Donald Maass - Writing 21st Century Fiction: High Impact Techniques for Exceptional Storytelling

DEDICATION

For Abi
whose 21st century story is mysterious,
beautiful, and ours

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My thanks to my wife Lisa Rector-Maass, and my colleagues at Donald Maass Literary Agency who held the fort: Jennifer Jackson, Cameron McClure, Charles Noyes, Amy Boggs, Jennifer Udden, Stacia Decker, Katie Shea, Emily Gref, and Rachel Kory.

Huge appreciation also to Kelly Messerly, Suzanne Lucas, Roseann Biederman, Kate Travers, Jessica Strawser, Chuck Sambuchino, Phil Sexton, Brian Klems, and everyone at Writer's Digest for their expertise and ongoing support.

Reverent homage to Therese Walsh and Kathleen Bolton of Writer Unboxed.com, where many of the ideas in this volume were first introduced.

Trembling gratitude to the coffee bars of the West Village where much of this book was written: in particular Bakehouse, Grounded, Minerva, and Mojo.

NOTE

This book is an analysis of advanced fiction techniques, including examples from a diverse selection of recent novels. In the pages ahead you will find enormous plot spoilers. If you prefer that your reading retain its surprises, first read the novels listed here.

NOVELS EXCERPTED

From Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen, copyright 2007 by Sarah Addison Allen, published by Bantam Dell, a division of Random House, Inc.

From The Stormchasers by Jenna Blum, copyright 2010 by Jenna Blum, published by the Penguin Group, Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

From Rainwater by Sandra Brown, copyright 2009 by Sandra Brown Management Ltd., published by Simon & Schuster

From Changes by Jim Butcher, copyright 2010 by Jim Butcher, published by ROC, New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

From Little Bee by Chris Cleave, copyright 2008 by Chris Cleave, published by Simon & Schuster Paperbacks, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

From The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, copyright 2008 by Suzanne Collins, published by Scholastic, Inc.

From The Last Detective by Robert Crais, copyright 2003 by Robert Crais, published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

From Losers Town by Daniel Depp, copyright 2009 by Daniel Depp, published by Simon & Schuster

From Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, copyright 2010 by Jennifer Donnelly, published in the United States by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

From Gas City by Loren D. Estleman, copyright 2007 by Loren D. Estleman, published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC

From Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, copyright 2005 by Jonathan Safran Foer, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

From The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford, copyright 2009 by James Ford, published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

From A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick, copyright 2009 by Robert Goolrick, published by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, a division of Workman Publishing

From The Magician King by Lev Grossman, copyright 2011 by Lev Grossman, published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Group (USA)

From gods in Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson, copyright 2005 by Joshilyn Jackson, originally published in hardcover by Warner Books, an imprint of Warner Books, Inc.

From An Affair Before Christmas by Eloisa James, copyright 2007 by Eloisa James, published by Avon Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

From Torment: A Fallen Novel by Lauren Kate, copyright 2010 by Tinderbox Books, LLC and Lauren Kate, published in the United States by Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

From Life Expectancy by Dean Koontz, copyright 2004 by Dean Koontz, published by Bantam Dell, A Division of Random House, Inc.

From The Cypress House by Michael Koryta, copyright 2011 by Michael Koryta, originally published in hardcover by Little, Brown and Company

From Brothers in Arms by Paul Langan and Ben Alirez, copyright 2004 by Townsend Press, Inc., published by Scholastic, Inc.

From The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson, translation copyright 2008 by Reg Keeland, published in the United States by Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

From What the Dead Know by Laura Lippman, copyright 2007 by Laura Lippman, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

From The Devils Company by David Liss, copyright 2009 by David Liss, published in the United States by Random House, an imprint of the Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

From I Am Number Four by Pitaccus Lore, copyright 2010 by Pittacus Lore, published by Harper, HarperCollins Childrens Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers

From A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin, copyright 2005 by George R.R. Martin, published in the United States by Bantam Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

From A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore, copyright 2009 by Lorrie Moore, published in the United States by Vintage Books, a division of Random House, Inc.

From The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton, copyright 2008 by Kate Morton, published by Washington Square Press, a division of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

From The Tigers Wife by Ta Obrhet, copyright 2011 by Ta Obrhet, originally published in hardcover in the United States by Random House, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

From The Last Olympians by Rick Riordan, copyright 2009 by Rick Riordan, published by Disney-Hyperion Books, an imprint of Disney Book Group

From Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling, copyright 2007 by J.K. Rowling, published by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.

From Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard, copyright 2006 by Alloy Entertainment and Sara Shepard, published by HarperTeen, an imprint of HarperCollins Childrens Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers

From Major Pettigrews Last Stand by Helen Simonson, copyright 2010 by Helen Simonson, published in the United States by Random House Trade Paperbacks, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

From The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein, copyright 2008 by Bright White Light, LLC, published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers

From The Help by Kathryn Stockett, copyright 2009 by Kathryn Stockett, published in hardcover by Amy Einhorn Books, G.P. Putnams Sons, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

From Ghostwalk by Rebecca Stott, copyright 2007 by Rebecca Stott, published by Spiegel & Grau, an imprint of the Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

From Rules of Civility by Amor Towles, copyright 2011 by Cetology, Inc., first published in 2011 by Viking Penguin, a member of the Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

From Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese, copyright 2009 by Abraham Verghese, originally published in hardcover in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.