Donald Maass - Writing the Breakout Novel: Insider Advice for Taking Your Fiction to the Next Level

Donald Maass

foreword by Anne Perry

WRITERS DIGEST BOOKS
Cincinnati, Ohio
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Writing the Breakout Novel. Copyright 2001 by Donald Maass. Manufactured in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Writers Digest Books, an imprint of F&W Publications, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. (800) 289-0963. First paperback edition 2002.

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Library of Congress has catalogued hardcover edition as follows:

Maass, Donald

Writing the breakout novel / Donald Maass; foreword by Anne Perry.1st ed.

p. cm.

ISBN 0-89879-995-3 (hardcover) ISBN 1-58297-182-X (pbk.: alk. paper)

eISBN: 978-1-59963-325-1

1. FictionAuthorship. 2. FictionTechnique. 3. FictionAuthorshipMarketing. I. Title.

PN3365.M245 2001

808.3dc21 2001022036

CIP

Edited by Donya Dickerson and Jack Heffron
Designed by Angela Wilcox
Cover by Matthew Gaynor
Production coordinated by Sara Dumford

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for Anne Perry
Great author, great friend

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Thanks to my clients and the many novelists
who have discussed their work with me over
the years, helping me to refine the ideas in this book.

Thanks to my staff, who held the fort:
Michelle Brummer, Jennifer Jackson, Beth
Lincks, Ben Sahl and Andrea Somberg.

Thanks to my editor, Jack Heffron, who
helped me brainstorm the premise of this book
then left me alone to write it; and to Donya
Dickerson, whose suggestions and line editing
were invaluable.