Ep. 50 POP1 Pick: The Roundhouse

from Page One Podcast · host Holly Lynn Payne, Nina Schuyler

Page One, produced and hosted by author Holly Lynn Payne, celebrates the craft that goes into writing the first sentence, first paragraph and first page of your favorite books. The first page is often the most rewritten page of any book because it has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. We interview master storytellers on the struggles and stories behind the first page of their books.About the host:Holly Lynn Payne is an award-winning novelist and writing coach, and the former CEO and founder of Booxby, a startup built to help authors succeed. She is an internationally published author of four historical fiction novels. Her debut, The Virgin's Knot, was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers book. As an author and writing coach, she knows that the first page of any book has to work so hard to do so much—hook the reader. So she thought to ask your favorite master storytellers how they do their magic to hook you. Holly lives in Marin County with her family and two Labrador retrievers, and enjoys mountain biking, hiking, swimming and pretending to surf. To learn more about her books and writing coaching services, please follow her on IG + X @hollylynnpayne or visit hollylynnpayne.com.Tune in and reach out:If you're an aspiring writer or a book lover, this episode of Page One offers a treasure trove of inspiration and practical advice. I offer these conversations as a testament to the magic that happens when master storytellers share their secrets and experiences. We hope you are inspired to tune into the full episode for more insights. Keep writing, keep reading, and remember—the world needs your stories. If I can help you tell your own story, or help improve your first page, please reach out @hollylynnpayne or visit hollylynnpayne.com.You can listen to Page One on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher and all your favorite podcast players. Hear past episodes. If you're interested in getting writing tips and the latest podcast episode updates with the world's beloved master storytellers, please sign up for my new Substack newsletter, Power of Page One. You can also learn more about me at hollylynnpayne.com and follow me @hollylynnpayne on Instagram, Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook. Your email address is always private and you can always unsubscribe anytime! The Page One Podcast is created on a houseboat in Sausalito, California and is a labor of love in service to writers and book lovers. My intention is to inspire, educate and celebrate. Be well and keep reading, and please join us at POP1, The Power of Page One. Thank you for being a part of my creative community on Substack! In service,Holly Thank you for listening to the Page One Podcast!  I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as I loved hosting, producing, and editing it. If you liked it too, here are three ways to share the love:Please share it on social and tag @hollylynnpayne.Leave a review on your favorite podcast players. Tell your friends. Please keep in touch by signing up to receive my Substack newsletter   with the latest episodes each month. Delivered to your inbox with a smile. You can contact me at @hollylynnpayne on IG or send me a message on my website, hollylynnpayne.com.For the love of books and writers,Holly Lynn Payne@hollylynnpaynehost, author, writing coachwww.hollylynnpayne.com

What this episode covers

In this special episode 50 of the Page One Podcast—a POP1 (Power of Page One) pick of the month, host Holly Payne and guest Nina Schuyler analyze the first page of Louise Erdrich's novel, The Roundhouse, winner of the National Book Award. The discussion explores the intricate details in the opening passage, such as the symbolic imagery, the interplay of strength and vulnerability, and the subtle yet powerful language used by Erdrich. Payne and Schuyler delve into the foreshadowing elements and the emotional layers of the narrative, highlighting how Erdrich’s choice to open with, at first glance, a mundane activity of removing small trees from a house's foundation sets the stage for a complex story of justice, identity, and resilience. The analysis also touches on point of view, voice, and enchanting the reader by bringing more of the protagonist's inner world to the forefront on page one. If you’d like to learn more, subscribe to Holly’s free Substack, Power of Page One, a mini-masterclass on how to make your first page "hookable" and find Nina Schuyler on Substack at Stunning Sentences. Tune in each month as they dive deeper with a page one analysis of some of their favorite books. If you’re interested in joining a growing community of writers and book lovers, be sure fo find us on Substack at Power of Page One and Stunning Sentences.

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Ep. 50 POP1 Pick: The Roundhouse

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This episode is 35 minutes long.

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This episode was published on May 3, 2025.

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