Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook

by Donald Maass

Overview

Make Your Novel Stand Out from the Crowd!

Noted literary agent and author Donald Maass has done it again! His previous book, Writing the Breakout Novel, offered novelists of all skill levels and genres insider advice on how to make their books rise above the competition and succeed in a crowded marketplace.

Now, building on the success of its predecessor, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook calls that advice into action! This powerful book presents the patented techniques and writing exercises from Maass's popular writing workshops to offer novelists first-class instruction and practical guidance. You'll learn to develop and strengthen aspects of your prose with sections on:

 • Building plot layers
 • Creating inner conflict
 • Strengthening voice and point of view
 • Discovering and heightening larger-than-life character qualities
 • Strengthening theme
 • And much more!


Maass also carefully dissects examples from real-life breakout novels so you'll lean how to read and analyze fiction like a writer. With authoritative instruction and hands-on workbook exercises, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook is one of the most accessible novel-writing guides available.

Set your work-in progress apart from the competition and write your own breakout novel today!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781582972633
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	06/14/2004
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	384,150
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.70(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

	Introduction	1
Part I	Character Development
1	From Protagonist to Hero	8
	Exercise: Adding Heroic Qualities	12
2	Multidimensional Characters	14
	Exercise: Opening Extra Character Dimensions	18
3	Inner Conflict	19
	Exercise: Creating Inner Conflict	24
4	Larger-Than-Life Character Qualities	25
	Exercise: Creating Larger-Than-Life Qualities	31
5	Heightening Larger-Than-Life Qualities	33
	Exercise: Adjusting the Volume	35
6	Character Turnabouts and Surprises	36
	Exercise: Reversing Motives	38
7	Personal Stakes	40
	Exercise: Defining Personal Stakes	48
8	Ultimate Stakes	50
	Exercise: Capturing the Irrevocable Commitment	54
9	Exposition	56
	Exercise: Deepening Exposition	59
10	Creating Secondary Characters	60
	Exercise: Secondary Character Development	64
11	Antagonists	66
	Exercise: Developing the Antagonist	69
	Exercise: The Antagonist's Outline	71
12	Enriching Your Cast	73
	Exercise: Combining Roles	76
Part II	Plot Development
13	Public Stakes	80
	Exercise: Raising Public Stakes	86
14	Complications	88
	Exercise: Making Complications Active	91
15	Plot Layers	93
	Exercise: Building Plot Layers	97
16	Weaving a Story	99
	Exercise: Weaving Plot Layers Together	104
17	Subplots	106
	Exercise: Adding Subplots	109
18	Turning Points	111
	Exercise: Heightening Turning Points	115
19	The Inner Journey	117
	Exercise: Inner Turning Points	120
20	High Moments	122
	Exercise: Creating High Moments	127
21	Bridging Conflict	129
	Exercise: Developing Bridging Conflict	132
22	Low Tension Part I: The Problem With Tea	134
	Exercise: Brewing Tension	139
23	Low Tension Part II: Burdensome Backstory	141
	Exercise: Delaying Backstory	146
24	Low Tension Part III: Tension on Every Page	148
	Exercise: Adding Tension to Every Page	152
Part III	General Story Techniques
25	First Lines/Last Lines	156
	Exercise: Enhancing First and Last Lines	161
26	Moments in Time	163
	Exercise: Freezing Moments in Time	168
27	Inner Change	170
	Exercise: Measuring Inner Change	174
28	Setting	176
	Exercise: The Psychology of Place	180
29	Point of View	182
	Exercise: Strengthening Point of View	185
30	Character Delineation	187
	Exercise: Improving Character Delineation	191
31	Theme	193
	Exercise: Alternate Endings	200
	Exercise: The Larger Problem	202
	Exercise: Same Problem, Other Characters	204
	Exercise: Making the Antagonist's Case	206
32	Symbols	208
	Exercise: Creating Symbols	211
33	Brainstorming	213
	Exercise: Developing Brainstorming Skills	217
34	The Pitch	218
	Exercise: Constructing the Pitch	223
	Appendixes
Appendix A	Outlining Your Novel	225
Appendix B	Follow-up Work Checklist	228
	Index	229