“How many scenes are in the Diagon Alley chapter of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone?” Believe it or not, this is one of the most frequently asked questions I get from writers when they hear I’ve written a book breaking apart this mega best seller scene by scene.

And it’s a valid question! This chapter was the hardest chapter for us to analyze when putting together The Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

But this week, Abigail K. Perry and I have an answer for you! Tune into this week’s episode to hear us take a deep dive into the structure of Chapter 5, “Diagon Alley,”—including how many scenes we see in this chapter.

In the episode, you’ll hear us talk about things like:

• [04:21] How to analyze your scenes from three different perspectives—the reader’s perspective, the character’s perspective, and the author’s perspective
• [11:33] A quick trick for determining if your scenes work (and how to identify which areas of your scenes need work once you’ve written them)
• [20:12] Why we chose to analyze this chapter as one 6,500-word-long scene versus a bunch of smaller scenes (and how the structure of this scene works)
• [23:12] The purpose of the smaller moments within the scene that are arguably significant (and move the scene) forward but aren’t technically “scenes”
• [41:14] Our final thoughts on writing a scene like Diagon Alley

If you like this episode, you’ll LOVE my book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: A Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide. Click here to pre-order a copy and get access to a collection of bonuses in addition to a copy of the book.

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Links mentioned in this episode:

• Pre-order my new book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: A Story Grid Masterwork Analysis Guide, and get a handful of special bonuses!
• Watch the video interview on Story Grid’s YouTube channel

Ready to make 2026 the year you finally finish your novel? Notes to Novel is my signature program that walks you through brainstorming, outlining, and writing a first draft that works—so you always know what to do next. Click here to get on the waitlist →

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