Writing the Breakout Novel

Apr 25, 2011

Patrick rated it

WARNING: The plot formulas exposed and lauded in this book can be toxic. May lead to dizziness, fits of cynicism, and paroxysms. Do not take this product if you harbor unrealistic expectations about what sort of books the American book-buying public actually consumes. Do not read if you are offended by the notion that trite, adolescent writing and conventional morality may be the most sellable commodity in today's literary marketplace. Do not take if you are allergic to any of the following:
...more

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Mar 25, 2008

Sean Patrick rated it

Recommends it for: NO ONE

These books are all the same: Trying to sell dreams between covers. It doesn't work. Here's what does work: Writing...writing a lot...writing every day two or three hours...having an original idea and working it harder than you've ever worked something before...believing in yourself and your idea...and accepting the fact that somtimes, no matter how much you want it, you won't get it.

There's no magic recipe for writing a great novel. Just do it. Make your characters interesting....more

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Jan 03, 2012

Jericho "Jack" Aleksandr Wootton rated it

I took a break from fiction to read this a second time - my first reading was almost ten years ago, and I was writing a different novel then. I felt it was time for a refresher, considering where I am in my current project (20k words into the first draft and still outlining).

Maas' title is corny. It's so corny that I might never have ordered it in the first place if I hadn't had a gift certificate for Writers' Digest books. It may sound like a hack's how-to book; but I assure you, i...more

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Dec 21, 2011

Cynthia Haggard rated it

Donald Maass’ WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL is a compendium of advice honed from Maass’ 30 plus years as an agent. This book is designed to help the novelist at any stage of her career write a breakout novel, by which Maass means a novel that gets onto the bestseller lists.

Even though this is a book written by a successful agent, it doesn’t feel like it. It feels like a book written for writers by a writer. Organized into eleven chapters, nine of those chapters are solid advice on craft. ...more

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Sep 04, 2011

Amy Eller Lewis rated it

I read based on Marissa Meyer's review, but was skeptical, as I am with most Books About Writing. But this is, without a doubt, one of the only writing books that gives actual *information* on writing a novel that is not obvious ("Novels are made of Scenes!"), condescending ("My advice to new writers? Don't do it.") or just so you-are-a-special-and-unique-snowflake that it turns me off. Donald Maass, a Publishing Veteran, does not think you are a special and unique snowflake....more

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Jan 14, 2011

Brian Kelley rated it

Shelves: pawlp-library

My professional development objective this year has been to improve my ability to teach our middle school creative writing class. While reading two YA novels on average per week has been my steady pace, I recently added resource and reference books to my book pile.

This week I read Donald Maass's Writing the Breakout Novel in an attempt to pull something for class. Read what the writer's read, right? I combed reading lists of various authors who I have met or established a co...moreMy professional development objective this year has been to improve my ability to teach our middle school creative writing class. While reading two YA novels on average per week has been my steady pace, I recently added resource and reference books to my book pile.

This week I read Donald Maass's Writing the Breakout Novel in an attempt to pull something for class. Read what the writer's read, right? I combed reading lists of various authors who I have met or established a correspondence with this year--many note which books have helped them.

Writing the Breakout Novel is written by the president of the Association of Authors' Representatives (AAR) and he is also president of his own literary agency in New York City, the Donald Maass Literary Agency. It is a very succinct tour some of commonly addressed topics by teachers (character, time and place, plot) and it also features some details you may not necessarily drive too deeply within with your creative writers: multiple viewpoints, advanced plot structures, and stakes. Quite honestly, each chapter should provide something worth exploring in a class of young writing students.

I like the fact that Maass presents each idea directly and then spends a lot of time (space and ink) supporting his observations with strong text choices and examples. I am always looking for fresh examples from literature which directly demonstrate a teaching point. You can find plenty of those here. Actually, most of this book is consumed by Maass showing you directly why x, y, and z work, where they work, and how they work.

I wouldn't say the book is unique. What I would say is that its strength rests in its clarity and use of extensive examples. What Maass presents as unique is his perspective--he isn't giving you the brooding writer's point of view or much of an artistic or craft centered spin on any given topic.

