Just When You Thought You Were Done

You finish your copy of 'Writing The Breakout Novel' by Donald Maass.  You realize that there is so much more you could do to make your current wip better.  Back to the drawing board, people.  This book makes you want to up the stakes a bit.  You almost feel ashamed if you don't.  Here are just a few more tips to think about before you send that masterpiece out.

1) Make sure you aren't detailing every time your MC goes to bed, gets up, takes a shower, ect.  Those details are boring and can be left out unless they directly apply to the action in your story.

2) Have your characters do and say things that you wouldn't dream of doing (or maybe you do dream of it).  They are supposed to be larger than life, why else would anyone want to read about them?

3) Build subplots and deepen character relationships. 

3) Try to keep the outcome of your story in doubt, make failure a very likely possibility.  You don't want your story to be too predictable.

These are only a few of the tips that I need to work on.  How about you?

My best advice is, if you haven't read this book then by all means, do.  You won't regret it.