Break Into Fiction: 11 Steps To Building A Powerful Story

by Mary Buckham, Dianna Love

Getting a book published is hard enough, but what about building a loyal reader base? It’s been said that nothing sells a book – to an editor or a reader – faster than a great story.

Whether you’re a plotter or a pantser (write by the seat of your pants), Break Into Fiction® is the book that will help you find the weak spots (sagging middles, unlikeable characters, slow pacing and more) in your fiction stories. Editing is key to any story, but it starts with the author. Writing fast means nothing if the final story isn’t sound. But the sooner you grasp the power points for a story, the faster you’ll be able to build a strong backlist. Now you have a way to improve your writing one easy step at a time.

Written by a New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelists, Break Into Fiction® is a workshop-in-a-book and the one resource all writers need to master the art of fiction. This book is based on the popular workshops Mary Buckham and Dianna Love taught in the US and internationally to beginning writers, multi-published authors and even a Pulitzer Prize winner.

Their innovative method shows writers how to create stories of depth, excitement, and emotion with:
• Easy-to-understand templates that guide the new writer through building a novel and show more experienced writers how to deepen a plot and take a first draft to the next level much more quickly
• Reference examples from strongly-plotted popular genre films of suspense, classics, children, and romance
• Simple worksheets to build a strong story through Character-Driven™ plotting for any genre
• Troubleshooting tips that reveal how to find and fix holes that weaken the plot
• Insights from best-selling novelists representing a variety of fiction genres
• A bonus dialogue guide that reveals how to make a character come alive through conversation.

Break Into Fiction® is here to help aspiring-to-bestselling authors with a step-by-step guide!

“These writers know their business and, what¹s more, know how to explain it. Break into Fiction® is solidly grounded in storytelling fundamentals, but then goes much farther into the practical detail that determines whether your book will bring a check or a rejection slip.”
--Jon Franklin, author of Writing for Story and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Reference, Crafts, Ebooks

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 2009

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Mary Buckham credits her years of international travel and curiosity about different cultures that resulted in creating high-concept urban fantasy and romantic suspense stories. Her newest Invisible Recruit series has been touted for the unique voice, high action and rich emotion. A prolific writer, Mary also co-authors the young adult sci-fi/fantasy Red Moon series with NYT bestseller Dianna Love. Mary lives in Washington State with her husband and, when not crafting a new adventure, she travels the country researching settings and teaching other writers. Don’t miss her latest reference book Writing Active Setting.

Currently she is neck-deep into writing an Urban Fantasy series centered around five women drafted to combat preternatural beings agitating for world domination. The INVISIBLE RECRUIT series combines a fantasy/paranormal element with high stakes and the pace of action adventure stories. Mary loves creating thrills, spills and spells as she follows the ups and downs of fascinating characters starting with Alex Noziak, the heroine of INVISIBLE MAGIC, INVISIBLE FATE and INVISIBLE POWER.

Reviews

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Break Into Fiction" is one of the few writing books that I find an invaluable read for beginning and veteran writers alike. Delving into the plotting of everything from characterization to plot progression, the work uses relevant examples in four examples of cinematic plotting with the addition of incorporating helpful worksheets for the reader/writer to follow and be able to examine each crucial step in the plotting of their own stories. The explanations of each of the writing terms (there's a glossary near the beginning of the work) are thorough while easy to understand. This is a book I'll be coming back to often.

[Serena Yates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of the fiction writing process. Subdivided into clear steps, each of which has instructive examples and helpful exercises/worksheets. The first time working through writing a novel this way was hard, but it was worth it in terms of savings on re-writes later on.

This book will make a good companion longer term, just for looking up certain parts that I'm unsure of in any given story.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just recently read through this book, so I'm just starting to apply it to my current work-in-progress, but so far it seems very helpful. Mary Buckham is a wonderful teacher. I attended a workshop of hers and thoroughly enjoyed it. She was also so encouraging that I finally completed my first manuscript within a month of her class.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books and most helpful books for writers. A must have for your bookshelf!

[Patti · Rating 3 out of 5]

So, this was a free ebook and for that fact I am thankful.