Weighing the pros and cons of this book, this is a solid supporting resource for a teacher if you are looking for an insider's opinion on what successful stories have in common and what they do well. Not quite formula driven...but pretty darn close. I wouldn't say that this would be a centerpiece of a creative writing teacher's arsenal, but like I said earlier it is a good compliment to your other resources as you build your lessons or self-reflect on what may be missing or in need of change.(less)

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Oct 16, 2010

Jacqui rated it

Shelves: writing

I have a library of books on how to write, each supposed to rocket me to the next level, morph me from mid-list writer to best-seller. Each of them provided some tidbit that is now integral to my writing style, something I remember and use every time I sit down at my computer and unleash my muse.

Well if I'm honest, some of them were a waste of money. Those, I tossed so they don't remind me how I wasted my hard-earned money.

But Writing the Breakout Novel is one I keep as a ref...moreI have a library of books on how to write, each supposed to rocket me to the next level, morph me from mid-list writer to best-seller. Each of them provided some tidbit that is now integral to my writing style, something I remember and use every time I sit down at my computer and unleash my muse.

Well if I'm honest, some of them were a waste of money. Those, I tossed so they don't remind me how I wasted my hard-earned money.

But Writing the Breakout Novel is one I keep as a reference. Donald Maas' voice is one I enjoy. It's down-to-earth, friendly, not pedantic, not judgmental. He doesn't frighten me or make me feel the information he's sharing is something I won't be able to achieve. He's humble about what he's achieved, which makes me feel I too can conquer those mountaintops. Here are some of the high points:

* He includes critical aspects of good fiction--premise, time and place, plot, characters, plot techniques, viewpoints, pacing, voice, endings. In fact, he has most of what causes problems for writers.
* Each chapter includes a checklist, reminding me what I should have learned from that section. Since this is not casual reading for me--I read these types of books to improve my craft--I like this. For example, the chapter on 'Premise' includes this checklist:
o A breakout premise can be built
o Plausibility means that the story could happen to any of us
o Inherent conflict means problems in your 'place'.
* Where most writer's how-to books warn that the preponderance of novels are never published--plead with us not to get our hopes up--Maas has the guts to say, "If you have indeed written your breakout novel, chances are some people along the road to publication are going to think so, too. Big things are going to happen." Wow. Now I'm excited about my prospects. Sure, I heard his disclaimer--if I have indeed written that magnificent novel--but Maas assumes if I've taken his advice to heart, I will write a great novel, and proceeds to explain what the next steps are. He includes Breakout Publishing, Breakout Living, Success, Sequels, Series and Beyond. OMG. I might hyperventilate.

The only thing I found wrong in this book was on page 31 when Maas confidently puts in stone words that are probably haunting him as you read my review, "The e-revolution may not save us; indeed, it may not happen." It's happened and woe the writer or publisher or agent who sticks his finger in that dike.(less)

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Mar 30, 2010

Kari Wolfe rated it

http://www.imperfectclarity.net/?p=704

I’m still a few pages from being done with Donald Maass’s Writing the Breakout Novel and WOW.

For YEARS, I have been looking for what I consider the “perfect” writing book. And every time I go to a bookstore, I find yet another book on writing (or some aspect) I find to be utterly indispensible. I must have them.

I’m not going to talk about how many writing books I have. Let’s just say… A few.

However, there are...more

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Aug 17, 2009

Michael rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, on-writing, 2000s

This book, unlike a lot of books about writing out there, addresses how to write books that are sellable. As such, it has some good advice about how to start with a strong premise, how to make sure your book "says" what you wanted it to, and some other stuff. But, it has some advice that I took with a grain of salt. Most of this stemmed from the fact that my end goal isn't to sell books as much as it's to satisfy my inner muse. So, his suggestion to write books that would all go on...more

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Jun 17, 2011

Londonmabel Mabel rated it

Shelves: non-fiction, lit-writing, 3library

I have mixed feelings about this one. The classic advice we give to students writing papers is "say what you're going to say, say it, summarize what you just said." Maass isn't very good at the first part. He's not good at introducing his chapters--giving a clear idea of what the chapter's about, and what he's about to cover. So I'd start taking notes about one thing, and suddenly find we were on a different topic.

