# 155 Hooks, sorted by where your viewer is

**Part of The Viral Script System** · by Dan Shipped (@danshipped) · Last verified: October 2026

A hook has one job: make the viewer hear the next sentence. It doesn't sell. It doesn't explain. It opens a door.

Every hook below has two versions:
- a **fill-in template** with [BRACKETS], and
- a **filled example** for the AI / business niche.

> **Honest note on the numbers in the examples.** They show the *shape* of a good hook. Replace every number with your own real one. A made-up number is the fastest way to lose a viewer's trust (and it's a lie). If you don't have a number yet, use a time ("in 4 minutes") or a count you can show on screen.

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## How to use this file (2 minutes)

1. **Pick the stage.** Who will see this video? Strangers on the For You feed → start in Stage A, B or C. Your followers → D or E. (Not sure? Read chapter 3 of the README.)
2. **Pick 3 hooks of different types** from that stage. Different types, not 3 versions of the same one.
3. **Fill the brackets** with your task, your number, your audience.
4. **Score them** in `tools/hook-scorer.html`. Keep anything 75+.
5. **Say it out loud.** If it takes more than ~4 seconds to say, cut words.
6. **Put the same promise on screen** in 3–6 words.

Placeholders used: [TASK] a job they do (gerund: "writing proposals") · [RESULT] what they want · [TIME] a duration · [NUMBER] a real count · [AUDIENCE] who it's for · [TOOL] a product name · [OLD WAY] how they do it now · [PRICE] a real price · [ASSET] the thing they make (video, email, page).

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## Stage A · Unaware (cold feed: they don't know they have the problem)

**Where the hook starts:** from *them* — their identity, their day, a story, a surprising observation. Never from the tool. Never from your name.

### A1 · Call-out (name who it's for)

| # | Template | Example (AI niche) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | If you [DAILY TASK] every day, this is for you. | If you answer client emails every morning, this is for you. |
| 2 | [AUDIENCE] who still [OLD WAY], give me 20 seconds. | Freelancers who still write proposals from scratch, give me 20 seconds. |
| 3 | This is for the [AUDIENCE] who [SECRET STRUGGLE]. | This is for the founder who rewrites the landing page every Sunday. |
| 4 | You're a [ROLE] with [NUMBER] tabs open. Watch this. | You're a solo founder with 14 tabs open. Watch this. |
| 5 | If your [ASSET] gets [BAD RESULT], it's not the [EXCUSE]. | If your videos get 200 views, it's not the algorithm. |

### A2 · Identity (who they are, or want to be)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Most people [WEAK ACTION]. [GROUP] [STRONG ACTION]. | Most people ask AI questions. Builders give it jobs. |
| 7 | The [AUDIENCE] who [WIN] all do one boring thing. | The freelancers who never run out of clients do one boring thing. |
| 8 | You're not bad at [SKILL]. You're [REAL CAUSE]. | You're not bad at writing. You're writing for nobody. |
| 9 | Every [ROLE] I know who [RESULT] does this before 9am. | Every solo founder I know who ships weekly does this before 9am. |
| 10 | You don't need [WHAT THEY THINK]. You need [MECHANISM]. | You don't need a team. You need three agents and a checklist. |

### A3 · Story open (start in the middle)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | [TIME] ago I [LOW POINT]. Today [SPECIFIC WIN]. | A year ago I had zero customers. Today merchants pay me monthly. |
| 12 | My [PERSON] asked me [QUESTION]. So I [ACTION]. | My dad asked what I do all day. So I recorded it. |
| 13 | I let [TOOL/AI] [UNUSUAL ACTION]. It found [SURPRISE]. | I let Claude read my 40 worst emails. It found the pattern. |
| 14 | The day I stopped [OLD HABIT], my [AREA] changed. | The day I stopped writing captions by hand, my Mondays changed. |
| 15 | Nobody tells you this about [GOAL] until [LATE MOMENT]. | Nobody tells you this about your first SaaS until month three. |

