Episodes are coming soon.
About Chapter One, a storytelling podcast about first times
Chapter One is a conversation show about the moments when someone was a beginner. Guests read their own writing, tell us what happened next, and pick three songs that capture that time.
A first time can be a first gym visit, a first week at a new job, a first year of teaching, a first run or race, learning a new skill, or coming out to a friend or family member.
How an episode works
Every episode follows the same six steps.
- 01
Cold open
The guest writes and reads a short scene from page one of their story. It runs 150–250 words, is written in the present tense, starts in the moment and ends mid-step.
- 02
The why
Why they started.
- 03
The chapter
What happened, what scared them, what they got wrong.
- 04
Supporting cast
Who showed up along the way.
- 05
The soundtrack
Three songs the guest picks to capture that time.
- 06
Closing questions
"What would you tell the person you were on page one?" and "What's Chapter Two?"
After each episode, the guest's cold open is published with their playlist.
Season themes
Chapter One is organised around five themes.
- Body and Movement
- Work and Calling
- Identity and Coming Out
- Skills and Curiosity
- Life Firsts
Hear what a cold open sounds like
No episodes are out yet, so we've written three samples to show the format. Each has a fictional narrator, not a real guest. One of them, "The Back Corner", is recorded.