Find the sentence that should actually open the piece
The best opening line is often buried in paragraph three, written after the throat-clearing that got you into the piece.
- Use it for
- Anyone with a draft whose opening feels flat, unsure if the real hook is somewhere else in the piece already.
A draft's opening often reads flat because it's throat-clearing — setup written to get the writer into the piece, not the strongest entry point for a reader. The actual hook is frequently already written, just buried a paragraph or two in, once the writer reaches the part they were actually excited to say. This prompt looks through the draft for that buried sentence instead of trying to punch up the existing opening.
When not to use this
If the current opening already tests well or you're confident it's right, this search isn't necessary — trust it.
Did this work?
You have a specific candidate sentence from within the piece identified as a stronger opening, or a clear confirmation the current opening is already the right one.
Tested on claude-opus-5. Evidence status is draft; it moves to battle-tested only on recorded runs, never by hand.