### A4 · Paradox (two things that shouldn't fit)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | The best [THING] I found this [PERIOD] is [FLAW]. | The best AI tool I found this week is ugly. And beta. |
| 17 | I [DID LESS] and got [MORE]. | I posted half as often and got more followers. |
| 18 | The more [GOOD THING], the less [RESULT]. | The more AI tools you pay for, the less you ship. |
| 19 | [COMMON THING] is free. That's the problem. | ChatGPT is free. That's why your copy sounds like everyone's. |

### A5 · Belief challenge (flip what they assume)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | You don't need [REQUIREMENT] to [GOAL] anymore. | You don't need to code to ship a SaaS anymore. |
| 21 | "[POPULAR ADVICE]" is why you're [STUCK]. | "Post every day" is why your account isn't growing. |
| 22 | Stop [COMMON ACTION]. It's [HIDDEN COST]. | Stop asking AI for ideas. It gives everyone the same ones. |
| 23 | Most of what you learned about [TOPIC] stopped working. | Most of what you learned about prompting stopped working. |
| 24 | [THING] isn't a [ASSUMED CATEGORY]. It's [REFRAME]. | AI isn't a writing tool. It's an intern that never sleeps. |

### A6 · Observation (you noticed something they didn't)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | I studied [NUMBER] [THINGS]. [NUMBER] had one thing in common. | I studied 77 breakout AI videos. 75 used 12 words or fewer. |
| 26 | Look at [FAMILIAR THING] again. Notice [DETAIL]? | Look at this week's top AI reels. Notice the first word? |
| 27 | Here's what [WINNERS] do in the first [TIME]. | Here's what 3× creators do in the first second. |

### A7 · Future pace (show them the day after)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | My bet: in [TIME], [AUDIENCE] who [ACTION] will [CONSEQUENCE]. | My bet: in a year, freelancers without agents compete on price. |
| 29 | Imagine [DESIRED STATE] by [SPECIFIC TIME]. | Imagine your week's content done by Monday at 10am. |

### A8 · Confession (deadly sincerity)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | I'm embarrassed how long I [MISTAKE]. | I'm embarrassed how long I wrote every caption by hand. |
| 31 | I wasted [AMOUNT] on [THING] so you don't have to. | I wasted $340 on AI subscriptions so you don't have to. |
| 32 | I was wrong about [TOPIC]. | I was wrong about AI video editors. |

### A9 · Disqualify (push the wrong people away)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | If you love [TEDIOUS TASK], skip this one. | If you love editing subtitles by hand, skip this one. |
| 34 | This isn't for [NON-TARGET]. It's for [TARGET]. | This isn't for AI hobbyists. It's for people who bill clients. |

### A10 · Pattern interrupt & curiosity

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | Don't [EXPECTED ACTION] yet. | Don't post your next video yet. |
| 36 | This [SMALL THING] got [BIG RESULT]. | This 9-word sentence got 400 people to comment. |
| 37 | There's a reason [EFFECT]. Almost nobody knows it. | There's a reason some 20-second videos get 50× more comments. |
| 38 | [NUMBER] words decide if anyone [RESULT]. | Seven words decide if anyone watches your video. |
| 39 | Why do [UNEXPECTED WINNER] beat [EXPECTED WINNER]? | Why do ugly screen recordings beat polished AI videos? |
| 40 | What would you do with [TIME/MONEY] back every week? | What would you do with 6 hours back every week? |

---

## Stage B · Problem-aware (they feel the pain, don't know the fix)

**Where the hook starts:** from the *problem*, said the way they'd say it. Then promise there's a way out.

### B1 · Name the problem

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | You have [PROBLEM NAME]. Here's the fix. | You have subscription bloat. Here's the cure. |
| 42 | It's called [NAME], and it's why [SYMPTOM]. | It's called the blank-page tax. It's why posts take 2 hours. |
| 43 | [SYMPTOM]? That's not [WRONG CAUSE]. It's [REAL CAUSE]. | Views but no followers? That's not luck. It's your last 4 seconds. |
| 44 | If [SYMPTOM], your [PART] is broken. | If people watch but never comment, your CTA is broken. |

