X] and why one matters way more than the others."
### DIRECT BENEFIT HOOKS
27. "[Specific benefit] is possible. Here's how."
28. "You can [outcome] by [method]. Here's the roadmap."
29. "Here's how to get [benefit] without [common tradeoff]."
30. "The shortcut to [outcome] that actually works."
31. "If you want [result], do this instead of that."
### STORY HOOKS
32. "I met [person/character] who [surprising thing]. It changed how I think about [X]."
33. "Here's what I watched happen to [person/business]."
34. "Last week, [specific event]. It taught me [insight about X]."
35. "The story nobody tells about [X]."
### PERMISSION / RELIEF HOOKS
36. "You can [thing you thought wasn't allowed/possible]."
37. "It's okay to [thing people feel guilty about]."
38. "You don't need [thing you thought was required]."
39. "[Concern] isn't actually a problem if you [approach]."
40. "There's a way to have [both things] without sacrificing [either]."
### STAT / DATA HOOKS
41. "[Surprising statistic] about [X]."
42. "[Specific number]% of people do [X]. You probably shouldn't."
43. "New research shows [counterintuitive finding about X]."
---
Now, match my topic to the TOP 3 hook patterns from this library. For each:
- Hook pattern name and number
- Why it fits this topic
- Brief example of how it would sound
Then, pick the ONE you think is strongest for this topic/audience combo.
Finally, WRITE the opening using that hook. Keep it to my length limit. Make it land.How to Use It
Step 1: Fill in your topic info. Be specific about your audience. “Founders” is okay. “Founders who’ve failed once before” is better.
Step 2: Paste the prompt. Claude reads your topic and matches it against the 40+ hook patterns.
Step 3: Review the 3 recommendations. Claude will show you three patterns that fit your topic, plus examples. Read them. Do they feel right?
Step 4: Pick one (or tell Claude to pick). If you have a gut feeling, say so: “I like #2, write that one.” If you want Claude’s recommendation, say “go with your strongest pick.”
Step 5: Get your opening. Claude writes it. It should be ready to use. If it’s close but not quite, ask for tweaks: “Make it shorter,” “Add urgency,” “Make it funnier.”
Example Output
Real Project: Lead Gen Blog About Productivity Tools
Your brief:
- Topic: How to choose productivity tools that actually fit your work (not just copy what everyone else uses)
- Audience: Solopreneurs and small team leaders
- Intent: Curiosity + permission
- Format: Blog post
- Tone: Conversational, direct
- Length: 1-2 paragraphs
Claude’s 3 recommendations:
-
Hook #25: “There’s a difference between [thing people think] and [reality]”
- Why it fits: Your whole article is about the gap between “popular tools” and “right tools.” This hook nails that contrast.
- Example: “Everyone thinks you need Notion. The truth is you need a system that matches how you actually work.”
-
Hook #38: “You don’t need [thing you thought was required]”
- Why it fits: Your core message is permission — you don’t HAVE to use the tools everyone else raves about.
- Example: “You don’t need the same tech stack as your favorite creator. You need tools that fit your actual workflow.”
-
Hook #20: “The biggest mistake I see in [X]”
- Why it fits: This positions you as the expert who’s seen where people go wrong.
- Example: “The biggest mistake I see with productivity tools isn’t picking the wrong one. It’s picking without understanding why.”
Claude’s recommendation: “I’d go with #2 (permission hook) because your audience feels guilty about not using ‘industry standard’ tools. Giving them permission flips that guilt into agency.”
Opening Claude wrote:
You don't need Notion.
You don't need Monday or Asana or Linear or whatever tool is crushing it on Twitter this week. And you definitely don't need the same tech stack as the founders you admire.
Here's what you actually need: one system that matches how your brain works. That's it.
The problem is we stack our tools like we're building resume credentials. "Look, I'm organized — I use five different apps." Meanwhile you're context-switching eight times a day and forgetting where you saved your notes.
This post is about how to pick tools like an architect, not like a magpie.Tips
One: The hook library is a starting point. If you see a pattern that almost fits but needs tweaking, tell Claude: “I like #18 but adapt it to [your specific context].” You’re steering, not just picking.
Two: Not every topic needs a contrarian hook. Don’t force it. If your topic is “here’s how to do X well,” a direct authority hook (#14-18) probably lands better than a contrarian one.
Three: For social media, you want hooks that stop the scroll. Story hooks (#32-35) and curiosity hooks (#20-26) typically win there. For sales pages, benefit and direct hooks (#27-31) usually work harder.
Four: If you write a lot, bookmark the hook library. Especially the permission hooks (#36-40) — they’re underused and often the fastest way to connect with your reader.
Five: Pair this with the “Layered Prompting Framework” for longer work. Get your hook dialed in as Phase 1, then build the rest around it.
Want more methods? Browse the full library at hazelq.com/methods. Built with Claude. Every prompt in this library has been tested in the latest Claude model.