The Chopping Blog

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How (and Why) to Structure Your Memoir Like a Bestselling Novel
November 08, 2023
An engaging memoir, while rooted in reality, employs the same narrative devices that make novels compelling.
- On the craft
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- 5 comments
Why We Named Ourselves the Darling Axe
November 06, 2023
The counsel to "kill your darlings" has been repeated many times by many editors, writers, and writing instructors.
- On the craft
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Book Broker: an interview with Mark Gottlieb
November 04, 2023
I would suggest researching a literary agent's social media pages. For instance, writers can read about me and some of the books I represent on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. That will lend a good sense for the type of books I have worked with and what I am currently looking to represent.
- Agent interviews
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50,000 Words Later: Surviving NaNoWriMo
November 02, 2023
As the leaves turn and the days shorten, a different kind of transformation is at hand for writers worldwide.
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Story Skeleton—Animal Farm
October 09, 2023
"Napoleon drives the story from beginning to end."
- Story Skeleton
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The First Page Challenge 2023—1st place
October 07, 2023
"Caterina is pretty sure she can outrun the Fioretti boys, but she isn’t sure if she can outrun their father."
- Contest updates
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The First Page Challenge 2023—2nd place
October 07, 2023
"Silent, silvery fields and dark clutches of tightly packed trees whip past the windows as I drive; the long branches of ancient oaks hang in the space above the road, obscuring the darkening sky. I shiver. I’d hate to break down out here."
- Contest updates
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The First Page Challenge 2023—3rd place
October 07, 2023
"The rain may have stopped, but the water will continue to rise."
- Contest updates
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The First Page Challenge 2023—results coming soon
October 01, 2023
This year about 160 entries landed in our inbox. It's always a pleasure to read snippets from so many stories brimming with potential.
- Contest updates
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Who Cares?! The importance of stakes in fiction
September 27, 2023
External conflict is essential to keeping the story moving, but it's the internal conflicts of your characters that make the reader care.
- On the craft
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Goodreads Giveaway: Immersion & Emotion
September 25, 2023
We are giving away a whack of free digital copies of our new craft book!
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Awkwardness: The Novelist's Secret Weapon
September 14, 2023
In our personal lives, we expend a lot of energy trying to avoid awkward situations. In fiction, we should embrace them.
- On the craft
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