Review: Writing the Breakout Novel, by Donald Maass
Author: Susan Peck
Original Publication Date in Love Notes: July 2002

Have you ever wondered why some authors skyrocket to the bestseller lists while others hover in the midlist indefinitely, or worse, fade into oblivion? If you're a committed writer, this question has probably crossed your mind, especially in regard to your own publishing career. The answer can't be as simple as writing ability, because we all know of beautifully written books that are languishing on the shelves while other less polished novels fly out the door. What makes some novels generate the kind of word of mouth publicity that boosts sales? What qualities land some novels on our keeper shelves?

In Writing The Breakout Novel, top literary agent Donald Maass examines these qualities and provides suggestions that writers at every stage can use to take their fiction to the next level, whether that be publication or bestseller. Maass has run his own literary agency for more than 20 years and has negotiated contracts with six and seven figure advances from major publishing houses for his authors as well as penning 14 novels of his own. This multifaceted experience puts him in a good position to understand what works, and what doesn't, in the world of fiction.

Writing The Breakout Novel doesn't provide a simple formula for writing the next blockbuster; rather, Maass carefully examines each element of fiction writing and distills those techniques that are developed to a higher level in books that stand out from the crowd.

The book is divided into chapters covering topics such as premise, public and personal stakes, setting and characters. Each and every one of these areas can be manipulated by a skilled writer to layer her story with richness and complexity, in turn drawing the reader further into the fictional world. Maass emphasizes making each of these aspects bigger, wider, deeper, more compelling, and provides many detailed examples from popular books, both genre and literary, to illustrate each point. Concepts that start out mysterious become concrete.

Several chapters are dedicated to plot-related issues, starting with fundamentals like conflict and covering more specific subjects such as character self discovery, narrative pace and multiple points of view. A separate chapter discusses less traditional and advanced story structures, such as generational novels, or linked short stories, that can give the right book a unique angle.

Writing The Breakout Novel is one for the reference book keeper shelf. Maass has a down-to-earth writing style that makes his guidance easy to understand and easy to apply. Writers at all stages of their careers can read and reread this book and take something useful away each time. It will help you fine tune and rev up your storytelling technique, and in turn boost readership and sales, because fundamentally it is excellence in storytelling that propels the breakout novel.

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