Write scroll-stopping hooks for your LinkedIn posts in 5 minutes

Scan time: 3-5 min / Read time: 5-7 min

Hey rebel solopreneurs 🦸‍♀️🦸‍♂️

Most creators spend 3 hours trying to write engaging hooks for their LinkedIn posts.

Stare at blank screen. Type something generic. Delete. "Make it more unexpected..." Delete. Still sounds boring.

Smart ones train ChatGPT to generate 7 unexpected story hooks in 5 minutes.

⛳️ Why this works

Before you publish your next LinkedIn carousel or social post, you need a hook that stops the scroll.

Without one? Readers glance at your post and keep scrolling. Don't click. Don't read. Don't engage.

Manual hook writing? Hours of second-guessing. "Is this unexpected enough? Does this sound like a story? Will anyone care?"

Here's the thing...

Your hook is like a movie trailer.

Most creators write the equivalent of "This movie is good. You should watch it." Accurate. Boring. Scrollable.

But a great trailer shows you something unexpected. "A pizza delivery guy discovers he's the last hope for humanity." Wait, what? Tell me more.

The Hook-Story-Offer framework works the same way. It flips expectations by putting your benefit in an unexpected setting, wraps it in a personal story, and invites readers to act.

When your hook breaks expectations, readers don't just scan and scroll. They stop. They click. They read.

With the framework below, you train ChatGPT once. Then you generate 7 hook options for any topic in 5 minutes. Pick your favorite. Done.

Turns out, trained AI beats staring at blank screens every time. BAM.

Let's see how Ryan figured this out...

📋 Get better results with context setup. Setup in 5 minutes | Download sample

Ryan runs a productivity newsletter.

But here's his problem. Posts got decent engagement. A few likes here and there. Maybe a comment.

But they didn't make readers subscribe. People would read his tips. Nod. Keep scrolling.

His hooks were boring. "5 productivity tips to save time." "How to be more efficient at work." Generic. Expected. Forgettable.

Ryan spent 3 hours every week trying to make hooks more interesting. He'd write 10 variations. Test different angles. Second-guess every word.

Still got the same lukewarm response.

Then Ryan found something. A copywriting framework from Russell Brunson's book, Dotcom Secrets. Something called Hook-Story-Offer.

Changed everything.

The framework taught him: unexpected hooks win because they wake up the reader's brain. When you put a benefit in an unusual setting, attention gets captured. Then you wrap it in a story, and readers slide right into your offer.

But wait.

Ryan realized he didn't need creativity. He needed a system. And if he had a system, he could train ChatGPT to execute it.

Ryan decided to follow these steps:

Step 1: Name the clear benefit he's promising Step 2: Put his benefit in an unexpected setting Step 3: Frame his hook as a personal story Step 4: Edit for clarity and believability Step 5: Train ChatGPT to generate hooks automatically

Step 1: Name the clear benefit

Ryan opened ChatGPT/Claude (his AI sidekick).

Every hook needs a promise. But most creators skip this step. They jump straight to writing without being clear on what the reader gets.

Ryan learned: if the reader doesn't know what they get in return for reading, they won't read.

But wait. What was he actually offering?

Was it "productivity tips"? Too vague. Was it "time management strategies"? Still fuzzy.

Ryan needed to be specific. What's the actual benefit?

Mental clarity. Better sleep. Financial freedom. Deep focus. Those are benefits readers can visualize.

Here's what he tried...

The benefit naming exercise

Step 1: Ask yourself - what does the reader actually get from this?

Write down the real benefit in 2-4 words:
- Mental clarity
- Better sleep quality  
- Financial freedom
- Profitable investment
- Deep relationships
- Faster content creation
- Higher conversion rates

Be specific. "Productivity" is vague. "2 extra hours daily" is a benefit.

Ryan wrote down his benefit: "2 extra focused hours daily."

Clear. Specific. Measurable.

Now he had something to work with.

Step 2: Put the benefit in an unexpected setting

Ryan had his benefit: 2 extra focused hours daily.

But here's the problem. Where would readers NOT expect to gain 2 hours of focus?

This is where most hooks fail. They put benefits in expected places. "Get 2 hours of focus with better time blocking." Yawn. Seen it before.

Ryan learned from copywriter "Big Al" Schreiter: find the opposite of normal.

What's the opposite of gaining focus? Losing it. Being distracted. Wasting time.

So where would someone be wasting time? Scrolling social media. Sitting in meetings. Watching Netflix.

Ryan thought: "What if I got 2 hours of focus by... watching Netflix?"

