The Chopping Blog

How to find inspiration: a guide for novelists

July 03, 2019

Refusing to work until inspiration shows up is not an option. Inspiration won’t put in an appearance if you aren’t there first, trying to get words down on paper. It needs to know where to find you.

On the craft

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Questions to ask yourself – Part 4: Character development

May 06, 2019

Not every character needs to jump off the page, but it's still a good idea to people your manuscript with a memorable cast. If you have a clear sense of each character, their substance and personality will more easily translate.

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Questions to ask yourself – Part 3: The Antagonist

May 01, 2019

Although your villain or antagonist can be non-human or not even physical (such as society, a corporation, addiction, or the environment), many stories put a face to the evil. Either way, consider how your antagonist will challenge your hero. The hero's motivation drives the plot momentum, and the antagonist's opposition creates the obstacles that the hero must struggle against.

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Questions to ask yourself – Part 2: The Protagonist

April 27, 2019

Understanding your main character's primary motivation is key to creating an active protagonist who makes choices and takes risk – this will be the engine for your plot momentum. It's also important to make your protagonist memorable and life-like, which can grow out of unique life experience, a flaw, or a dash of quirkiness.

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Author 2.0 Blueprint: a great resource for independent writers

April 22, 2019

Hemingway said it best: “The first draft of anything is shit.” I derive a lot of comfort from the fact that one of the greatest writers of all time did not produce good first drafts. It’s something new writers need to hear and experienced ones need to be reminded of.

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Can creative writing be taught?

April 18, 2019

I would go so far as to say talent is an overrated component. If I was a gambler, I’d put my money on an average writer who knows how to work hard over someone who is supposedly talented but doesn’t know how to apply the AOC rule (Ass On Chair).

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Questions to ask yourself – Part 1: Worldbuilding

April 11, 2019

Fleshing out a new narrative? Fine tuning the physical and cultural landscape of your setting? Use this list of questions to firm up the scaffolding behind your story—a great exercise for writers of speculative and historical fiction.

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From Idea to Book: the story of The House of One Thousand Eyes

March 06, 2019

With a good editor, the editorial process is like a mini-MFA. I always come away having learned something important, not only about my own work but about the craft in general. There were a few important things happening off-stage in the novel that needed to have their own scenes. And I had to cut several gems—lines I was in love with that unfortunately weren’t appropriate in tone for the scenes they were in. Was this hard? Yes. Did I argue with my editor? Yes.

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How to write a synopsis

February 03, 2019

A synopsis is a clear and direct summary of your manuscript that should highlight your engaging protagonist, your emotional arc, the originality of your vision, and the logic of your plot.

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Just Walk Away: how to know when you're finished your novel

January 30, 2019

The day I finish a novel is always the best and worst day. Best, because it’s a relief to finally close a file I’ve read ten thousand times and let someone else have a go at it. Worst, because . . . what do I do now? My whole life has been organized around that imaginary world. Suddenly my real, messy life demands my attention and I can’t use my novel as an excuse anymore.

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Driven to Distraction

January 18, 2019

Multi-tasking might be a good thing for some professions, but for writers, it’s a death knell. You don’t want to be multi-tasking when you’re writing. You want to be absolutely focused on the one thing you’re doing: bringing to life the picture that’s playing in your head.

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"Dear Writer" – How to deal with rejection

November 30, 2018

It takes courage to send out your work, as well as a large measure of faith. I’d like to share a secret that might help. Yes, the writing is personal. But sending out your work? Pure business. If you can separate your heart from the business side of things, you’ll be ahead of the game.

On the craft

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