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| Foreword | |
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| Introduction | |
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| You Have the Power to Break Out | |
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| How to Use This Book | |
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| Why Write the Breakout Novel? | |
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| The Truth About Book Publishing | |
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| The Truth About Authors | |
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| The Myths of Success | |
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| The E-Revolution | |
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| Where to Go From Here | |
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| Premise | |
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| The Stories That You Love | |
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| Four Facets of Three Great Novels | |
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| The Little Components of Big Ideas | |
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| Build It and the Breakout Premise Will Come | |
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| Brainstorming the Breakout Premise | |
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| Stakes | |
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| Creating High Human Worth | |
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| Public Stakes | |
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| Personal Stakes | |
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| Escalating Stakes | |
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| Your Own Stakes | |
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| Time and Place | |
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| The Psychology of Place | |
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| Keeping Up With the Times | |
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| Working With Historical Forces and Social Trends | |
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| God at Work in the World | |
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| The Secret Ingredient | |
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| Characters | |
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| Real People vs. Larger-Than-Life Figures | |
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| What Makes a Character Larger-Than-Life? | |
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| Dark Protagonists | |
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| The Highest Character Qualities | |
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| Building a Cast | |
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| Advanced Character Relationships | |
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| Sidekics and Narrators | |
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| Depth and Differentiation of Character | |
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| Plot | |
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| Conflict | |
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| The Five Basic Plot Elements | |
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| Bridging Conflict | |
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| What is the Worst That Can Happen? | |
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| High Moments, Turning Corners, Killing Characters | |
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| Structuring Plot | |
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| Larger Plot Structures | |
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| Contemporary Plot Techniques | |
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| The New Shape of the Novel | |
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| The Character-Driven Story | |
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| Self-Discovery in the Plot-Driven Novel | |
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| Nonlinear Narrative | |
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| Tension on Every Page | |
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| Multiple Viewpoints, Subplots, Pace, Voice, Endings | |
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| Multiple Points of View | |
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| Successful Subplots | |
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| Narrative Pace | |
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| Voice | |
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| Endings | |
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| Advanced Plot Structures | |
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| Families, Groups, Generations | |
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| Thrillers | |
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| Crossover Fiction | |
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| Whole Life | |
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| Historicals | |
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| Out-of-Category Romance | |
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| Linked Short Stories | |
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| Inventing Your Own Advanced Plot Structure | |
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| Theme | |
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| Having Something to Say | |
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| Step-by-Step Theme Building | |
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| Symbols | |
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| Becoming Passionate | |
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| Right and Wrong in the Novel | |
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| The Protagonist's Declaration of Purpose | |
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| What Makes a Theme Universal? | |
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| Discovering Theme | |
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| Breaking Out | |
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| Agent and Editor | |
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| The Pitch | |
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| Outlines | |
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| Breakout Publishing, Breakout Living | |
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| Success, Sequels, Series and Beyond | |
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| Index | |