Writing 21st Century Fiction

Agent Donald Maass

Ever wish you could pick the brain of a New York literary agent about writing fiction in the current market? Today I had the opportunity to sit in on a workshop led by Donald Maass and gleaned some info for you . . .

Be Real

It takes courage to expose truth. Powerful stories tell us something important and you know something important. Take the risk. Be real. Take your personal experience and transform it into story. Use the hard material of your life.

Be Full Range

Sure, stories are about trouble, but there is room in your novel for bliss. You need the full range of emotions. Let the reader enjoy some of that happiness. This isn't plot specific so don't worry about what genre you write. Just capture the human experience.

Be Personal

Great fiction causes us to feel that we are in a real place. The author must draw on their own experience to make the unreal world real. Have the grace to give your characters what you feel and the reader will connect at a human level.