This book didn't teach me anything I didn't already know. The good part I guess to this book is the worksheets they provide for authors to delve into their plot. What I didn't like was that they used movies as their examples. There is a huge difference between writing a book and writing a screenplay. Now, when it come to plotting, perhaps they have a point and one should plot their book like they would a movie.

I also understand the second reason they did this, being more people were more likely to have actually seen the four movies they used as examples than to have read the best books in that genre (thriller/romance/mystery/children's). That is a true but sorry fact.

I am never going to fill out those worksheets. That would take all the fun out of writing a book for me. I will remember their tips and try to incorporate them into my own writing. Or that's my plan, anyway.

[Kate Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book for people who want to learn how, or may already be familiar and comfortable with, plotting a novel for the commercial market. The books is broken down into a step-by-step technique for identifying the key issues that make up a novel, from identifying the characters and what makes them tick at the beginning through to the end, which conflict and change occurring until the creation of a satisfying ending.

Workshops on plotting also use the book as a starting point, which I found helpful after I attended one such workshop. Although I continue to feel more comfortable as a pantser, this book on plotting gave me suggestions I intend to implement in my next effort to get a story onto paper and then out the door to an agent and/or publisher.

[Torie Lynn]

One of the most helpful books on "building a story that lasts". Includes templates with great reference examples and trouble-shooting tips.

[Tami Cowden · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I feel comfortable creating characters, plotting is something I struggle with. This book offers a method that helps me put my character in motion!

[Tami Parrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very in-depth look at plot outlining and character development.

[Zara West · Rating 4 out of 5]

This how-to-plot manual breaks down the structure of well-known movies as to way to learn how to plot your novel. There are a number of books that use this technique. My problem with this approach is that it relies on you having seen the movies which is not always the case and also being able to watch them again as you read the book. The other problem with the method is that a movie is not a novel. The very fact that the plot is simplified ignores many of the nuances that make writing a novel different from a screen play. That said, this is a helpful book for understanding the elements of story and for those who can access to the particular movies used as examples: Suffering Fools, The Bourne Identity, Pretty Woman, Casablanca, and Finding Nemo.

[J Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is hard to set a read date for this book since I refer to it all the time. I have it on my Kindle and a hard copy that I have marked to pieces. So much practical information on what you really need to include in a book to make it readable and compelling. The charts cover all aspects of a 5 point plot and the examples give you concrete ideas on what is important in a well written book. If you feel stuck in a story these will kick start your purpose and put you back on the road in the right direction.
Highly recommend to writers and readers who want to know more about the plot behind your favorite books or movies.

[Jus · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Break into Fiction - 11 steps to building a story that sells” written by award-winning novelists Mary Buckham and Dianna Love. The copy that I read was signed by Dianna Love.

This book is a “workshop-in-book” style. There are templates that guide new writers through building a novel and show more experienced writers how you can elevate their first draft. Reference examples from movies such as suspense, classic, romance and children’s genre. Worksheets that help build a strong story one step at a time for any fiction genre. Troubleshooting tips that reveal how to identify and fix holes that weaken the plot.

There’s a chapter which tells you “how to use this book” and the glossary was useful, to help you understand the terminology.

“Part 1 covers characters, conflict and power openings.”

I didn’t use the templates in the book. Most reference writing books say the same thing is about ‘getting to know your characters’. However, I found the templates very interesting and useful. It’s a great way to brainstorm and get your juices of imagination flowing. Thumbs up!!

In pages 6-10, character template covers lots of questions for you, the writer you think about. Then pages 11 to 25, the authors of the book have used film characters of different genres, to show you how to answer the questions. E.g., Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) from Bourne Identity; Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) from Pretty Woman; Rick (Humphrey Bogart) from Casablanca.

In the Conflict template, again it’s the same films and characters. What is the external goal? Why can’t this conflict be solved? What is the character lacking internally / emotionally? Etc.

In Powerful openings - grab then by the throat - “when a reader opens a book you have less than 30 seconds to grab his or her attention…”

“The purpose of this (powerful opening) template is to determine if your story opens in an engaging way and at the right spot.”

