This week we’re linking to literary agent Donald Maass, but even more than that, we’re linking to the free download of his book The Career Novelist.
Why?
Because Maass has done us all a huge service with this book, and I’d like to direct excellent aspiring writers his way.
Read Chapter One, The Dream, on why people write novels. Are you doing it for approval, or are you doing it for the sheer joy of writing? Writing is all about exploring the truth, and if you can’t nail this truth about yourself, you’re not going to make it as a writer.
Then read Chapter Two, The Reality, and pay close attention to the bad news about the publishing industry. Keep in mind that this book was written thirteen years ago, so even though Maass gives us a bird’s-eye view of the publishing industry from the seventies to the nineties, things have altered massively in just the past two years. What he does here is give you a clue: it’s a business. It’s always been a business. And under Storm Warnings in Chapter 20, The Economy and Publishing, he points out one of the most vulnerable high-risk groups is full-time writers who live off advances only.
Then read all his advice about finding the right agent, pitching the right pitch, and managing your writing career realistically in the context of the publishing industry. Because this is where you will be doing it, and you’d just better get used to that idea.
But, more than anything, read Chapter 13, The Bottom Line: Storytelling. Because that, folks, is what the whole thing is about.
Thanks, this is an absolute gift. I have “Breakout Novelist” and he gives fantastic advice, even when it’s something you may not want to hear. I downloaded it like a duck on a june bug.
You’re welcome! Maass is great, isn’t he? He taught me, “Tension on every page,” the single best piece of writing advice I have ever gotten.
Victoria
I met Don at his High Tension Workshop. Great stuff. He’s a nice dude and knows his stuff well. I would like to get him to come to Dallas sometime and give his workshop. His Tension on Every Page is priceless.
Hi Victoria, thanks for this link! I read Donald’s Writing the Breakout Novel a few years ago and found it so helpful. I didn’t know he had a new ebook out. What a treat!
Jason, let me know if you get Maass to teach in Dallas, and I’ll post a notice here. Writers are everywhere.
Lisa, I believe The Career Novelist was Maass’ first book. He published The Breakout Novel and its workbook (did you know there was a workbook?) in 2001 and The Fire in Fiction just recently.
You can read an excerpt from The Fire in Fiction through Writer’s Digest: http://writersdigest.com/article/fire_in_fiction_excerpt.
Victoria
Thanks for the plug, Victoria. Next year Writers Digest will issue a compliation of all of my books (with some new and updated stuff) in a ring binder format under the title “The Professional Novelists Handbook.”
BTW, I’ll be offering a “Fire in Fiction” workshop in Dallas next July 9-11 (2010) with a special add-on workshop on going “beyond genre” with romance fiction.
You’re so right. It’s all about story.
Hi Donald! Thanks for letting us know about your compilation book and workshop. I’ll post a notice.
Victoria
Hi Victoria, I didn’t know Career Novelist was an earlier work. Thanks for the history lesson. I do have the Breakout Novel Workbook — loved that too! I’ll check out The Fire in Fiction too. Thanks for sharing this info.
And Donald thanks for the details on your conferences, I’ll keep an eye out in case you swing by Chicago again next year.
Lisa
I’ll post about it later, but right now I’ll let everyone know here: I’ll be doing a co-interview with Donald and his wife the independent editor Lisa Rector-Maass after they get back from the Surrey Writers Conference in Vancouver, B.C.
Victoria