WORKSHOP FEATURES:

  • Evening classes with Donald Maass, geared toward building students' specific projects using concepts covered in his popular, Writing the Breakout Novel, Writing 21st Century Fiction, and The Emotional Craft of Fiction.

  • A private thirty-minute consultation with Donald Maass, who reads fifty pages of each student's manuscript and other supporting material.

  • Private consultations with editors/authors Lorin Oberweger, Brenda Windberg, and other industry pros.

  • Customized instruction geared toward students' specific writing needs and questions.

  • A special session on micro-tension.

  • Brainstorming/Q&A’s and other craft sessions with industry experts.

  • Invitation to join Breakout Novel Intensive Graduates Facebook group.

  • Student message board for sharing work, asking questions, and fostering community among participants.

  • Writing resource area with more than a dozen recorded webinars from Don Maass, Lorin Oberweger, and others.

  • And much more!

In order to ensure an intimate and productive environment for our students, enrollment is limited to thirty-five writers. Participation is on a first-come, first-serve basis, so please register early.

Join author/literary agent
Donald Maass for a one-of-a-kind learning experience!

Welcome to our flagship workshop.

For more than twenty years, Donald Maass has partnered with Free Expressions Seminars to offer one of the industry's most acclaimed writing workshops.

Many of our students have gone on to find agent representation, publishing—even bestselling—success, and to have their works optioned (and produced) for film and television.

We’re so proud of those successes and also proud that many of our well-published alumni return to take this workshop a second or third time (or more).

We’re also proud of the community these workshops help create, the friendships that have been fostered over the years.

This is a substantive, stimulating, and rewarding experience for writers who crave excellence and whose focus is not just on one published work but on a longtime career in publishing.

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Included are units on story discovery, strong voice, standout characters, the inner journey, compelling story worlds, beautiful writing, creating resonance and finding meaning in both story and process. 

Breakout fundamentals are also covered: strong characters, inner conflict, personal stakes, plot layers, powerful scenes, micro-tension, practical theme techniques and much more.

Writers of commercial fiction who wish to soar out of category, as well as literary novelists who want to learn how to make powerful story principles work for them, will find the Breakout Novel Intensive an idea-packed and career enriching experience.

This workshop is as ideal for those just beginning a new project as it is for those embarking on a revision of a completed work. While writers at all level of craft are welcome, we assume a basic understanding of fiction craft.

“Expect to work harder than you have ever worked but to come away with a novel that is bigger and more powerful than you ever imagined you could write.”

-- Donald Maass

WORKSHOP COST:

$995.00 for new students / $895.00 for RETURNING studenTS

OR THREE AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS OF $350 EACH

MARCH 18 - APRIL 22, 2025 SESSION

Quantity:
Add To Cart - VIRTUAL BONI NEW STUDENT - $995.00
Quantity:
Add To Cart - VIRTUAL BONI RET STUDENT - $895.00
Add To Cart - VIRTUAL BONI - 3 PAYMENTS OF $350

NOVEMBER 11 - DECEMBER 16, 2025 SESSION

Quantity:
Add To Cart - VBONI NOV 2025: NEW STUDENT $995
Quantity:
Add To Cart - VBONI NOV 2025: RET STUDENT $895
Add To Cart - VBONI NOV 2025: 3 PAYMENTS OF $350

WORKSHOP FACULTY:

Donald Maass

DONALD MAASS is the founder of the Donald Maass Literary Agency in New York. He is the author of THE CAREER NOVELIST, WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL, THE FIRE IN FICTION, WRITING 21ST CENTURY FICTION, and THE EMOTIONAL CRAFT OF FICTION, among other groundbreaking books on writing craft. His pioneering work and writing about the development of authors’ careers has made DMLA a leading agency for fiction writers.

Lorin Oberweger

LORIN OBERWEGER is a highly sought-after independent book editor and award-winning author with more than twenty-five years of experience in publishing. In addition to the workshops she produces with Donald Maass and others, Lorin is a popular instructor at writing conferences around the country. She also has eight traditionally published books (five fiction, three nonfiction), including BOOMERANG, REBOUND, and BOUNCE. Her work has received glowing reviews from the New York Times, USA Today, Kirkus Reviews, and others. Most recently, she co-authored THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MY TED TALK with Chris Anderson, director of the renowned TED organization.

