Why ‘Writing the Breakout Novel’ is an Excellent Craft Book for Writers
One of the best craft books I’ve ever come across for writers is Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass. Here’s why.
What It’s All About
Writing the Breakout Novel is a craft book written by a famous literary agent that discusses the strategies necessary for a writer to create a successful breakout novel. The book is split into eleven chapters, which include Premise, Stakes, Time and Place, Plot, and Theme.
The book begins with an introduction that discusses what makes a novel great and also the mistakes authors make that Maass has seen during the decades he’s spent as a literary agent. Then the book goes into the main topics, exploring in detail what every author should deem important — like plot, setting, and theme — and also some that authors may not deem immediately important — like multiple POVs, subplots, and tension.
Maass includes examples from many classic and contemporary novels that help illustrate his many points, and he also ends each chapter with a checklist that covers the most important points he previously discussed. The final chapter of the book discusses his suggestions for how to break into the publishing industry, through pitching…