Wait. That's unexpected. That breaks expectations.

Here's what he tried...

The unexpected setting finder

Step 1: List the opposite words for your benefit
(Use a thesaurus if needed)

For "gain focus" → opposite is "lose focus," "distraction," "waste time"

Step 2: Ask these questions:
- What do people do when they LOSE the benefit?
- What situations commonly PREVENT this benefit?
- Where would this benefit seem IMPOSSIBLE?

Step 3: Pick the most unexpected setting

Examples:
"My diet support group meets at Pizza Hut" (unexpected for weight loss)
"I thought Vitamin C was supposed to make you feel better?" (unexpected for immunity)
"I have no friends. That's why I go to work" (unexpected for making friends)

Ryan landed on: "I gained 2 hours of focus by watching Netflix before bed."

Unexpected? Yes. Intriguing? Definitely. Makes you want to know more? Absolutely.

Step 3: Frame the hook as a personal story

Ryan had his unexpected hook: "I gained 2 hours of focus by watching Netflix before bed."

But it still felt flat. It was unexpected, but it didn't feel personal.

Here's what happened...

Ryan learned: hooks framed as personal stories win over generic promises.

Compare these:

Hook #1: "How to gain 2 hours of focus daily" Hook #2: "Amazing breakthrough formula for productivity and focus" Hook #3: "I gained 2 hours of focus by watching Netflix before bed"

Hook #1 is clear but expected. Hook #2 feels salesy and skeptical. Hook #3 has a story. It's personal. It's relatable.

You can frame any hook as a personal story with first-person language.

"I..." "My..." "How I..."

Then bolt on your benefit and unexpected setting.

Here's what he tried...

The personal story framer

Take your unexpected hook and add first-person language:

Before: "Gain 2 hours of focus by watching Netflix"
After: "How I gained 2 hours of focus by watching Netflix before bed"

Or:
"My weird Netflix habit gave me 2 extra hours of focus"
"I never knew Netflix could double my productive time"

The pattern:
[First-person word] + [unexpected setting] + [clear benefit]

Ryan rewrote his hook: "How I gained 2 hours of focus by watching Netflix before bed."

Personal. Unexpected. Story-driven.

Now it works.

Step 4: Edit for clarity and believability

Ryan had his hook: "How I gained 2 hours of focus by watching Netflix before bed."

But here's the risk. If you overdo "clever," readers won't believe you.

A chubby cat solving your weight problem? Close to the edge. Hard to believe a cat will give you weight loss advice. But because the benefit is clear, readers still want to know more.

Ryan learned: make sure readers don't have to make too many mental leaps.

Ask yourself:

• Will readers know what to expect?

• Is this believable?

• Does the unexpected setting connect logically to the benefit?

If yes, ship it. If no, dial it back.

Here's what he tried...

The clarity and credibility check

Read your hook out loud and ask:

1. Does the reader understand the benefit immediately?
   (If not, make it clearer)

2. Can they see the connection between setting and benefit?
   (If it's too big a leap, adjust the setting)

3. Would they believe this is possible?
   (If it sounds fake, tone down the unexpected element)

Examples that pass the test:
âœ" "How I lost 10lbs in 4 weeks sitting at Pizza Hut"
  (Clear benefit, unexpected setting, believable connection)

âœ" "My morning coffee routine cut my work week to 25 hours"
  (Personal, unexpected, believable if explained)

Examples that fail:
⌠"My goldfish taught me to 10x my revenue"
  (Too big a mental leap, hard to believe)

Ryan reviewed his hook. Clear benefit? Yes. Believable? Yes, if he explains the connection between relaxation and focus.

He kept it as-is.

Step 5: Train ChatGPT to generate hooks automatically

Ryan had learned the framework. He could write unexpected story hooks manually.

But here's what changed everything. He realized: if I know how to do this, I can train someone else to do it for me.

That "someone else" used to be a human copywriter. Expensive. Slow. Hard to find.

Now? Train ChatGPT once. Generate 7 hooks in 5 minutes. Forever.

Ryan opened ChatGPT and gave it the complete framework. Role. Personality. Steps. Examples. Everything.

Here's what he tried...

The hook-story-offer training prompt

I am going to train you to write an unexpected story hook.

An unexpected story hook is a 1 sentence hook opener that flips a reader's expectation, catches their attention, and gets them wondering, "what's next" which opens a loop that the reader has to close.

# Examples of an unexpected story hook

- My diet support group meets at Pizza Hut.
- I thought Vitamin C was supposed to make you feel better?
- I have no friends. That's why I go to work.

