The Chopping Blog

A clear, specific, and relatable narrative goal is one of the fundamentals of storytelling.

As a developmental editor, I have reviewed many manuscripts and drafted countless feedback reports for my clients. In doing so, I came to realize that all my feedback fits into two main categories: immersion and emotional draw.

The hero’s journey can be a bit daunting, but when we superimpose the terms of three-act-structure on it, it becomes a lot more familiar.

A powerful narrative is one that is immersive and engaging. Anything that distracts or confuses will pull readers out of the story, of which head hopping is a prime example.

Anne of Green Gables offers many episodic threads that come together to deeply characterize herself, her adoptive parents, and many of the other residents of Avonlea. There is one thread, however, that directly connects the inciting incident with the climax: her relationship with Matthew.

If you’ve sent out twenty or thirty query submissions and received only rejections, chances are the issue isn’t just your comparable titles.

If you can’t put it down, it’s commercial; if you can’t pick it up, it’s literary. If you purposely drop the title into conversations and mention it on Facebook, it’s literary. If you pretend you’ve never read it, it’s commercial.

It’s a writer’s dream: you open that email or get that phone call from a publisher or agent with the big news: they want to publish your novel. It’s actually going to happen. 

In the end, you have one job: don’t be boring.

With these tricks of voice, Salinger creates a character who feels like a real person. He captures the nuances of Holden's emotions, making the reader feel his pain, confusion, and alienation.

This is life. It’s the human experience. And it’s at the heart of why characters either come to life on the page or flatline.

Is it necessary in order to become a published author? No. But I don’t think anyone who embarks on it will regret their decision.