The Chopping Blog

Book Broker – An interview with Juliet Mushens

May 07, 2019

A lot of letters focus too much on the author, or talk generally around the themes of the book. A good cover letter should be 90% about the novel, 10% about the writer.

Agent interviews

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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.

On the craft

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Book Broker – An interview with Catherine Cho

May 02, 2019

Be patient and use rejection as a learning tool. Continually try to improve, all it takes is one agent to believe in your work. Agents want to find writers.

Agent interviews

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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.

On the craft

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Book Broker – An interview with Noah Ballard

April 30, 2019

When you’re writing your synopsis, tell me what’s fresh about your book. If it’s a procedural police thriller, what’s new about this crime, this police officer, this setting, this time period, this prose style?

Agent interviews

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Book Broker – An interview with Emma Finn

April 28, 2019

There’s been a huge upswing in enthusiasm for smart non-fiction right across the board recently, which is a pleasure to see. And I think and hope both agents and editors are being more proactive in looking for and championing stories from exciting new voices from a range of backgrounds, so we should be heading for a much richer and more representative publishing landscape in the months and years to come.

Agent interviews

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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.

On the craft

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Book Broker – An interview with Albert Longden

April 26, 2019

I love the thrill of finding a gem. It might not make me a millionaire but if it grabs me, that's a wonder to behold. Most challenging is having to reject so many good people and good authors.

Agent interviews

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Book Broker – An interview with Isabel Atherton

April 24, 2019

Potential clients need to really nail their query letters. It is the absolute key to making an agent want to read your submission. Craft it, hone it, nail it.

Agent interviews

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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.

On the craft

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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).

On the craft

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Book Broker – An interview with BJ Robbins

April 15, 2019

BJ Robbins established her Los Angeles-based agency in 1992 after a multi-faceted career in book publishing in NY, first in publicity at Simon & Schuster and later as marketing director and then senior editor at Harcourt.

Agent interviews

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