“Part 2 covers structure, power plotting.
- Everyday World
- Premise Stated
- Seeds of change - pros & cons
- Momentum - decision - push
- Action taken - twist point one
- Secondary story initiated - test your premise
- Things are about to get far worse
- Stakes raised - twist point two
- Aftermath - regrouping / decision
- Transformation - Twist point three
- Wins and losses - lessons learned and shared.”

“Power Plotting Tip: Your characters Everyday World is the world they are in at the beginning of chapter one. Focus on the details (a room, a town, a universe, a boat in the ocean) that define your main character’s Everyday World. In Cinderella, her Everyday World was scrubbing floors in the home of her stepmother. In Star Wars, Luke Skywalker’s Everyday World was on another planet, but still in a remote farming area. In the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker is a teen whose Everyday World is his bedroom and high school. In Bourne Identity, Jason’s Everyday World is floating in the Mediterranean Sea with amnesia.”

“Power Plotting - Premise Stated: Your story premise is the basis of your story. The premise of Cinderella is ‘goodness will always triumph over adversity.’ The premise for A Christmas Carol is ‘greed will destroy you.’ The idea is that there must be a change.. different from the beginning to the end..”

“A plot hole is an area of your story that may not be working as hard as it could to advance character growth, increase risk, or show change. In the strongest plots, no scene can be removed without impacting the primary story line…” - page 95

“Part 4 covers power pacing, powerful endings, dialogue and final stages of writing.”

What is the purpose of the dialogue? “To push your dialogue to be as realistic as possible and to be used in a productive way”.
- “What is the reason in the sort the this conversation happened?
- Why is the conversation necessary to this story?
- Why did this convo have to happen at this specific time in this story?
- What was each character feeling prior to this conversation?
- What changed for each character after this convo? Etc…”

The Final Stage of Writing:
Fresh eyes 👀 “read your story out to someone to catch mistakes and find any hiccups..” - I 100% agree with this advice!!

“Watch out for new-writer mistakes such as including names that start with the same letter e.g., Martha, Mandy, Martin,
Choose names that are as individual as the characters.”

“Research thoroughly.. don’t load a scene … like a repair manual..”

“When describing someone or something, bring the details in close from the Point Of View (POV) character. Show the action any time you can. E.g.,
Basic description: Her trench coat and sneakers were soaked.
Active description: She held up a hang to stop him, the action almost regal and elegant in spite of her soaked trench coat and sneakers.”

“When in a characters POV, make sure that person ‘thinks’ in a way that fits his or her gender, style, dialogue..”

“Title tips: Remember that titles are subjective. Think about the genre you’re targeting. Think of your title as your first pitch of your book. Note what grabs your attention and try to mimic the hooks in those titles when you choose one for your book.”

“The Roman Philosopher Seneca said: ‘Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.’”

“Give your story a chance to be read and be open to feedback.”

“The more you write the better a writer you will become and the better your chances are for selling your story.”

[Kathryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read countless books on structure, outlining, and plotting, and Break Into Fiction's 11 Steps to Building a Powerful Story is hands down the best. It's so much more than 3 Acts or 7 Points. Each step is explained to the Nth degree with examples based on movies. Blank templates for your own story and permission to copy the templates for your next project is included.

[Pat Stanford · Rating 4 out of 5]

You don't "read" this book. You USE it.

This is not a book to sit down, read and learn something. It is a book that you sit down and USE. I had a paper back and realized that if I was going to get the best use out of the book, I'd need to download the kindle so I wouldn't have to retype the templates.

[Andrew Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invaluable advice, examples, and worksheets!

If you want to pull your novel together tight and query ready you need this book. I bought 2 copies. My eReader version piqued my interest but I kept rereading the worksheets and examples and I had to have a hard copy refer to. I use them both for inspiration and pace setting.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend all of Mary and Dianna's writing craft books. As usual this book features clear explanations and excellent examples. Reading it will help all writers analyze and improve their works-in-progress.

[B.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was interesting and helpful. Easy to pick out what you think you need to work on. It's well written and organized. I also took one of her web classes, and it was also worth taking.

[T.M. Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me!