Here's what one amazon reviewer wrote re. Maass' fourth book...moreI have mixed feelings about this one. The classic advice we give to students writing papers is "say what you're going to say, say it, summarize what you just said." Maass isn't very good at the first part. He's not good at introducing his chapters--giving a clear idea of what the chapter's about, and what he's about to cover. So I'd start taking notes about one thing, and suddenly find we were on a different topic.

Here's what one amazon reviewer wrote re. Maass' fourth book: "I found myself lost several times while reading. We'd have a catchy chapter title, a great intro, then we'd deviate into a subheading that seemed to have very little to do with the chapter. After several pages, I'd stop and frown. What were we talking about again? Not great for a reference book, as this is supposed to be." That's exactly what I'm talking about.

Also, like most writing books, he has moments where I think he's just off. My library edition's from 2001 and his predictions about ebooks are sadly arrogant and mistaken. His argument for why sci fi writers don't get recognition versus literary authors who use sci fi ideas, is completely undercut by the authors he either ignores or is unaware of like Connie Willis, Sharon Shinn and Ursula LeGuin. And sometimes I think he misuses a book (Eg The Beans of Egypt) to prop up an argument.

But Maass is one of the TOP TOP agents in the industry, which is why I chose the book, so of course there's good stuff here. First, he has a lot of "tough talk" for authors who are in the middle of their careers and losing steam. I can't judge whether the advice is good, but it's rare to find a book aimed at that audience, so c'est très cool. He's really concerned with trying to help someone who's out of a contract, not getting picked up, and doesn't know why.

And then the best advice in the book, for any author, is the stuff that revolves around stakes and tension. Those were the times I found myself taking the most notes, hearing advice I haven't read elsewhere, nodding and really thinking. A lot of his advice is geared towards filling every page, every scene with tension, raising the stakes, propelling the story along, not through tricks (like cliffhangers) but through character, plotting, theme--everything, every element of novel building. He sort of takes all the elements of craft and brings them back to building tension. And he uses examples both from literature and genre, so he's not just talking about writing the next Dan Brown novel. This could also be tension in a Margaret Atwood. (Possibly Maass' whole book could have been reorganized around the concept of tension and stakes, and then maybe it would have worked better. Because that's where his mind kept ending up, 9 times out of 10.)

He also never cuts off avenues of experimentation--he's pretty good about no "no-nos." He'll warn writers away from more difficult techniques, but usually follows it up with an examples of a writer who's done that technique well. "Using X is usually terrible and boring and stops your story cold. ...However so-n-so did it beautifully! Here's why it worked..." At this point I am so sick of how-to books that give hard and fast rules, that I loved Maass' approach. Warnings, but not rules. :-)

If that's the kind of information you're interested in, then I recommend him, though you might want to take a look at his other books (see below.) If you're looking for help in other areas--character, plotting, style--I'd look elsewhere.

http://www.maassagency.com/books.html (less)

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Jun 30, 2011

Brent Weeks rated it

Don is my agent, so let's get that out of the way. However, I heard him speak, and I read this book before I ever signed on with him. One of his questions made me rewrite a book I thought was finished. I'd spent more than a year of my life on that book, and his questions made me spend another nine months at it. That book, The Way of Shadows, hit the New York Times bestseller list. (Low, but #29 is something a lot of writers would kill to hit.) And that's the genius of this book--not that it'll m...more

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Jan 16, 2012

Margit rated it

Recommends it for: Aspiring novelists

Shelves: writing

I finished reading "Writing the Breakout Novel" by Donald Maass today and got started on the exercises in the accompanying workbook. They really get you to think hard about developing depth in your characters. I had already done character sketches for my 6 main characters, but the first two exercises are getting me to dig even deeper, developing my two main characters further.

In one of the exercises, Maass has you think about four main characteristics of your protagonist, the...more

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Oct 25, 2011

Maria Ramos rated it

I put off reading this for a long time because I thought it would be about formulas. It wasn't. The ideas aren't exactly new--I have read almost all of them somewhere else. however, the book is very clearly written and got me motivated to make sure that there is tension on every page of my writing. It helped me think clearly about my own plot and what would appeal to readers. I also liked his perspective. Since he's an agent, it was from the perspective of being tired of having the same ol...more

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Aug 23, 2011

Alisdair rated it

I have just finshed the last page of Writing the Breakout Novel, and I have never been so excited to revise a manuscript as I am right now.