Veronica Rossi

FACULTY FOR FALL-WINTER SESSION.

VERONICA ROSSI is a best selling author of fiction for young adults. Her debut novel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, was the first in a post-apocalyptic trilogy, and was deemed one of the Best Books of Year by School Library Journal. The series appeared in the NY Times and USA Today best seller lists and was published in over 25 foreign markets.

Her second series for young adults began with RIDERS and tells the story of four modern day teens who become incarnations of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and the prophetic girl who brings them together. SEEKER completes the duology.

She is also co-author of the BOOMERANG books with Lorin Oberweger (under the name Noelle August) and author of the standalone novel, REBEL SPY.

Brenda Windberg

BRENDA WINDBERG is an accomplished author, ghostwriter of bestselling fiction, and independent editor with more than twenty years experience in the industry.

In addition to her work as staff editor and co-facilitator for the Breakout Novel Intensive workshops, Inner Circle program, and other offerings, Brenda serves as an accomplished  freelance writer, whose articles have won numerous awards and whose serialized fiction has been featured on popular platforms.

Her fiction is represented by Matt Bialer of The Sanford Greenburger Agency.

 

Further staff, TBA

 
  • “ If you are serious about your writing, sign up for the next one now. It is a week where you will discover more about your manuscript and your writing than you would otherwise learn all year. You will come out of this armed with specific techniques to make your novel better, and maybe some new supportive friendships to help you on your road to becoming a published author. I think the BONIs are nothing short of brilliant. ”
    — Lissa Price, author STARTERS
  • “ You have a choice in how you approach your career: you can spend money going to writers' conferences for years and have fun but not gain any true benefit for your craft, or you can invest in a week at BONI where Lorin and Don will unearth, believe me—excavate—the best writer in you. You and your writing, as well as your perception of yourself as a writer, will be forever changed. Oh, and yes, you will have fun there, too. ”
    — Shirley Barker, represented by Donald Maass Literary Agency
  • “ In one week, I learned more than I ever had in the two years it took to earn my MFA, and at a fraction of the cost. The entire staff taught me to break through the ceiling of my own fear to understand that I could--that I must--write that which was most outrageous and passionate and bigger than me. ”
    — Julia Greco
  • “ I had difficulty sleeping the entire time I was there because my brain had been lit on fire. The staff and faculty provided new insights as to how to bring my storytelling up a notch, but just as incredible were the exchanges with my fellow BONI attendees. Years later, we are still a support group for each other. ”
    — Linda C. McCabe, author QUEST OF THE WARRIOR MAID
  • “ Yes, we worked our tails off, but it’s not all work. The other writers were universally kind and supportive, and I met a number of people whom I now count as friends and who became part of my critique group. I enthusiastically recommend the BONI experience to writers of every skill level. “
    — Sharon Roest
  • “ I'd read books, I'd been to conferences and other workshops, but I knew I was still missing something in my writing. The Breakout Novel intensive answered my question and more. I've been three times, and every time I attend, I learn something new and grow further in my writing ability. When I get published, I know this workshop, and Don, Lorin and the rest of the staff will have played a major role in my achievement. “
    — Nancy Laughlin
  • “ Donald Maass knows what a novel needs to succeed, and he knows how to teach it. At BONI, I learned the skills I needed to transform my manuscript from "almost ready" to "sold!" Without Mr. Maass and Lorin, I would not have a book in my hand today. “
    — Christina Miller, author COUNTERFEIT COURTSHIP, Love Inspired Historical (Harlequin)
 

PREPARATION

After registration, email will be sent to to all students including instructions for submissions (synopsis, manuscript pages, etc.) to be reviewed by Don and staff prior to the workshop. There will also be additional information on one-on-one schedules, accessing the message boards, and more.

Many students find reading Don’s book, Writing the Breakout Novel, prior to the workshop helpful to familiarize themselves with the concepts and for greater retention and application.

For more information, please call 813–391–8980 or write to Lorin Oberweger, Program Director at lorin@free-expressions.com.