This book was great it helped me! I was struggling and followed the book and it helped me write my book better.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Break Into Fiction was free for the Nook a few weeks ago, so I picked it up out of curiosity. The book provides a step-by-step process for building narrative fiction, specifically commercial fiction (as opposed to literary fiction, like On the Road or Cannery Row). It breaks down every story into the basic components - there must be three plot twists, your protagonist needs a mentor who will play certain specific roles, etc.

If you are building commercial fiction, the book is probably quite useful. I did find the analysis of successful narrative to be helpful. I wish the authors hadn't focused on movies, though; I understand that it would be difficult to find a similar group of four books that a sufficiently large audience has read*, but movies are very different from books. At least, they should be. Maybe overenthusiastic applications of this sort of paint-by-numbers approach is why many books appear to have been written with the big screen in mind.

I'm not sure whether I would recommend this book for writers. It depends on what you are writing for whom, I suppose.

(And I should add that there is absolutely nothing wrong with genre fiction in book form, any more than in movie form. Execution is everything. Heyer tells the same story a dozen times, and it's entertaining [almost] every time. Robin McKinley has retold Beauty and the Beast at least three times [Chalice counts], and all three are different, fun reads.)

*Harold Bloom makes a point somewhat related to this - that we no longer have "shared texts" as a society and that we are poorer for it. A few generations ago, everyone, and Bloom does mean everyone, knew the KJV Bible, Plutarch's Lives, and Pilgrim's Progress. Now, my generation's shared text is Harry Potter. Not that I don't love Harry Potter, but it's quite the difference.

[Gwen Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best plotting methods I’ve ever used. I was able to plot my book in one day! The authors use movies as examples, which makes them a lot more accessible than many other books I’ve read that reference fiction I’ve never heard of in genres I do not read or write. They ask you all the right questions—everything you need to know to start telling your story. I highly recommend this for beginners, especially those averse to plotting. But even experienced novelists will find this method an efficient and powerful tool.

[Graham Downs · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting read, and there are some good suggestions in it. I still found it quite... clinical at times, and it's also written for an American audience. Not all of us tell stories this way, and I doubt many stories are going to use every single template in this manual.

Still, you can't have too much advice as a story teller, and I'll definitely be keeping some of these things in mind when going through my next story or role playing setting!

[Nancy Wolter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Buckham has captured me with her informative writing books.
Break into Fiction is an invaluable reference. Mary guides you through plotting,
character, and strong story development.
I keep Mary's informative guides opened on three tablets and one book
which is heavily tabbed and highlighted.
I couldn't write without my best guide beside me.
Love your dedication to your writing audience, Mary.

[Anna Serra i Vidal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flipped through this book and had a look at the way both Diana and Mary analyze the films they use as examples.
I know I will be turning to this templates later, when I have my story developed but for now I need to delve into the story as a whole, not with these questions, yet.
Great templates though, and questions to keep the writer thinking and organizing himself or herself.

[Ginger Calem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply, I would not write a book without the help of Break Into Fiction. It's an absolute staple in my 'writer's toolkit' and an invaluable one. BIF takes you from having a character with a situation and guides you through the steps, with the use of fantastic templates, so what end up with is a solidly plotted story, with real conflict and motivation.

[Peggy McGuire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great resource for learning how to plot a book without missing any of the major points in the plot arc. Even better than reading the book and filling out the templates is signing up for Mary Buckham's Power Plotting Workshop. If you can't do it in person, my understanding is that it will be offered online sometime soon.

[Sally Kilpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book--and Dianna and Mary's workshop--helped me writing Golden Heart finalist Beulah Land and the Happy Hour Choir.

If you're type A, this book will probably really appeal to you. If you get stifled by too many rules, then you might not like it as well.

[Clare · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't trust a writing book which is full of glaring grammatical errors. Also, I didn't think it was honest that they used mostly films, not books, as their examples. But the clincher was the poor writing.

[Linda Andrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book for beginning writers and a wonderful refresher for those writers stuck in the middle of the book. The many templates will help overcome those roadblocks that prevent some from finishing the book. The examples from well known movies will help clarify any confusion in your own story.

[C.E. Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice and templates. Very helpful.

[Taryn Bashford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an accessible read which crystalizes the process of building your story by ensuring you spend time concentrating on important aspects of the building blocks of a novel. Worthwhile.