Like many writers and aspiring writers, I have dozens of books on the art and craft of writing. This one now takes pride of place in my collection. It is a big-picture take on writing, but it I found it valuable to step back for a moment and consider the plot elements I've used in the broader context of fiction that has captured the imagination o...more

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May 15, 2009

Jean Tatro rated it

Shelves: writing

An excellent book for someone who already has the basics, and perhaps a few finished manuscripts, under their belt. No Plot No Problem : A Low-Stress High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days and Stephen King's On Writing are better books for someone just starting out, but I'd recommend this book for someone who has written a book or two or is in the early stages of getting published.

It reads quickly and is written in a style that held my interest where I skimmed in other boo...more

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Mar 06, 2009

Catherine rated it

Donald Maass is brilliant, and in my wildest dreams he will be my agent. This book is unlike any other Writer's Digest book I've ever read in that it does not tell you how to write, but how to tell a story that will resonate with readers. Despite some of the reviews on here, it is NOT a "how to" book on how to write a formula novel. It is concise, practical advice from someone who has done his research and obviously cares very deeply for writers and for the art of storytelling. This bo...more

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Jun 25, 2009

Chrissy Wissler rated it

The only reason I didn't give this book five stars was because I sometimes had to dig for the advice on taking my fiction to the next level. In other words, how to apply these ideas to my story. Sometimes the right questions I needed to ask myself were hard to find; I had to dig a little, reread passages until I found what I was looking for. It's not always like this. In fact Maass does have some interesting exercises every writer should try in the 'Theme' chapter, but I really had to focus on t...more

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Jul 23, 2011

Suzanne rated it

Shelves: read-in-2011

Some of the information about publishing feels dated now (particularly with regard to e-books and cross-genre fiction), but overall, I think this book is a great resource for diagnosing (and fixing) boring premises, flat characters, weak plotlines, and low emotional tension in a manuscript. Maass shares some of the most common pitfalls and poses questions to ask yourself as you examine each of these elements in your own work.

Certainly there is no magic formula for producing a breako...more

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Oct 29, 2011

Jud rated it

Shelves: non-fiction

I didn't enjoy this book much. It was offputting more than anything. When reading some of his advice I thought of numerous books which used these methods and found them all so cliched. I imagine a lot of books that have won the Booker prize etc, don't follow them at all. Also, I found the examples of writing he used rather tedious. They were all, I think, examples from Amercian authors and there are a lot of American novels I just don't enjoy. I think I'll try and find a 'how to' book by a...more

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Dec 04, 2009

Taka rated it

Shelves: writing_reference, japan_jul07-aug10

Another excellent book on writing novels--

This book resonated with me more than other books. His advice is neither too specific or too general to make it worthless (the former suffers from the risk of making your writing too formulaic and rigid while the latter from uselessness when it comes to application).

The more I read this type of book on novel-writing, the more I realize the importance of a good story. Maas speaks from 20+ years of experience as a literary agent and...more

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Feb 08, 2012

Meg rated it

Shelves: 2011, writing, non-fiction, books-i-own

Not a how-to book, but a valuable read nonetheless for current or aspiring writers.

Some great advice in here. Each chapter has a bulleted summary at the end that I found to be pretty worthless. The real value lies in the scattered questions posed to the reader, aka potential writer. It would have been better to collect these questions at the end of each chapter as a reminder that these are things you should be asking yourself as you're conceptualizing and writing your novel. Perhaps ...more

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Nov 18, 2011

Patti rated it

This is probably 4.5 stars, not quite 5, but only because it's a tiny bit dated (in that it was published 10 years ago, which means there are things about publishing and writing that have changed). That said, it is otherwise a STELLAR read. I would highly, highly recommend this to anyone I know who is a writer of fiction. Heck, any writer could probably benefit from the concepts about pushing your writing beyond what you usually do, but the specifics are tailored toward novel writers wanting to ...moreThis is probably 4.5 stars, not quite 5, but only because it's a tiny bit dated (in that it was published 10 years ago, which means there are things about publishing and writing that have changed). That said, it is otherwise a STELLAR read. I would highly, highly recommend this to anyone I know who is a writer of fiction. Heck, any writer could probably benefit from the concepts about pushing your writing beyond what you usually do, but the specifics are tailored toward novel writers wanting to 'break out'.

