EPISODE · Sep 15, 2026 · 22 MIN
#263. How Emily Henry Hooks Readers in Chapter One of Book Lovers
from Fiction Writing Made Easy with Savannah Gilbo | How to Write a Novel & Writing Advice · host Savannah Gilbo
Your first chapter needs to hook the reader—but that doesn’t mean you need a huge plot twist, dramatic action, or a flashy meet-cute on page one. The first chapter of Emily Henry’s Book Lovers is mostly two sisters walking through New York and talking. There’s plenty of banter, interiority, description, and backstory—but the big plot development doesn’t arrive until fairly late in the chapter. So how does Emily Henry make an opening chapter like this feel so engaging and full of momentum—and what can writers learn from the scene structure underneath it? That’s what we’re going to look at in this episode. In the episode, you’ll hear us talk about things like: [05:05] How many scenes actually exist within this first chapter (the answer might surprise you!)—and what the structure looks like once we break it down [06:55] How EmHen wrote an engaging opening chapter where two sisters are walking and talking (and why this is such a great example of a ‘quiet’ scene goal that still generates forward momentum) [08:10] What makes the protagonist’s sister, Libby, the scene antagonist—even though she isn’t a “bad” character and has good intentions [09:50] How the conflict escalates on both an external and emotional level (plus, how the stakes work in a quieter, more relational scene like this one) [16:55] How this opening gives us a sense of who Nora is, what her life looks like now, and where the larger story is headed without info dumping or boring readers with too much backstory Whether you’re writing romance or another genre, tune in for a look at how this bestselling author keeps readers engaged while doing all the important setup work a first chapter needs to do. 🔗 Links mentioned in this episode: FREE GUIDE: How to Write Scenes That Work 3 Reasons You Should Write in Scenes vs. Chapters Scene Structure Made Easy: The 5 Elements Every Scene Needs Book Lovers by Emily Henry ⭐ Follow & Review If you loved this episode, please take a moment to follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts! Your review will help other writers find this podcast and get the insights they need to finish their books. Thanks for tuning in to The Fiction Writing Made Easy Podcast! See you next week! 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
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Your first chapter needs to hook the reader—but that doesn’t mean you need a huge plot twist, dramatic action, or a flashy meet-cute on page one. The first chapter of Emily Henry’s Book Lovers is mostly two sisters walking through New York and talking. There’s plenty of banter, interiority, description, and backstory—but the big plot development doesn’t arrive until fairly late in the chapter. So how does Emily Henry make an opening chapter like this feel so engaging and full of momentum—and ...
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#263. How Emily Henry Hooks Readers in Chapter One of Book Lovers
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