Fiction Writing Made Easy

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

Feb 18, 2025

In this discussion, developmental editor Abigail K. Perry brings her fresh perspective as she analyzes the compelling opening chapter of 'House of Earth and Blood' by Sarah J. Maas. They explore how the chapter hooks readers, the balance of world-building and character dynamics, and why the opening needs both action and intrigue. Abigail shares insights on writing for a target audience and the challenges of steep narrative learning curves, making this an engaging listen for anyone interested in crafting captivating fantasy tales.

55:18

Creator website

Episode guests

Abigail Perry

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The opening chapter of 'House of Earth and Blood' effectively hooks readers by immersing them in a complex magical world without extensive exposition.

Bryce and Danica's relationship serves as the emotional core of the story, establishing tension through external threats that influence their choices and dynamics.

The dialogue in the first chapter foreshadows future conflicts and deep themes of friendship and sacrifice, enhancing reader investment in the characters.

Deep dives

Natives of Their World

The main characters, Danica and Bryce, are natives to their magical world, which significantly influences their experiences. Unlike protagonists like Harry Potter, who must learn about their surroundings as outsiders, Bryce's life is already deeply embedded in the intricacies of this realm. This familiarity allows the story to dive straight into the action without needing extensive exposition, presenting a steep learning curve for first-time readers. Thus, the audience is expected to immerse themselves in the existing complexities without a gradual introduction.

Intro

3min

Unraveling Tensions in Crescent City: A First Chapter Exploration

2min

Exploring World Building and Reader Expectations

2min

Exploring Fantasy's Dual Nature

19min

Crafting a Compelling Fantasy World

4min

Navigating World-Building in Fantasy Series

3min

Confronting Rising Stakes

18min

Understanding Reader Learning Curves in Fantasy Writing

3min

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.

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