The phrase "title of breakout work" refers to the first piece of writing by an author that garnered significant attention and marked their initial success. Examples include:
- Langston Hughes's breakout work was "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," his first piece that gained him recognition as a writer.
- For Anne Bradstreet, her first writing to gain attention was "The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America," published in 1650.
- John Steinbeck's breakout work was marked by his first critical and commercial success in 1935.
- Edgar Allan Poe's first notable publication was a news story he published after moving to New York City in 1844.
In general, a breakout work is the first notable published piece—often a poem, book, or article—that launches a writer's public recognition and success.