Now, lest you think, "I've been published; this doesn't apply to me," he is specifically targeting those of you who are modestly successful or have at least been published but have yet to really 'break out'. I think his encouragement that any major uptick in sales is a breakout, even if you're not making the NYT bestseller lists right away, is particularly helpful for the currently published.

I, however, am not a published author. Maybe that gives me a greater desire to read this book, maybe reading it makes my chances better for breaking out on my first shot, maybe none of that matters. The biggest thing I took away from this was that I have to challenge myself. Sure, a good early reader or a great editor might help you make your book better, but the reality is that the story itself comes from YOU. If you don't try to make things better, who will?

The most exciting part about reading this book, and the reason it took me so long to read it, is that it inspired me to go back and write like crazy on an existing novel. Honestly, I thought it was nearly done - it was close to the end, I knew basically where it was going and I took a break because the writing was starting to feel less inspired (after nearly two months of I-can't-stop-writing-this-story earlier this year). Then I read this book, and it changed everything for me. It changed how I saw the story, how I worked on the end, the revisions, everything. And every time I'd read another portion - sometimes I'd get time for a section, sometimes a chapter - I'd go back and write some more.

If your writing has felt stale, if you've had a hard time with a story or with your career in general, I suggest checking out this book. Maybe it will do for you what it did for me. He didn't tell me how to write a better story, he told me how to be a better writer, period. Ask questions of yourself, of your characters. Push yourself and push them. Stretch your imagination.

Someday, I hope I can look back and say that I wrote a successful book that could have been good but not great if I hadn't read this guide and pushed my limits. Maybe you'll be able to say that, too.(less)

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Nov 07, 2011

Hal rated it

The thing I enjoyed most about this book is the emphasis that Donald Maass places on writing. At a time when there are more guides to what you "have to do" in terms of marketing, web-site building, book signings, convention attending, he makes a compelling argument reminding that in the end, it's the writing that matters most. It is easy to get lost in the myriad of other things professionals will tell you to do, and I appreciated this reminder.

There are some very useful t...more

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May 08, 2011

Marissa Meyer rated it

Shelves: writing

It’s been awhile since I read a writing guide, but as I make the final sprints on my first draft of Winter and prepare to dig into Scarlet revisions in the next couple of weeks, I figured it was time to start thinking quality-over-quantity again. I’d heard lots of good things about Writing the Breakout Novel and it sounded like it could be just the ticket for taking the next draft of Scarlet to that hypothetical next level.

I enjoyed reading this and can see why it’s received so much pr...moreIt’s been awhile since I read a writing guide, but as I make the final sprints on my first draft of Winter and prepare to dig into Scarlet revisions in the next couple of weeks, I figured it was time to start thinking quality-over-quantity again. I’d heard lots of good things about Writing the Breakout Novel and it sounded like it could be just the ticket for taking the next draft of Scarlet to that hypothetical next level.

I enjoyed reading this and can see why it’s received so much praise in the writing community. Although Maass’s style is straightforward, he has a tendency to put lots of information into each paragraph and page, so I found myself having to slow down and re-read quite a few sections. (I don’t consider this a bad thing.) Also, Maass is a literary agent and you can tell he has lots of experience reading novels and submissions of all writing levels. Although some of the advice here will be old news to those who have read plenty of writing guides in the past, Maass does a great job of keeping the book’s focus not on “how to write well” but on “how to take your manuscript to breakout-novel status,” which is a subtle distinction, but one he does make.

The book covers such topics as:

- brainstorming a breakout novel premise and avoiding predictability
- different types of stakes and conflict and how to create them
- making your characters larger-than-life
- interweaving subplots that add to the main plot
- working theme and symbolism into your novel in a way that feels natural

And much more, but those were some of the highlights for me.

