16 Books like Writing the Breakout Novel

The Breakout Novelist

by Donald Maass • 2010

Thousands of manuscripts. A handful break out. The specific craft moves that make the difference.

4.32

404

✍️ Fiction Craft 📚 Commercial Fiction 🎯 Story Stakes ⚡ Scene Tension 🎙️ Narrative Voice

The Breakout Novelist 98%

Thousands of manuscripts. A handful break out. The specific craft moves that make the difference.

by Donald Maass 2010

4.32

404 ratings

✍️ Fiction Craft 📚 Commercial Fiction 🎯 Story Stakes ⚡ Scene Tension 🎙️ Narrative Voice

Damn Fine Story

by Chuck Wendig • 2017

Storytelling starts when a character's world breaks. The tools for what comes next.

4.36

1k+

📝 Storytelling Craft ✍️ Fiction Writing 👤 Character Craft 🏗️ Plot Structure ⚡ Narrative Tension

Damn Fine Story 98%

Storytelling starts when a character's world breaks. The tools for what comes next.

by Chuck Wendig 2017

4.36

1k+ ratings

📝 Storytelling Craft ✍️ Fiction Writing 👤 Character Craft 🏗️ Plot Structure ⚡ Narrative Tension

The Writer's Guide to Beginnings

by Paula Munier • 2016

Agents stop reading on page one. The craft decisions that make them turn to page two.

4.31

190

🛠️ Fiction Craft 🏗️ Story Structure 🎣 Opening Hooks 🎬 Scene Craft 👁️ Point Of View

The Writer's Guide to Beginnings Summary

The Writer's Guide to Beginnings 98%

Agents stop reading on page one. The craft decisions that make them turn to page two.

by Paula Munier 2016

4.31

190 ratings

🛠️ Fiction Craft 🏗️ Story Structure 🎣 Opening Hooks 🎬 Scene Craft 👁️ Point Of View

Write Your Novel From The Middle

by James Scott Bell • 2014

Forget outlining and pantsing. The one scene every novel needs sits exactly in the middle.

4.20

3k+

📝 Fiction Craft 🏗️ Novel Structure 🎯 Midpoint Structure 🎭 Character Arcs ⚡ Narrative Stakes

Write Your Novel From The Middle Summary

Write Your Novel From The Middle 97%

Forget outlining and pantsing. The one scene every novel needs sits exactly in the middle.

by James Scott Bell 2014

4.20

3k+ ratings

📝 Fiction Craft 🏗️ Novel Structure 🎯 Midpoint Structure 🎭 Character Arcs ⚡ Narrative Stakes

Writing 21st Century Fiction

by Donald Maass • 2012

Plot alone won't keep readers. The craft of making scenes and sentences pull with equal force.

4.34

882

📝 Fiction Craft ⚖️ Commercial Literary Blend 💔 Emotional Stakes 🧠 Character Interiority 🎬 Scene Craft

Writing 21st Century Fiction 97%

Plot alone won't keep readers. The craft of making scenes and sentences pull with equal force.

by Donald Maass 2012

4.34

882 ratings

📝 Fiction Craft ⚖️ Commercial Literary Blend 💔 Emotional Stakes 🧠 Character Interiority 🎬 Scene Craft

The Fire in Fiction

by Donald Maass • 2009

An agent's field guide to the invisible craft that turns a flat manuscript into a page-turner.

4.17

2k+

📚 Fiction Craft 🎬 Scene Building 💔 Internal Conflict 🎙️ Voice Development ⏱️ Pacing And Tension

The Fire in Fiction 97%

An agent's field guide to the invisible craft that turns a flat manuscript into a page-turner.

by Donald Maass 2009

4.17

2k+ ratings

📚 Fiction Craft 🎬 Scene Building 💔 Internal Conflict 🎙️ Voice Development ⏱️ Pacing And Tension

The Art and Craft of Writing

by L. Jagi Lamplighter • 2021

Scenes that land: emotional reversals, dual threads, and characters who want two things at once.

4.33

🖋️ Fiction Craft 🏗️ Story Structure 🎭 Character Development 🎬 Scene Craft ✍️ Writing Technique

The Art and Craft of Writing 97%

Scenes that land: emotional reversals, dual threads, and characters who want two things at once.

by L. Jagi Lamplighter 2021

4.33

9 ratings

🖋️ Fiction Craft 🏗️ Story Structure 🎭 Character Development 🎬 Scene Craft ✍️ Writing Technique

Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot

by Jane K. Cleland • 2016

A plotting grid that plants a jolt every 70 pages: the method for stories that grip.

4.05

547

🖋️ Fiction Writing 🧩 Story Structure ⏳ Suspense Writing 🔄 Plotting Techniques 🎭 Narrative Tension

Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot Summary

Mastering Suspense, Structure, and Plot 97%

A plotting grid that plants a jolt every 70 pages: the method for stories that grip.

by Jane K. Cleland 2016

4.05

547 ratings

🖋️ Fiction Writing 🧩 Story Structure ⏳ Suspense Writing 🔄 Plotting Techniques 🎭 Narrative Tension

Revision & Self-Editing

by James Scott Bell • 2008

A big-picture-first revision system: fix your novel's bones before you polish a single sentence.

