Jessica Page Morrell is an author and writing instructor. In Between the Lines she goes through what makes a story or novel extraordinary.

This is one writing book of mine that is heavily stickied (with Post-It flags). I reread it before I write a first draft of a novel or novella so that I have the concepts in mind, and then I consult it when I write the subsequent drafts to address the inevitable weaknesses in the first draft (also known as The Shitty First Draft).

Morrell’s writing is very readable. She uses examples from classics as well as contemporary bestsellers (Charles Dickens to Michael Crichton) to explain elements that take a work to the next level. This is one of my favourite writing books because it addresses the work as a whole and helps you get insight into how to fix or enhance that first draft (or write a better first draft to begin with).

She explains why as well as how for each of the elements that she covers with examples, tips, tricks, and guidelines. Common pitfalls for each element are also examined. Elements covered include (from the Table of Contents):

• Backstory
• Cliffhangers & Thrusters
• Epilogues
• Epiphanies & Revelations
• Flashbacks
• Foreshadowing
• Imagery & Other Charms
• Pacing
• Prologues
• Sense of Place
• Sensory Surround
• Subplots
• Subtlety
• Suspense
• Tension
• Theme & Premise
• Transitions

Very useful and worth every penny.