The Chopping Blog

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Success Story with R.J. Hoffmann
April 20, 2021
The dream didn’t die. It festered, as dreams will.
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Success Story with Denise Weimer
April 16, 2021
What made the difference the second time around? First, I let go of my dream. I had to be willing to do something else so my identity was not defined by my publishing success.
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Success Story with Michelle Good
September 14, 2020
Regardless of whether your novel is plot based or character based, everything must serve the story.
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Success Story with Cynthia Salaysay
April 22, 2020
One major lesson I learned in writing Private Lessons was that in order to finish it, I had to answer the questions I most avoided. Holes in characters, holes in plot, holes in setting – everything had to be answered.
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Success Story with Gail Anderson-Dargatz
March 08, 2020
At a time when we can easily throw our work online, or self-publish, it’s more important than ever to fully develop our stories, our craft.
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Success Story with Clifford Thurlow
September 24, 2019
What I realized was that the initial failure was not due to the quality of the work, or a misjudgment of style. Books either have their time and their niche or they don’t. Writers must stick to their gut feeling. Write from the heart, not with an eye on the market.
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Success Story with Lorna Nicholson
September 12, 2019
I really don’t think I’ve ever had a breakthrough moment, where I thought I’d arrived. I’m still learning, trying new genres, looking at new ways to write. I guess in a way, I hope I never have a breakthrough moment, because I don’t want to ever stop learning something new.
- On the craft
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Success Story with Kelly S. Thompson
September 05, 2019
The result is the final version of Girls Need Not Apply, a book that looks at sexism, lack of belonging, and mental health issues in the armed forces. The reception so far has sparked conversation amongst other female veterans, but also men who have bought the book and said they want to be part of change. That’s what the book is all about: change.
- On the craft
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Success Story with Tara Gilboy
August 27, 2019
I started one story, and then another, putting each one into the drawer about a hundred pages in and feeling like a failure. It took me years to realize that I needed to give myself permission to write badly and push through to the end of a draft. The real magic happens in revision.
- On the craft
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