#116: First Chapter Analysis: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Fiction Writing Made Easy

Savannah Gilbo

Education, Fiction, Writing Tips, Arts, Bestseller, Writing, How To, Author, Writing Community, Books, Novel, How To Write Fiction, Writing Fiction, Writer, How To Write A Book

4.9 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 14 November 2023

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“In every story, you want to have that internal change because, without internal change, there is no character change.” - Savannah Gilbo

In today’s episode, both Abigail K. Perry and I talk about the intriguing world of "Anxious People" by Frederick Backman. Buckle up, because this first chapter exploration is different from any other you've encountered before. Here’s a preview of what’s included:

[05:08] Chapter summary: an unnamed narrator describes a plot involving idiots, bad decisions, and a hostage drama. The narrator outlines key events and this summary stands out because it reveals what appears to be the story's conclusion, offering a unique approach.

[16:14] Macro analysis: the challenge of categorizing this book within a specific content genre due to its unique blend of elements and how labeling it solely as a crime story might not align with the reader's expectations.

[41:30] Micro analysis: highlighting the importance of identifying character motivations and understanding the events that propel the story forward, even in the absence of a traditional scene.

[47:37] Final thoughts: the concept of turning points within the narrative structure and dissecting the crucial moments that force characters into dilemmas.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey there, Savannah here. Before we get into today's episode, I wanted to share our next book
0:05.0	pick with you because I'm super excited to dig into this book and see how and why it works.
0:10.0	Our next meeting is coming up on November 16th at 4 p.m. Pacific, 7 p.m. Eastern, and we're going to be
0:16.0	digging into the fourth wing by Rebecca Yarrows.
0:19.1	Abigail and I are so excited to deconstruct this book and these meetings are always so much fun.
0:24.1	They're interactive so in addition to our presentation on why we think this story works
0:28.8	and why we think it resonates with readers, there are also polls and lots of opportunities to chat with other
0:34.4	writers and ask us questions and you know just participate in a group discussion
0:38.8	about a really awesome book. As always our aim is to analyze a novel and translate our learnings into
0:44.8	actionable tips, tools, and strategies that you can take and implement in your own
0:48.8	writing right away. So if you want to join us or if you want to learn more about how the book club works, go to
0:54.4	Savannah Gilboe.com forward slash book.
0:57.7	One more time, that's Savannah Gilboe.com forward slash book
1:01.1	dash club. Hope to see you there.
1:03.0	So I say that this is a little different than a lot of first chapters that we've seen before
1:08.2	because what this does is basically tells you what you think is the conclusion of the story.
1:15.0	Right? We don't know that we don't know the details but in a nutshell this is saying
1:20.2	hey this is exactly what this book is about. This is how the book starts. This is how the book ends.
1:29.5	Welcome to the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast. My name is Savannah Gilboe and I'm here to help you
1:34.6	write a story that works. I want to prove to you that writing a novel doesn't have to be
1:38.9	overwhelming. So each week I'll bring you a brand new episode with simple, actionable, and step-by-step strategies
1:45.6	that you can implement in your writing right away. So whether you're brand new to writing or more of a seasoned
	...

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