The Chopping Blog

Probably the most important (and difficult) part of writing any novel is figuring out what the protagonist’s main goal will be.

Our house fell off the cliff in 1985.

Three children stood motionless at the edge of the lake, their bare feet inches from the tiny wavelets that collapsed on the pebbly beach.

High overhead, the constellation Hydra reconfigured her stars, craning her neck for a better view.

Here are the winners along with a quick word about each from our judge.

The two things that get me once I start reading a sample are a strong personality and a hook that comes in quickly.

Would you like to know how your contest entry lands with our screeners?

For the rest of October, Best-Laid Plans is 50% off with coupon code NANO.

It’s the characters that make me care and want to stay for the rest of the story.

Publishing must become more diverse, both in terms of what we publish, but also in terms of those of us working in the industry.

Thanks to everyone who has submitted to the First Page Challenge! It's a lot of fun to read all of your entries.