### B2 · Pain (time, effort, frustration)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Spending [TIME] on [TASK] every [PERIOD]? Stop. | Spending 3 hours on slides every week? Stop. |
| 46 | [TASK] shouldn't take [CURRENT TIME]. | A client proposal shouldn't take your whole afternoon. |
| 47 | Still [MANUAL TASK] in [YEAR]? | Still transcribing your own videos in 2026? |
| 48 | You [EFFORT]. You get [BAD RESULT]. Here's why. | You post every day. You get 300 views. Here's why. |
| 49 | You know that moment when [PAINFUL MOMENT]? | You know that moment when the client says "quick call?" |
| 50 | Ever [PAINFUL MOMENT]? | Ever spent an hour on a one-minute reply? |
| 51 | [BIG NUMBER] [UNITS] a year on [TASK]. I counted. | 312 hours a year on email. I counted mine. |

### B3 · Mistake

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 52 | The #1 mistake [AUDIENCE] make with [TOPIC]. | The #1 mistake founders make with AI support bots. |
| 53 | [NUMBER] mistakes that make your [ASSET] look [BAD]. | 3 mistakes that make your AI images look AI. |
| 54 | You're using [TOOL] like [WRONG THING]. Here's the fix. | You're using ChatGPT like Google. Here's the fix. |
| 55 | If you start with "[BAD OPENER]," you've lost them. | If you start your video with "hey guys," you've lost them. |
| 56 | You're [DOING STEPS] in the wrong order. | You're writing the script before the hook. Flip it. |
| 57 | Your [ASSET] isn't bad. It's [SPECIFIC FLAW]. | Your hook isn't bad. It's 23 words long. |

### B4 · Warning

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 58 | Don't [ACTION] until you've seen this. | Don't pay for another AI tool until you've seen this. |
| 59 | Before you [BIG DECISION], watch this. | Before you hire a VA, watch this. |
| 60 | [COMMON ACTION] can quietly [HARM]. | Pasting client data into free AI tools can quietly break your NDA. |
| 61 | Stop [WRONG FIX]. [RIGHT FIX] instead. | Stop buying better mics. Rewrite your first sentence instead. |

### B5 · Cost (show the bill)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | [TASK] costs you about [AMOUNT] a [PERIOD]. Here's the math. | Manual invoicing costs you about 4 hours a month. Here's the math. |
| 63 | You're paying [PRICE] for something [ALTERNATIVE] does free. | You're paying $30 a month for something a free tool does. |
| 64 | Every [UNIT] you [ACTION] by hand is [LOSS]. | Every reply you type by hand is a lead you answer late. |
| 65 | [COMPETITOR] [FAST]. You [SLOW]. | Your competitors answer leads in 2 minutes. You take 2 days. |

### B6 · Question (one guaranteed "yes")

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 66 | Who else is tired of [PAIN]? | Who else is tired of paying for 12 AI subscriptions? |
| 67 | Why does your [ASSET] [BAD RESULT] when theirs doesn't? | Why does your AI copy sound robotic when theirs doesn't? |
| 68 | Would you [SEND/POST] this? Most [AUDIENCE] do. | Would you send this cold email? Most freelancers do. |

### B7 · Before / after

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 69 | [TASK] used to take me [OLD]. Now it takes [NEW]. | Mondays used to be 3 hours of slides. Now: 3 minutes. |
| 70 | Left: [OLD]. Right: [NEW]. Same [INPUT]. | Left: my prompt. Right: same prompt, one line added. |
| 71 | This is my [ASSET] before. This is after [ACTION]. | This is my landing page before. This is after one prompt. |
| 72 | [PROBLEM]. Fixed in [TIME]. | Messy client notes. Fixed in 40 seconds. |

### B8 · Hidden cause & myth

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 73 | The real reason [PROBLEM] isn't [OBVIOUS CAUSE]. | The real reason your reels flop isn't the edit. |
| 74 | "[COMMON BELIEF]." Mostly wrong. Watch. | "Longer prompts get better answers." Mostly wrong. Watch. |
| 75 | This is why your [ASSET] gets [A] but no [B]. | This is why your reels get views but no follows. |
| 76 | [OLD WAY] was built for [OLD WORLD]. You're [NEW REALITY]. | Content calendars were built for agencies. You're one person. |
| 77 | [GROUP] makes money when you think [BELIEF]. | Course sellers make money when you think AI is hard. |

