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Title: Like Taking Apart a Puppy...
Review: Reading The Marshall Plan for Novel writing was a bit like watching someone take apart a puppy to see what makes them so cute.I purchased this on the advice of another writer. Overly structured, cookie cutter plot devices do not a great novel make. Does it work? Maybe. I don't know, I don't think I'll be able to use it. It sucked all the pleasure, joy and warmth out of writing for me. When I tried to face my current WIP the day after reading this, I was too demoralized and paranoid to type more than a few words.If for some completely unanticipated reason you have to sit down and crank out a novel (let's say they'll take apart your puppy if you don't), this book might be helpful.Definitely not for sci-fi/fantasy genre writers. It does NOT encourage speculation and imagination. I recommend Donald Maass's Writing the Breakout Novel instead. Both useful and inspirational. There are better places to find info on novel-plotting that will not make it a miserable chore.
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