Books like Outlining Your Novel

The original Save the Cat by Blake Snyder was written for screenplays but captured the imagination of all kinds of writers, myself included. But often it was difficult to translate to novel format. Jessica Brody’s book is an excellent adaptation of Snyder’s foundation for book people. 

The story structure methodology uses the same 15 beats (plot points) as the screenplay version. I love that Brody uses book examples as even most books about writing books tend to use movie examples. I think some authors worry about following story structure too closely, but I have always felt thinking analytically about story can only improve your writing. It’s only formulaic if you write it that way.

The houses on your block probably all have walls, roofs, foundations, floors, and plumbing…but they don’t all look the same, even on the outside. Once you get inside—all bets are off, right? But they all need… show more.

I loved how this book made me think about why I like stories. What engages me as a reader and excites me as a writer? Why two books with the same tropes can hit so differently. And how to add what the author refers to as “butter” to both the writing and the marketing, which is very important.

If your back cover copy is dry toast, it doesn’t matter how wonderful the writing on the inside is. The author is also very engaging and warm and my favorite, funny.

This is one of the first books I read about writing that gave me that A-HA feeling. Originally published in 1999, it’s still relevant and foundational. What does your character want? Why? And what is standing in their way? It seems like a simple concept, but it isn’t easy! And boy, oh boy, if you are missing one of those elements, it can be the difference between a page-turner and a wall-banger (when a reader throws your book against the wall because you just wasted their time.)

Without really understanding what your character wants and why, writers risk nonsensical plot progression and alienating the reader.

It’s never too early to think about how to actually sell your books, whether you indie publish or pitch to agents and editors. Writing a series is more profitable in almost every genre compared to writing standalone novels. And it will save you much heartache to have a series in mind before you start book one. Trust me. You don’t want to write yourself into a corner in book one that makes book two or three implausible. Think…Star Wars trilogy (the original 123 that became 456 in later years) as opposed to Speed and Speed 2. Which flowed better?

I’ve seen Ms.York speak at conferences, and her book voice is just as candid and engaging. This book covers many business writing/publishing topics but is never dry. From how to use comparable titles to world-building, I find myself returning to this book often.

Another book that focuses on story structure, and explains the difference between literary and commercial fiction without talking down to those of us who aspire to the latter. I found it full of illuminating visuals, excellent examples, and exercises to help me immediately apply his advice. And above all, remember that advice weeks later as I write more and more pages.

It works because he does more than expound. He *engages* the reader–mentally and physically. Reading the book is like taking a master class.

I really enjoyed this engaging plot and the characters have interesting dynamics.

It’s definitely a character-driven story and the dual narration from Izzy and Tristan worked beautifully for me, giving each of them a distinct voice and adding depth as their backstories unfolded.

I especially liked how their perspectives contrasted and played off one another. 

A book with astonishing imagery and surrealism!

It lurks in the hazy landscape between magical realism and weird fantasy, which is an unusual thing per my reading experience for a coming-of-age story of a girl named Aisha from Mombasa. Her voyage to rescue her father from across an ocean of godlike sharks was a strange and unsettling experience to read.

Certainly one of the most unique (even if, in some fleeting moments, it reminded me of Hemingway’s Old Man and the Sea, which I found strictly okay).

Joseph, a Berkeley student and the son of a Jewish mother and a Muslim father, receives a mysterious package from his estranged father. He embarks on a journey to understand a family mystery that can be traced back a thousand years.

I really cared about all of the characters who strive to lead good lives and demonstrate the many ways in which responsibility, forgiveness, love, and kindness shape the way we see and act in the world. 

In the current media environment, it is hard for us to do the one essential thing that novel readers must do: suspend disbelief—to read something that we know is not true, yet accept it as if it were true. It is a cynical time. We have learned to mistrust what we read.

So what is a novelist to do? Well, one way to win over skeptical readers is by a simple trick, one that I love (as both reader and writer): the novelist appears in his own novel. My novel uses a similar device, beginning with a novelist-narrator who bears a striking resemblance to me. These five novels all use a similar strategy.

The first book, American Pastoral, is one of my favorites. Philip Roth frequently borrowed from his own life in his novels, but to me, this is his most effective blend of fact and fiction. The novel lifts… show more.

I’m an absolute sucker for a ‘what really happened that night’ tale and this is one of my all time favourites due to the unreliable narration and the sense of slowly creeping dread.

The core of this book is the messy tangle of friendship, obsession, and unspoken longing, which I can never get enough of. Throughout my first read of the story, I re-evaluated what I thought I knew, and went back to the start over and over. I had to know who was lying…