The Chopping Blog

I’m always looking to be drawn into a story by voice.

Often there’s a jolt of excitement I get upon reading something great, and it’s hard to say why and when that comes.

2020 has been a huge year of change for publishing, much of it for good even in these scary times.

I am hopeful that we may witness the dawn of a new era of independent presses and the continuation of independent bookstores.

I appreciate personalization in a query letter, especially when they note books that I either work with or have on my #MSWL.

I've had many manuscripts pitched to me with solid concepts, but none of that matters if I don't want to explore the world or take the adventure with characters I don't like.

A good novel captures the reader’s attention from the first sentence.

It’s always the language that stands out. You can have a good concept, but if it isn’t delivered with compelling language, it can fall flat.

Honestly, for fiction, I tend to read the author's bio last. The writing and story are more important.

Equate your query with a cover letter on a job application—it should be professional, polished, and meet all necessary requirements, but still show off your personality.

If I’m enjoying the query or cover letter there’s a good chance I’ll stay engaged throughout the whole submission.

I would like to issue a shout out to the authors dealing with a literal pandemic and all the obstacles that implies and still finding the creative space and time to write. You are incredible.