The Chopping Blog

The best subplots add layers, create obstacles, resolve internal conflicts, and enrich the main storyline. They create depth rather than merely taking up space.

"We're always looking for unique ideas showcased by stellar writing."

Every reader is a detective, searching for answers. The craft lies in making the search irresistible.

The closed-circle mystery, distinct from a locked-door puzzle, amplifies tension through containment.

When Poe published this story in 1841, the word “detective” did not exist.

"In both fiction and narrative non-fiction, I listen for the music in the words."

"They say some writers are 'gardeners' who plant story seeds and cultivate them spontaneously, and others are 'architects' who work from a tight outline. I’m now much more of the latter."

A mystery can be embedded into a novel without it being classified as a mystery. It’s a great way to heighten the tension and stakes in another genre—like a family drama.

There are tricks for making your villains scarier and more memorable—but, as with most things writing-related, there are also some pitfalls to avoid.

Memoir contains many of the same structures as fiction. The memoirist has an equivalent need to create emotional draw in readers—that quality of a narrative that keeps us engaged, anticipatory, and thus turning pages.

"The most important lesson I've learned is to try to finish writing the whole book first."

Postmortem is a police procedural, which means the focus is on the investigative process from the point of view of law enforcement agencies.