The must-have reference for novel writers! If you're serious about transforming your writing into vibrant, engaging, and marketable fiction, you've found the right book. gives you the craft and business know-how you need to make your stories stand out. Veteran literary agent Donald Maass brings together the best innovative and practical information from his previous books and workshops to help you set your novel apart from the competition. Maass shares examples from successful and contemporary writers across all genres to equip you with strategies for crafting compelling fiction—from core elements like character, setting, description, and plot, to more advanced techniques including theme, tension, and suspense. Plus, you'll find over 70 practical exercises to help you evaluate your writing to the level. You'll also learn from Maass's experiences from more than three decades in the publishing industry. Get straight talk from an insider about agents, contracts, industry changes, and how to be the kind of author who builds a successful career book after book. If your goal is to craft powerful stories that capture your audience's attention from the first page to the last, then is an indispensable reference.