# Role

Act as a copywriting expert with 20 years of experience.

# Personality

You write in a conversational, jargon free tone that a 10 year old would understand. You favor spartan short sentences, but you know when to go long to make a point more powerful. And above all, you write in a very human-sounding register.

# Steps

Step 1: You will ask me what I want to write about.

Step 2: I will give you my topic.

Step 3: You will list 7 benefits of the topic (use 4-6 words). Then ask me which one I want to focus on.

Step 4: I will select a benefit to move forward with.

Step 5: You will write 7 unexpected story hooks.

Step 6: You will ask me if I would like to write the story. If I say yes, proceed to the next step, else we can stop.

Step 7: I will select an unexpected story hook to move forward with.

Step 8: You will write a 1st person punchy 75-100 word story using the following pattern:
- Unexpected story hook
- Setup
- Problem
- Resolution
- Lesson
- Action steps the reader can apply "here's how you can..."

## Story format

Follow the 1 / 3 / 1 writing rhythm (including spacing)

(1 sentence) Sentence 1.

(3 sentences) Sentence 2. Sentence 3. Sentence 4.

(1 sentence) Sentence 5.

(1 sentence) Sentence 6.

(3 sentences) Sentence 7. Sentence 8. Sentence 9.

(1 sentence) Sentence 10.

(1 sentence) Sentence 11.

(3 sentences) Sentence 12. Sentence 13. Sentence 14.

(1 sentence) Sentence 15.

The pattern repeats until you are done writing.

You will perform 1 step at a time. You perform steps independently of each other. After each step, you will stop and ask the user, "shall I continue to the next step?" If the output is satisfactory, and the user says yes, you then proceed to the next step.

# Disallowed actions

Do NOT stray off topic.
Do NOT use labels or pre-text.

Remember your primary goal is to hook the reader with the unexpected.

Ryan copied this prompt into ChatGPT.

His AI sidekick asked: "What do you want to write about?"

Ryan typed: "Productivity and time management."

His AI sidekick returned 7 benefits:

• Better sleep quality (4 words)

• Reduce daily stress levels (4 words)

• Gain 2 focused hours (4 words)

• Complete projects faster efficiently (4 words)

• Eliminate decision fatigue daily (4 words)

• Boost creative thinking capacity (4 words)

• Achieve work-life balance easily (4 words)

Ryan picked: "Better sleep quality."

His AI sidekick generated 7 unexpected story hooks:

1. I never snored until I lost 30 pounds

2. My pillow solved my insomnia in 3 nights

3. I sleep better since I stopped trying to sleep

4. My morning coffee improved my sleep quality

5. I got 8 hours of sleep by working more

6. My worst nightmare gave me the best sleep

7. I fixed my sleep by drinking water at 10 PM

Ryan picked #1: "I never snored until I lost 30 pounds."

His AI sidekick wrote the complete story in the 1/3/1 rhythm. Setup. Problem. Resolution. Lesson. Action steps.

Total time: 5 minutes.

Turns out...

Ryan could now generate unlimited hooks for any topic. No more staring at blank screens. No more 3-hour writing sessions.

🏆 Ryan's results after 4 weeks

Before:

• Spent 3 hours per week writing hooks manually

• Generic hooks that got ignored ("5 productivity tips")

• Low engagement, minimal subscriber growth

• No systematic approach to copywriting

After:

• Generates 7 unexpected hooks in 5 minutes

• Story-driven hooks that stop the scroll

• 3x engagement on LinkedIn posts

• Systematic framework he can use forever

His process now:

1. Name the benefit (30 seconds)

2. Ask ChatGPT to generate 7 hooks (2 minutes)

3. Pick favorite and request full story (2 minutes)

4. Edit and publish (1 minute)

Total time: 5 minutes. Not 3 hours.

His AI sidekick handles hook generation, story structure, and 1/3/1 rhythm formatting in under 5 minutes. BAM.

🧩 Your turn

Copy the hook-story-offer training prompt into your AI sidekick.

Tell it what you want to write about.

Pick a benefit from the list. Your AI sidekick generates 7 unexpected hooks.

Select your favorite. Request the full story. Done.

Want to add a call-to-action? Ask: "Can you add a CTA to my offer for [your product/service] that fits naturally at the end of the story?"

Your AI sidekick will write it.

Generation time: 5 minutes. Time to publish: 2 minutes.

That's it, my fellow outliers!

Yours 'helping you hire the best 'AI Sidekicks' team who work 24/7 with almost zero cost' Vijay peduru 🦸‍♂️