Explains the elements that all breakout novels share & shows readers how to use these elements to write a novel that will stand out within the crowded marketplace. A breakout novel is one that rises out of its category -- such as literary fiction, mystery, romance, or thriller -- and hits the bestseller lists. Maass explains the elements that all breakout novels share and shows readers how to use these elements to write a novel that has a good chance of succeeding in a crowded marketplace. They'll learn to: -- create a powerful and sweeping sense of time and place -- develop larger-than-life characters -- sustain a high degree of narrative tension from start to finish -- weave sub-plots into the main action -- explore universal themes that will interest a large audience of readers Then, using several of his clients' experiences -- including best-selling novelist Anne Perry -- as case studies, Maass provides real-life, insider examples to show how this type of novel can generate agent and publisher interest, creating or enhancing a novelist's career.