### B9 · Self-test

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 78 | Try this: [QUICK TEST]. If [RESULT], you have [PROBLEM]. | Read your hook out loud. Over 4 seconds? Rewrite it. |
| 79 | If you've ever [RELATABLE FAIL], keep watching. | If you've ever ghosted your own content calendar, keep watching. |
| 80 | Count your [THINGS]. More than [NUMBER]? This is for you. | Count your AI subscriptions. More than three? This is for you. |

---

## Stage C · Solution-aware (they want the result, don't know your way exists)

**Where the hook starts:** from the *desire*, plus "there's a way" — and as fast as possible, a hint of *how* (the mechanism).

### C1 · There's a way / measured speed

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 81 | There's a way to [RESULT] in [TIME]. | There's a way to turn any link into slides in 30 seconds. |
| 82 | This turns [INPUT] into [OUTPUT] in [TIME]. | This turns a 40-minute call into a proposal in 2 minutes. |
| 83 | [RESULT] in [NUMBER] clicks. No [OBSTACLE]. | A full brand kit in 3 clicks. No designer. |
| 84 | [NUMBER] minutes. That's how long [TASK] takes now. | Four minutes. That's how long my weekly newsletter takes now. |

### C2 · Remove a limit / ease

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 85 | [RESULT] — without [HATED REQUIREMENT]. | Edit videos with AI — without learning a single editing app. |
| 86 | How to [RESULT] even if you [LIMITATION]. | How to build an app even if you've never written code. |
| 87 | If you can [EASY THING], you can [RESULT]. | If you can paste a link, you can build this. |
| 88 | One prompt. [RESULT]. | One prompt. A month of LinkedIn posts in your voice. |
| 89 | Want [RESULT] without [COST]? | Want a site that converts without paying an agency? |
| 90 | Turn [COMMON INPUT] into [VALUABLE OUTPUT]. | Turn your voice notes into finished blog posts. |

### C3 · Mechanism (the "how" — your best weapon in a crowded niche)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 91 | I built [SYSTEM] that [JOB] while I [OTHER]. | I built an AI that reads 2,000 AI sources while I sleep. |
| 92 | The [NAMED METHOD]: [RESULT] in [NUMBER] steps. | The 3-tab method: research any market in 10 minutes. |
| 93 | Here's the system behind [RESULT]. | Here's the system behind 30 videos a month, as one person. |
| 94 | [RESULT] = [A] + [B] + [C]. That's it. | A viral script = one desire + one proof + one ask. |
| 95 | I automated [TASK]. It runs every [PERIOD] without me. | I automated my client reports. They send every Friday without me. |

### C4 · How I / steal my

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 96 | How I [RESULT] in [SMALL INPUT]. | How I write a week of scripts in one 45-minute session. |
| 97 | The exact [ASSET] I use to [RESULT]. | The exact prompt I use to turn comments into video ideas. |
| 98 | Steal my [ASSET] for [RESULT]. | Steal my 4-line prompt for cold emails that get replies. |
| 99 | Copy this [ASSET]. Change [ONE THING]. Post it. | Copy this script template. Change the tool. Post it. |
| 100 | [RESULT]. Here's what I did differently. | 47 replies from 100 cold emails. Here's what changed. |

### C5 · Shortcut / tutorial

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | The lazy way to [RESULT]. | The lazy way to turn one video into ten posts. |
| 102 | Skip [PAINFUL STEP]. Do this instead. | Skip the content calendar. Do this every Sunday instead. |
| 103 | [RESULT] in [TIME]. Follow along. | A working landing page in 15 minutes. Follow along. |
| 104 | Watch me [RESULT] before this video ends. | Watch me build a client portal before this video ends. |
| 105 | This replaced my [EXPENSIVE THING]. | This free tool replaced my $200-a-month editor. |

