Novel Checklist

Notes from Donald Maass on how to write a breakout novel (and my thoughts on them)

Why Write a Breakout Novel
To survive in today's book publishing industry, it is not good enough just to get published.
(This was enlightening to me if only because for the past few years I've been so focused on just getting "a" book published. This chapter really made me thing further down the line.)

The root cause of most midcareer meltdowns is the author's own writing.
(I'm sure it is hard to convince most authors that there work is getting more and more rough around the edges, but it's so clear to see in some cases.)

Success does not come from agents, advances, editors or promotion . . . It comes from word of mouth.
(We've all seen the poor authors schlepping their books at a the book store. Are there lines usually waiting around the corner? How many books do you think they really sell at book store promotions? 100 at each store? 200? How many stores would that take to make a book a best seller. Don't think that it's promotion that sells books. It's good, intriguing, writing that grabs readers and makes them want to tell their friend about it.)

Premise
Your favorite novels sweep you away, have characters you cannot forget, and involve dramatic and meaningful events.
(This was the impetus of one of my earlier posts. Of all of my favorite novels . . . they all transport me away.)

A breakout premise has plausibility, inherent conflict, originality, and gut emotional appeal.
(Make the reader connect with the story and the characters at their core.)

To brainstorm a breakout premise, steer away from the obvious, seek inherent conflict, find gut emotional appeal and ask, "What if . . .?"
(Always be searching for ways to get more from your idea that the ordinary and expected.)