4.19

2k+

✍️ Fiction Craft 🔄 Novel Revision 📝 Novel Writing 🏗️ Story Structure 🎬 Scene Structure

Revision & Self-Editing 97%

A big-picture-first revision system: fix your novel's bones before you polish a single sentence.

by James Scott Bell 2008

4.19

2k+ ratings

✍️ Fiction Craft 🔄 Novel Revision 📝 Novel Writing 🏗️ Story Structure 🎬 Scene Structure

Conflict and Suspense

by James Scott Bell • 2011

Tension leaks from most manuscripts. The craft guide for sealing every scene with conflict.

4.26

934

📝 Fiction Writing 🏗️ Story Structure ⚔️ Conflict Design 🎬 Scene Construction ⏳ Suspense Techniques

Conflict and Suspense 97%

Tension leaks from most manuscripts. The craft guide for sealing every scene with conflict.

by James Scott Bell 2011

4.26

934 ratings

📝 Fiction Writing 🏗️ Story Structure ⚔️ Conflict Design 🎬 Scene Construction ⏳ Suspense Techniques

How To Write a Page Turner

by Jordan Rosenfeld • 2019

Master the craft of tension: how to make every scene drive readers forward, word by word.

4.21

201

✍️ Fiction Craft ⚡ Narrative Tension 👀 Reader Engagement ⚔️ Conflict Design ⏱️ Pacing

How To Write a Page Turner 97%

Master the craft of tension: how to make every scene drive readers forward, word by word.

by Jordan Rosenfeld 2019

4.21

201 ratings

✍️ Fiction Craft ⚡ Narrative Tension 👀 Reader Engagement ⚔️ Conflict Design ⏱️ Pacing

Your Creative Writing Masterclass

by Jürgen Wolff • 2012

A hundred great novelists teach you fiction's craft secrets, from character to voice.

3.88

182

✍️ Fiction Craft 📖 Reading Like A Writer 🎭 Character Development 💬 Dialogue Craft 🗺️ Plot Structure

Your Creative Writing Masterclass Summary

Your Creative Writing Masterclass 97%

A hundred great novelists teach you fiction's craft secrets, from character to voice.

by Jürgen Wolff 2012

3.88

182 ratings

✍️ Fiction Craft 📖 Reading Like A Writer 🎭 Character Development 💬 Dialogue Craft 🗺️ Plot Structure

Monkeys with Typewriters

by Scarlett Thomas • 2012

Fiction is craft, not chance: the rules for plot, character, and sentences that grip readers.

4.17

534

📝 Fiction Writing 🏗️ Story Structure 👤 Character Development ✍️ Sentence Craft 💡 Idea Generation

Monkeys with Typewriters 97%

Fiction is craft, not chance: the rules for plot, character, and sentences that grip readers.

by Scarlett Thomas 2012

4.17

534 ratings

📝 Fiction Writing 🏗️ Story Structure 👤 Character Development ✍️ Sentence Craft 💡 Idea Generation

Making Shapely Fiction

by Jerome Stern • 1991

Story templates over pep talks: pick a shape, fill it with detail, and turn idea into draft.

3.98

1k+

🖊️ Fiction Writing 🏗️ Story Structure 👁️ Point Of View 💬 Dialogue Craft 👂 Sensory Detail

Making Shapely Fiction 97%

Story templates over pep talks: pick a shape, fill it with detail, and turn idea into draft.

by Jerome Stern 1991

3.98

1k+ ratings

🖊️ Fiction Writing 🏗️ Story Structure 👁️ Point Of View 💬 Dialogue Craft 👂 Sensory Detail

The Art of Fiction

by John Gardner • 1984

Master the craft that makes readers forget the page and live inside your story.

3.99

6k+

🖊️ Fiction Craft ✍️ Prose Style 📖 Narrative Technique 🏗️ Plot Structure 🎭 Character Development

The Art of Fiction 96%

Master the craft that makes readers forget the page and live inside your story.

by John Gardner 1984

3.99

6k+ ratings

🖊️ Fiction Craft ✍️ Prose Style 📖 Narrative Technique 🏗️ Plot Structure 🎭 Character Development

Story Physics

by Larry Brooks • 2013

Great stories aren't magic. They're physics. Once you know the laws, broken drafts fix themselves.

3.92

475

📝 Fiction Writing 🏗️ Story Structure 🎪 Three-Act Structure 🎬 Scene Craft 💡 Concept Development

Story Physics 96%

Great stories aren't magic. They're physics. Once you know the laws, broken drafts fix themselves.

by Larry Brooks 2013

3.92

475 ratings

📝 Fiction Writing 🏗️ Story Structure 🎪 Three-Act Structure 🎬 Scene Craft 💡 Concept Development

Compare Features	Free	Pro
📖 Read Summaries Read unlimited summaries. Free users get 3 per month
🎧 Listen to Summaries Listen to unlimited summaries in 40 languages	—
❤️ Unlimited Bookmarks Free users are limited to 4	—
📜 Unlimited History Free users are limited to 4	—
📥 Unlimited Downloads Free users are limited to 1	—

People love SoBrief

Join our global community of 600,000+ readers

★★★★★

This site is a total game-changer. I've been flying through book summaries like never before. Highly, highly recommend.

— Dave G

Worth my money and time, and really well made. I've never seen this quality of summaries on other websites. Very helpful!

— Em

Highly recommended!! Fantastic service. Perfect for those that want a little more than a teaser but not all the intricate details of a full audio book.

— Greg M