#181. First Chapter Analysis: House Of Earth And Blood by Sarah J. Maas

Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

Romantasy and Fantasy authors! Tune in to learn how the opening pages of House of Earth and Blood hooks readers and pulls them into the rest of the story.

Join me and Abigail K. Perry for a deep dive into the opening chapter of the first Crescent City book, House of Earth and Blood, to find out how and why it works.

We analyze this first chapter from both a macro and micro perspective to see what kind of promise it makes to the reader, how the author introduces us to the story world, and to figure out why we care so much about these fictional characters.

In the episode, you’ll hear us talk about:

• [03:08] A quick summary of the first chapter of House of Earth and Blood, including our thoughts on why the author started the story here
• [05:05] A big-picture analysis of the first chapter to see what kind of promise it makes to the reader (this part’s really fun because Abigail has NOT read the books, so tune in and hear what she picked up on!)
• [25:50] What it means to write a story with a steep learning curve—and why understanding your target audience makes a big difference when it comes to creating a fictional world for your story
• [38:50] A deep-dive into the scene structure within the opening chapter (spoiler alert: the scene continues into chapter two—tune in to hear how we landed here)
• [47:26] Why it’s so important to have “on the surface” excitement and action when planting clues and setting things up in your opening chapters

Whether you’re writing fantasy, romantasy, or any kind of story that requires world-building, this episode will change how you look at your opening chapter. Plus, you’ll get a fantastic peek at how Sarah J. Maas wrote another bestselling fantasy series (so you can do the same when writing your own novel).

🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Ep. 96 - 5 Worldbuilding Tips for Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writers
• Check out the LitMatch Podcast with Abigail Perry here! You can also get in touch with Abigail through her website or on Instagram @abigailkperry.

⭐ Rate + Review + Follow on Apple Podcasts

"I love the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast!" ← If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing this show! Your rating and review will help other writers find this podcast, and they're also super fun for me to read. Just click here, scroll all the way to the bottom, tap five stars to rate the show, and then select "Write a Review." Be sure to let me know your favorite episodes, too!

Also, if you haven't done so already, make sure you're following the podcast! I'll be adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed, and if you're not following the show, there's a good chance you'll miss them. Click here to follow now!

FREE QUIZ: Take this 30-second quiz to get a custom action plan that'll help you move from stuck writer to published author!

Support the show

👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Chapters

1. Analyzing House of Earth and Blood (00:00:00)

2. Unveiling the Story of Crescent City (00:10:48)

3. Building Character Connections in Fantasy (00:18:58)

4. Navigating Fantasy Story Learning Curves (00:30:02)

5. Exploring Stakes and Scene Structures (00:34:19)

6. Exploring Scene Structure and Conflict (00:42:20)

7. Developing Fantasy Story Learning Curves (00:49:07)

8. Enhancing Writing Skills With Podcast (00:55:11)