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

192 Pages·2012·1.17 MB·English

by  Donald Maass

WRITING
ST
21 CENTURY
FICTION
HIGH-IMPACT TECHNIQUES
FOR EXCEPTIONAL STORYTELLING
DONALD MAASS
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 Loser’s 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 Children’s 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
Children’s 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 Devil’s 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 Children’s 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 Tiger’s Wife by Téa Obrhet, copyright © 2011 by Téa 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 Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins
Publishers From Major Pettigrew’s 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. Putnam’s 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.
From Just Breathe by Susan Wiggs, copyright © 2008 by Susan Wiggs,
published by MIRA Books
ALSO DISCUSSED
Th1rteeen R3asons Why by Jay Asher, copyright © 2007 by Jay Asher,
published by Razorbill, Penguin Young Readers Group, the Penguin
Group (USA) Inc.
The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry, copyright © 2006 by Brunonia
Barry, published by HarperCollins Publishers
The Maze Runner by James Dashner, copyright © 2009 by James
Dashner, published in the United States by Delacorte Press, an imprint
of Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.
If I Stay by Gayle Forman, copyright © 2009 by Gayle Forman, published
by Dutton Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
Into the Woods by Tana French, copyright © 2007 by Tana French,
published by the Penguin Group, Penguin Group (USA), Inc.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, copyright © 2005 by Kazuo Ishiguro,
published by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc.
Mystic River by Dennis Lehane, copyright © 2001 by Dennis Lehane,
published in hardcover by William Morrow, an imprint of
Harpercollins Publishers The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern,
copyright © 2011 by Night Circus, LLC, published in the United States
by Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.
Red’s Hot Honky-Tonk Bar by Pamela Morsi, copyright © 2009 by Pamela
Morsi, published by MIRA Books Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver,
copyright © 2010 by Lauren Oliver, published by HarperCollins
Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers Treason at
Lisson Grove by Anne Perry, copyright © 2011 by Anne Perry,
published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The
Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.
The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard, copyright © 2006 by Nancy
Pickard, published in the United States by Ballantine Books, an
imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random
House, Inc.
A Field of Darkness by Cornelia Read, copyright © 2006 by Cornelia
Read, published by Mysterious Press, Warner Books
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, copyright © 2005 by Markus Zusak,
published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of
Random House Children’s Books, a division of Random House, Inc.