### C6 · Borrowed authority, levels & ranges (strongest families in the breakout data)

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 106 | How [EXPERT ROLE] [DO RESULT] (just copy this). | How senior engineers review AI code (just copy this). |
| 107 | A [YEARS]-year [EXPERT]'s [PROCESS] in [TIME]. | A 20-year copywriter's hook process in 30 seconds. |
| 108 | [GROUP] [RESULT] with one move you can copy. | Agencies write 50 ad variations with one move you can copy. |
| 109 | [SKILL]: level 1 vs level 10. | Prompting: level 1 vs level 10. |
| 110 | [NUMBER] ways to [RESULT], from easy to almost impossible. | 7 ways to use AI agents, from easy to almost impossible. |
| 111 | [BIG NUMBER] hours of [SKILL] in [SMALL NUMBER] seconds. | 200 hours of testing AI editors in 40 seconds. |
| 112 | Bet you can't tell which [ONE] is [AI/REAL]. | Bet you can't tell which of these two decks AI made. |

### C7 · Proof-first

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 113 | This [SHORT ASSET] got [RESULT]. Here's the structure. | This 27-second video got 1,200 comments. Here's the structure. |
| 114 | [SPECIFIC RESULT] from [SMALL INPUT]. Here's how. | 9 booked calls from one carousel. Here's how. |
| 115 | Use this [FORMAT] and you'll never [PAIN] again. | Use this 5-line structure. Never face a blank script again. |

---

## Stage D · Product-aware (they know the tool or category, not convinced)

**Where the hook starts:** from the *difference* — superiority, comparison, a test, a verdict. Here, and only here (or when the tool *is* today's news), the tool name can go first.

### D1 · Superiority & comparison

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 116 | Everyone uses [TOOL A] for [TASK]. [TOOL B] does it [BETTER WAY]. | Everyone uses ChatGPT for this. Claude does it with your files open. |
| 117 | [A] vs [B] for [TASK]. One clear winner. | ChatGPT vs Claude for client proposals. One clear winner. |
| 118 | It does what a [PRICE]/month tool does. For free. | It does what a $30/month tool does. For free. |
| 119 | [A] or [B]: which should you use in [YEAR]? | ChatGPT or Claude: which should you use in 2026? |
| 120 | Same prompt, [NUMBER] models. Look at number [N]. | Same prompt, four models. Look at number three. |
| 121 | [TOOL] vs me doing it by hand. Timed. | AI vs me writing 10 captions by hand. Timed. |

### D2 · I tested it

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 122 | I tested [NUMBER] [TOOLS] for [TASK]. Only [N] survived. | I tested 23 AI note-takers. Only 2 survived. |
| 123 | I spent [TIME] with [TOOL]. Honest verdict. | I spent 30 days with Cursor. Honest verdict. |
| 124 | I gave [NUMBER] [TOOLS] the same [TASK]. | I gave three AI models the same messy spreadsheet. |
| 125 | Shipped or skipped: [TOOL] after [NUMBER] tests. | Shipped or skipped: this new AI browser after 10 tasks. |
| 126 | Is [TOOL/PLAN] worth [PRICE]? I paid so you don't have to. | Is the $20 AI plan worth it? I paid for six. |

### D3 · Hidden feature / better use

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 127 | You use [TOOL]. You're not using [FEATURE]. | You use Claude. You're not using Projects. |
| 128 | [NUMBER] [TOOL] settings I change before anything else. | 3 ChatGPT settings I change before anything else. |
| 129 | [TOOL] for [UNEXPECTED USE]. Almost nobody does this. | Claude for prepping sales calls. Almost nobody does this. |
| 130 | [TOOL A] + [TOOL B] is the [ROLE] you can't afford to hire. | Claude + a spreadsheet is the analyst you can't afford to hire. |

