Maass-isms

Donald Maas has been tweeting daily Breakout Novel Prompts. You can follow him, but here are my favorites:


Before a new character debuts, give your MC an expectation or fear. Make the reality three times better or worse

What does your MC know about people that no one else does? Create 3 moments when he/she spots that in others.

In the last dialogue passage you wrote double the friction, disagreement, overt hostility or hidden agenda

What principle guides your MC? At what moment is it most tested? When does it fail? Put it into action three times.

Give your MC passionate feelings about something trivial: e.g., cappuccino, bowling, argyle socks. Write his/her rant. Add it.

In your climactic scene, what are 3 details of place that only your MC would notice? Cut more obvious details, replace with these.

During a big dramatic event, what’s one small thing your POV character realizes will never change or never be the same again? Add

What does a sidekick character know about your MC that your MC refuses to see? Force a showdown over it.

How does your POV character change in your current scene? Work backwards. Make that change unlikely, a surprise or impossible.

Choose a middle scene: What does POV character feel most strongly? Evoke that feeling without naming it, through actions alone.

Find any violence in your ms. Delete any shock, fear or horror. Replace with two *conflicting* emotions that are less obvious.

Pacing Your Novel

I recently blogged about pacing your novel, spilling everything I had found (to-date) on the subject. Then guess what? It seems to be a popular subject.

First, @DocumentDriven posted on Twitter: Conflict should escalate, & when the big moment arrives, pace should slow to give reader full scope of scene they've waited for.

This tweet really spoke to me. It was hard for me to express in 140 characters just how much of an impact it made.

As I go over Shadow Bound, I'm noticing how almost all of my "big scenes" are rushed. It's been so unsatisfying, but I couldn't figure out why. Then it hit me: I've been foreshadowing and hinting and building up to this pivotal moment. When I finally get to it, it's over before I really get to enjoy it. The scene just fizzles. Now I think I know how to fix it.

And I can't believe I didn't post this last time, but the Blood-Red Pencil has a post that covers pacing. Great site, by the way.

And finally, Scott Eagan tells writers to keep the pace moving. Because whe wants to read a book When the Only Action is Me Turning the Page?