Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider Advice for Taking Your Fiction to the Next Level
In today's world, an author who doesn't produce a breakout novel  risks getting lost in the midlist of the publishing world.  Maass, the author of 17 novels who now works as a literary agent  representing such distinguished writers as Anne Perry and James  Patterson, knows firsthand what makes a novel rise above its  category in the already saturated book market. Using his own  clients as case studies, Maass defines the most crucial elements  of a breakout novel a powerful sense of time and place,  larger-than-life characters, a high degree of tension, good  subplots, and universal themes and shows the reader how to use  these elements efficiently to write a novel that will generate  interest and have the potential to hit the best sellers lists.  Each section ends with checklists for review. Recommended for  all public libraries serving communities with struggling  writers. Lisa J. Cihlar, Monroe P.L., WICopyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.