### D4 · Honest verdict / switch

| # | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 131 | [TOOL] is overrated for [USE]. Great for [OTHER USE]. | Midjourney is overrated for logos. Great for moodboards. |
| 132 | Why I switched from [A] to [B] after [TIME]. | Why I switched from Notion to plain text after 4 years. |
| 133 | Don't upgrade to [PLAN] until you've tried this. | Don't upgrade to the $200 plan until you've tried this. |
| 134 | The free alternative to [PAID THING] nobody mentions. | The free alternative to paid transcription that runs offline. |
| 135 | I cancelled [NUMBER] subscriptions and replaced them with one. | I cancelled 5 subscriptions and replaced them with one. |
| 136 | [CATEGORY] isn't [BAD REP]. Your [INPUT] is. | AI writing isn't bland. Your prompt is. |
| 137 | Every [CATEGORY] tool, ranked for [AUDIENCE]. | Every AI video editor, ranked for solo creators. |
| 138 | [TOOL] just changed [THING]. Here's what it means for you. | Your AI tool just changed its pricing. Here's what it means. |
| 139 | [TOOL] isn't built for [JOB]. This is. | Your notes app isn't built for 200-page PDFs. This is. |
| 140 | If you use [CATEGORY], try this before your next [ASSET]. | If you edit in CapCut, try this before your next video. |

---

## Stage E · Most aware (followers, fans, warm viewers)

**Where the hook starts:** from the *offer* or the *series*. They know you. Be direct.

| # | Type | Template | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| 141 | Direct offer | Comment [KEYWORD] and I'll send you [ASSET]. | Comment VIRAL and I'll send you all 155 hooks. |
| 142 | Offer + reason | [ASSET] is free. Here's why — and how to get it. | My script system is free. Here's why, and how to get it. |
| 143 | Drop | Drop #[N]: [RESULT]. | Drop #014: the AI that writes SOPs from a screen recording. |
| 144 | Series | [SERIES], day [N]: [TODAY'S PROGRESS]. | Shipped in 48h, day 2: payments are live. |
| 145 | Exclusivity | My [SYSTEM] found this at [TIME]. You're seeing it first. | My radar found this at 3am. You're seeing it first. |
| 146 | Request | You asked for [THING]. Here it is. | You asked for the hook template. Here it is. |
| 147 | Reply to comment | Replying to "[COMMENT]": [SHORT ANSWER]. | Replying to "does this work for coaches?": yes. Watch. |
| 148 | Behind the scenes | Here's what [RESULT] looks like behind the scenes. | Here's what my paying merchants see behind the scenes. |
| 149 | Milestone | [NUMBER] of you [DID ACTION]. Here's what I learned. | 800 of you commented SHIP. Here's what you asked most. |
| 150 | Teaser | Tomorrow: [NEXT PROMISE]. Today: [THIS PROMISE]. | Tomorrow: the tool that replaced my editor. Today: the setup. |
| 151 | Experiment update | Update on [EXPERIMENT]: [PROGRESS]. | Update on my AI-only content month: week 3 numbers. |
| 152 | Missing piece | If you saw [PREVIOUS VIDEO], this is the missing piece. | If you saw yesterday's video, this is the missing piece. |
| 153 | Participation | Drop your [THING] below and I'll [ACTION] tomorrow. | Drop your hook below. I'll score 10 of them tomorrow. |
| 154 | v2 | Last time [NUMBER] of you asked for [MORE]. Here's v2. | Last time 400 of you asked for more hooks. Here's v2. |
| 155 | Advanced | If you already [USE ASSET], here's the advanced version. | If you already use my prompts, here's the advanced version. |

---

## Quick picker: which type for which goal?

| You want… | Best stages | Best types |
|---|---|---|
| Reach strangers (growth) | A, B, C | Call-out, identity, observation, pain, before/after, mechanism |
| Comments (keyword) | B, C, E | Steal my, "there's a way", cost, direct offer |
| Follows | A, C | Identity, mechanism, series, teaser |
| Trust with skeptics | D | I tested it, honest verdict, confession |
| A crowded topic ("5 AI tools…") | C, A | Mechanism, identity, borrowed authority, ranges |

## The 5 rules every hook here follows

1. **≤12 words.** 75 of the 77 breakout titles in our data were 12 words or fewer (see `BREAKOUT_PATTERNS_77.md`).
2. **One thought.** If you need "and" twice, it's two hooks.
3. **Start from their desire or problem**, not your tool or your name (unless the tool *is* the news).
4. **A specific number or picture** beats any adjective.
5. **Open a gap, don't close it.** The answer comes after the hook, never inside it.

---
Made by Dan Shipped — @danshipped