If You Haven’t Mastered the Art and Craft of Developing Themes, You Haven’t Mastered Storytelling.
Do you fear your work might be dismissed as forgettable because it lacks a powerful, unifying theme?
Are you stuck revising your manuscript, unable to find the clarity needed to elevate it to the next level?
Do you want to create fiction that not only entertains but also inspires and changes the way readers see the world?
Have you ever wondered how bestselling authors create stories that stay with readers long after the final page?
Have you started a novel only to abandon it because you couldn’t figure out what it’s really about?
Are you struggling to weave your plot, characters, and setting into a cohesive story that truly matters?
Here’s just a fraction of what you’ll find in this book:Tips for identifying your novel’s hidden themes and turning them into strengths.Common mistakes writers make when trying to incorporate themes—and how to avoid them.The role of setting, style, and character in shaping your novel’s theme—and how to master these elements.How to analyze bestselling novels and apply their thematic skills to your own work.The process for uncovering the central theme of your story and weaving it seamlessly into your novel.How to transform your rough draft into a novel that inspires, enlightens, and captivates.The truth about using symbols and allegory in your writing—and why subtlety is your greatest ally.Proven strategies for elevating your writing from good to unforgettable.The dos and don’ts of integrating messages into your story for maximum impact without alienating readers.
Think themes are too advanced or complicated? Not anymore. This book simplifies the art of weaving meaningful themes into your story, whether you’re drafting your first novel or refining your tenth. You’ll discover how themes strengthen your plot, characters, and setting—no advanced degree is required.
Writing a thriller, romance, or sci-fi epic? Good news—this book shows you how to integrate powerful themes that elevate your story, no matter the genre. Even action-packed adventures and lighthearted tales can resonate deeply with readers—and this book reveals how.
Forget boring literary theory. How to Write a Novel That Matters delivers practical, actionable steps to craft stories with impact. Learn how to apply real-world strategies that make your writing shine—without getting bogged down in academic jargon.
Pressed for time? This book is designed for busy writers. With quick, digestible tips and actionable advice, you’ll find ways to immediately apply what you learn—even if you only have 15 minutes a day to read.
Doubt your potential? You’re not alone—but you’re also not stuck. This book equips you with the tools and confidence to create fiction that inspires and leaves readers wanting more. If you have a story to tell, you already have what it takes.If you want to write a novel that captivates readers, resonates deeply, and leaves a lasting impact, then scroll up and click the ‘Add to Cart’ button now!
From the Publisher
Publisher : Mike Klaassen
Publication date : April 2, 2024
Language : English
Print length : 218 pages
ISBN-10 : 1734488786
ISBN-13 : 978-1734488784
Item Weight : 13.8 ounces
Dimensions : 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
Part of series : For Fiction Writers
Best Sellers Rank: #367,323 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #526 in Writing Skill Reference (Books)
Customer Reviews: 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 65 ratings var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Stephanie Burnham –
A Clear and Concise Resource for New Writers
How to Write a Novel That Matters’ by Mike Klaassen is a valuable resource for aspiring writers. Klassen provides clear and concise instruction on the essential elements of novel writing, including setting, dialogue, character development, and plot development.One of the book’s strengths is its use of examples from popular novels, which helps to illustrate key concepts and gives readers food for thought. Klaassen also nods to established authors in the writing community, such as Donald Maass, Raymond Obstfeld, and Robert McKee, acknowledging the wealth of knowledge available to writers and encouraging readers to explore further.Klassen’s approach is accessible and introductory, making this book an excellent starting point for new writers. He provides a solid foundation for understanding the basics of novel writing and encourages readers to think critically about their own work.Overall, I’d highly recommend ‘How to Write a Novel That Matters’ to aspiring writers looking for a concise and approachable guide to get them started on their writing journey.
Florence –
A Must-Have Reference Book for Authors
In “How to Write a Novel That Matters,” Mike Klaassen offers a wealth of information on the deep meaning of theme and the power it has for creating engaging stories that will remain on the minds of readers for a long time. Abstract in nature, theme in fiction can be a challenging writing element even for experienced authors, and Klaassen covers it more thoroughly than any book I have ever read. Using easy-to-follow concepts and meaningful examples, Klaassen talks about the importance of establishing theme before one begins writing a novel, that doing so will help writers keep focused and on track with the story, ensure the main idea in the story flows inconspicuously through the narrative, and seamlessly connect other components (character, setting, conflict, and plot) within the story.“How to Write a Novel That Matters” is an insightful reference book for novice and seasoned authors alike.