I wouldn’t recommend this for anyone who’s just learning the craft or looking for a more basic guide on the “rules” of fiction. I might not even recommend this to anyone currently working on the first draft of a manuscript, because I personally feel that it’s better to get words down and complete a story (beginning, middle, and end) before you start worrying about whether or not the stakes are high enough and the subplots flow nicely together. Also, this book doesn’t spend hardly any time discussing the mechanics—dialogue tags, pros and cons of adverbs, beginning and ending a scene, etc. For all the above, I would guide you toward Plot and Structure by James Scot Bell and Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King.

Rather, Writing the Breakout Novel expects you to already have familiarity with those basics and be prepared to take your writing from good to spectacular. This involves not only looking at the big-picture stuff like having a unique and appealing premise, but also accounting for the details that will bring your setting to life or make your main character both relatable and can’t-take-your-eyes-off-them fascinating. Go into this book willing to take a closer look at every aspect of your WIP and do what’s necessary to strengthen, deepen, expand, and change it, in order to make it stand out in a crowded market.

Last comment, and my one complaint: Maass peppers his advice with examples and quotes from real-life “breakout” novels, which I would generally find helpful, except in this case I hadn’t even heard of most of the novels he pointed to! This is very likely due to different tastes in reading material between me and Maass and he was still able to get his point across even if I wasn’t familiar with the books, but at the same time I had to wonder why we weren’t talking about Carrie or The Da Vinci Code—breakout books that more readers (a.k.a. me) are familiar with. (If anyone else has read this, I'd love to know if you thought the same thing or if it's just me!)

Overall, a strong writing guide with a different twist on improving your next novel. Recommended for anyone who feels like their writing has hit a plateau and is ready to add a jolt to their next project.(less)

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May 05, 2011

Mark O'Bannon rated it

Shelves: top-ten-books-on-writing, books-on-writing

Writing The Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
If you're ever looking for a literary agent, you should try to get someone that knows something about how to tell a great story.

Donald Maass (a literary agent) has written one of the finest books on the subject of storytelling. I was amazed to see so many practical techniques for writing in this book.

While simply getting published is the goal of many writers, you need to keep in mind that this is not the end of the story where it...more

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Jun 01, 2008

Chrissa rated it

Recommends it for: novelists who have a work to apply the information to

Recommended to Chrissa by: my writer's group

Despite myself, I enjoyed this book. Mr. Maas did an excellent job of describing what areas to review in your novel in order to increase it's chances of generating the word of mouth needed to find increased success. His emphasis on taking the time to build upon themes, characters, and plots already existent in a draft novel was a welcome change from what I had expected.

Most of the novels that were presented as examples I have not read, which leads me to believe that the author and ...more

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Dec 05, 2007

LeAnn rated it

Recommends it for: Novelists, published or not

Well, I had a longer review planned and then GoodReads erased it in front of my eyes!

Anyway, Maas's book is one of two books on writing novels that I've found the most useful, although I have yet to absorb and put into practice what he has to say about writing a "breakout" novel. By breakout, he means a novel that sells well. He believes that readers determine breakout novels, not publishers or their PR budgets. He also believes that standout writing literally stands out, ...more

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Jun 24, 2009

Debbie Moorhouse added it

Shelves: books-2009

There's good advice here, although depressingly often it seems to boil down to, "If you want to write a breakout novel, write a breakout novel!". Yes, Mr Maass, that's helpful.

Other bits of advice are, however, much more useful than "just do it". For example, the advice on having sub-plots reflect the central conflict is obvious, once it's set out in words. But it's not something I could immediately have formulated myself.

Some of the examples Maass g...more

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May 12, 2011

Adrian rated it

God, this book was irritating. Every time I read a "this is how you write" book by a non-writer I swear I'll never do it again. Then I end up doing it again because someone will swear "oh this one is different." Nope. Not different. Exactly the same, actually. 260 pages of selling (in this case he's selling the phrase "breakout novel") and about 1 or 2 useful ideas. Nothing new, mind you, just useful to be reminded of them. I suppose actually reading a good n...more

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Oct 31, 2010

Yoshinga rated it

There are definitely some really good advices in this book, but I feel it is heavily biased towards the success of certain genre authors. I mean, if a new author writes the same way as all these authors quoted in the book, I doubt he/she would break out. Still, if you already have a brilliant story, follow the advices in the book to sharpen it. If you try to build a novel following the path painted for you, I suspect breaking out will remain a dream.

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