The Chopping Blog

Book Broker – an interview with Beth Marshea

June 14, 2022

"I want to feel like I'm a part of this world, so when you stop to take a page and half to tell me about the inner workings of things, it doesn't feel like I'm living it."

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Book Broker – an interview with Imogen Pelham

June 01, 2022

I’m always drawn in by the known unknowns—when I can tell something’s off, but I don’t know what it is yet, or there’s a detail which doesn’t make sense and I need to keep reading to find out what it is.

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Book Broker – an interview with Victoria Skurnick

May 21, 2022

I’m old-fashioned enough to be put off by terrible grammar and sloppy technique.

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Book Broker – an interview with Sandra Sawicka

May 19, 2022

It really is 99% about the writing.

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Book Broker – an interview with Lindsay Guzzardo

March 24, 2022

Given how competitive every step is in the journey to publication, it’s imperative to be up-to-speed and knowledgeable about, at the very least, publishing 101.

Agent interviews

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Book Broker – an interview with Paige Wheeler

February 21, 2022

For the query letter, it’s important that the author can clearly and concisely explain the heart of the story. What makes your story unique? You want a strong, attention-grabbing synopsis.

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Book Broker – an interview with Jill Marsal

February 08, 2022

A common snag is when there is too much telling and summary in the opening chapters and writers try and cram in too much information without letting the story get going and unfold organically.

Agent interviews

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Book Broker – an interview with Tim Wojcik

January 11, 2022

I often see writers clearing their throats—writing out information about a character’s background or past or over-explaining their situation instead of trusting their reader to piece things together for themselves.

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Book Broker – an interview with Patricia Nelson

December 30, 2021

If I get to page fifty and there still hasn't been an inciting incident, or the main character is being pushed along by the events of the plot rather than making choices that drive the action, the novel is likely to lose my attention.

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Book Broker – an interview with Rach Crawford

December 22, 2021

If you’re writing a query letter and the description of your plot begins with something that happens in chapter three or four, that’s a good sign that you may be including too much preamble.

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Book Broker – an interview with Kate Johnson

December 20, 2021

When a proposal is competing against a hundred others for my time and attention, the more polished submission is going to win.

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Book Broker – an interview with Lynn Johnston

December 16, 2021

The ability to distill a complex topic into consumable ideas shows the author has command of the material. If you can do that in the submission, you've already beaten the odds.

Agent interviews

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