Novel Study: Decoding the Secrets and Structures of Contemporary Fiction

by Kristen Tate

It’s not magic, it’s craft

Most writing advice is designed to help you get from an idea to a finished draft, focusing on general principles and conventional wisdom that can flatten out creative storytelling and unique voices. In Novel Study, Kristen Tate delves into the techniques used by today’s most successful novelists and translates them into practical tools you can use in your own work.

Through close reading and structural analysis of examples from a diverse range of contemporary novelists—including Ann Patchett, N.K. Jemisin, Tana French, Casey McQuiston, and Rebecca Roanhorse—Novel Study addresses common challenges faced by fiction to write a captivating opening chapterHow to maximize plot suspenseHow to effectively manage multiple point-of-view charactersHow to create immersive settings and authentic dialogueHow to craft sentences that resonate
Each chapter begins with a key question and ends with concrete takeaways you can immediately apply to your writing.

Novel Study includes nine full-color charts and graphs that illustrate many of the techniques discussed. You’ll be able to see at a glance how successful novelists structure their narratives, manage chronology, and balance different elements of their storytelling.

Beyond insights and techniques, Novel Study offers tips and templates to help you build your own Novel Study files, tailored to the works and authors you admire.

There isn’t a single way to tell a successful story. There is no secret formula or magic template that will make it easy to write a novel. But the right tools can unlock your creativity and lead to a manuscript that surprises you and delights your readers.

Genres: Writing

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2024

About the author

Kristen Tate has been a freelance editor for a decade, helping authors transform their work from rough draft to finished book. She has a PhD in English from Columbia University, with a focus on publishing history. She is the author of Novel Study: Decoding the Secrets and Structures of Contemporary Fiction and writes a regular newsletter full of craft advice and encouragement for authors.

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! A Practical Way to Improve One’s Writing

Kristen Tate’s Novel Study opens the world of fiction for both writers and readers. Tate’s brilliance is found in her approach. She shows you how the construction process of fiction works and then helps the reader understand how to fold these structures of contemporary fiction into your own stories.

Kristen Tate includes diagrams and links to tools on her website to put her observations into practice immediately.

This craft of writing has a great new tool and I encourage anyone who enjoys fiction to read this book.

[Roy T. Doolittle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Top Notch

An excellent study about what works in Fiction writing, to enable writers to understand and improve their own craft. I devoured this book and need to work my way through again and learn. And then read & study its insights again. And again. Kristen Tate does a great job of analyzing books (many I’ve already read) and explaining what works and why. A must have for any writing craft shelf.

[Alyssa Jarrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every writer is told to "read critically," but nobody has been told exactly how to do it—until now. Novel Study breaks down key components of great prose, from creating authentic dialogue to building tension and suspense. With a unique framework and concrete examples, this is the craft book that every novelist needs to add to their collection!

I was lucky enough to be a beta reader for Kristen Tate as one of her clients, and I thank her for providing an advance copy.

[Morgan Klein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insights! Well worth a look for craft and structure information.