Susan M. Nagy –
A must have book for anyone seriously considering writing fiction who doesn’t know where to start
A few years ago, I thought that I should put my degree in English Literature to work and decided to write a book. Two years later, I have not yet decided what kind of book I will write, but my life would have been simplified if I had this book by Mike Klaassen in my hands back then because it would have saved me a lot of time and money. This book is a great overview of what you can expect when you go to a book club and discuss the elements of what comprises a story. In particular, as far as when it comes to theme and structure. He does a great job breaking it down for everyone, not just newbies to writing. Reading this book is like taking an in-depth course in fiction writing.What I like most about this book are the summaries Klaassen calls “takeaways” at the end of the chapters. It’s a great tool once you have read the book to go back and review or refresh what you have learned.Where I think the book is lacking, and the reason why I gave it 4 not 5 stars (I probably would have given it 4.5 stars if the “star rating system” allowed it) is that it seems to me that the author relies a little bit too much on what others have to say rather than putting forward more of his own thoughts to paper. However, on the plus side of that, is the fact that he has done a ton of work and research so you wouldn’t have to! Considering this, maybe I would even give it 4.75 stars…Another thing the book does which I think is great is that it takes some of the more recent and popular books and breaks it down for you and offers templates for you to work with. Therefore, this book is not just theoretical, but it is also practical. Even if you already have a lot of books about writing and fiction and a whole degree in literature, you can still extract some knowledge and takeaways just by reading and understanding Mike’s clarifying analysis and his breakdown of the books discussed (that you may already have read).If you are on the fence about purchasing this book, just get off that fence already; I promise you that you will not regret it.
Placeholder –
A welcome twist on the “how to write a novel” genre
Mike Klaaassen has written an interesting twist on the “how to write a novel” book. The first 5 chapters are a fine summary of the basics that you’ll find in many other books. What sets this book apart starts in Chapter 6, where Mike addresses an underserved theme: why do you want to write a book? What are you trying to communicate to your readers? As a fledgling writer, I find this very thought provoking. I also appreciate that he follows up the “why” with a great discussion of “how”.As a book about the craft of writing, it’s the kind of book an author would want to refer back to periodically. I especially appreciate how Mike ends each chapter with a summary, which makes skimming back through the material to find specific sections very easy.
Trixie Bell –
Structure was easy to understand and the information was logically explained.Great reference book!
Amazon Customer –
Theme – it makes or breaks a story, but it can’t be a bash over the head theme. What a writer starts with as a theme and builds on through the story isn’t to make sure the reader ‘gets’ the theme, it’s to make sure the story has an underlying, subtextual power to resonate with understanding. How each reader determines the theme will come from their life experience.I’ve read a few books on how to write depth in a story through theme (KM Weiland’s book on theme, well, the first half, is a great accompaniment to this book), and this one, although written in a more distant style, will help a writer home in on the powerhouse that is theme.Good luck – no, it’s down to good writing with a strong undercurrent of theme. Good writing to the author who understands and incorporates the thematic element – even if each reader gets a different thematic ‘feel’!
dan –
Klaassen does a deep dive into one of the the facets of novels that make them great, as the title states that would be theme. While it’s good if your merely inquisitive, I think it is particularly helpful to aspiring authors in that they can incorporate Klassen’s idea with intentionality. After explanations and examples, he provides templates which can be applied to raw manuscripts, to provide vectors for improvement. I’m happy to have it on my shelf, and will be applying the concepts, to my future writings.
Mark –
Having read countless books on the craft of writing, I enjoyed this book particularly owing to the main take home point for me: Transcendence, & how to achieve it.There is a great exercise in this book also, which will prove useful to many authors, I think.Whilst the book does not go so deep, I think its a useful tool for many new writers, who need something to the point. I would really love is this author writes another book, going deeper in his studies on the transcending elements. HINT :)Really happy that I got & read this book.
D.Webb –
This book is very well structured and written. The writer makes good analysis of other books and expends on the theory of writing.However, this was the very first book I have read about writing. As a new writer, I thought it might help hone my craft, but I was hoping for practical writing advice, whilst this book felt very theory heavy.So although this book was not a good fit for me, it does discuss the topics well, and if you’re looking to read about what makes a book good, then this delivers.I am now interested in reading Mike Klaasens’s fiction books though, as the writing was very well delivered.I was provided with an advance reader copy of the book.