A breakout novel is one that rises out of its category - such as romance, mystery or thriller - and hits the bestseller lists. All aspiring novelists dream of achieving this success as do many published novelists who remain stuck in what author Donald Maass calls "midlist hell." In Writing the Breakout Novel, Maass explains the elements that all breakout novels share and shows readers how to use these elements to write a novel that has a good chance of succeeding within the crowded marketplace.