Thanks to Ellie for another great rec to write the Breakout Novel. For one, Maass promises no short cut. Hard work pays. For another, he shifts the blame for bad book revenue from the editors, agents, publishers and publicists to where it should be–on the author. If your story does not sell, you have no one to blame but yourself. That’s why I talk about the reformation of rejection. Most e-book writers don’t boast stacks of rejection letters from editors of journals for short stories they’ve written. If e-book writing is your short cut, Maass has bad news: no short cut exists, neither in surgeon residencies nor authorial bootcamps.

Instead of giving it this book the old one-two, I figured I’d list out my favorite Maassian thoughts:

1. To survive in today’s publishing world, it’s not good enough to merely “get published,” you must break out.
2. Success comes from word of mouth alone, word of mouth inspired by a phenomenal story.
3. Breakout premises can be built if you include (a) plausibility, (b) inherent conflict, (c) originality and (d) gut emotional appeal.
4. High stakes yield high success–To raise personal stakes ask, “How can this matter more?” To raise overall stakes ask, “How could things get worse?”
5. Psychology of place captures how a given character feels about a given place.
6. All stories are character driven.
7. Build complex character relationships by combining roles.
8. Plot is the organization of story.
9. In nonlinear narrative, rising conflict or unfolding scenes dictates order.
10. Connect subplots quickly.
11. Backstory belongs later.
12. Great stories go in unpredictable directions.
13. Breakout novels tend to sprawl.
14. Novels are moral.
15. Whether your novel will breakout will be decided by the public.

I highly suggest you writers, storytellers and public speakers out there pay ten bucks and pick this one up. I asked Maass on Twitter for his book’s bibliography, but he’s a busy sort of guy. When I found no such bibliography online, I said what I always say in these situations: “I’ll make it myself, danggit.”

Tomorrow, I post a list of books Maas considered breakouts. Cause… well… it’s a gorgeous list. And I likey make a da lists.