With the Donald Maas workshop in Albequerque looming this Friday, I decided to combine my review of his book Writing the Breakout Novel with my NaNoWriMo novel writing project. So as I've been reading, I've been applying everything he says to my story. He lists the four main components of a good premise in order for a story to have potential breakout ability: plausibility, inherent conflict, originality, and gut emotional appeal. I figure my story has the plausibility, conflict and gut emotional appeal down but is lacking in the originality column. So I'm spending some time today trying to find ways to come out the story from a different, fresh angle or see if I can work some kind of interesting combination. Tonight I plan to check out the exercise in the workbook that may apply. So, if you're writing a novel how do you think your story stacks up against the four pillars of premise?
The workshop this weekend will give me an extra jolt and maybe help make the story gain a liftoff factor. I'll be leaving Friday and will return on Monday. I will try and post while I'm away but I'm not sure of my computer access yet.
Drop by my NaNoWriMo blog at WHIRLPOOL.
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