The Chopping Blog

"Make us care, and everything will follow."

"Editors and agents are VERY busy and swamped with submissions so we need to focus on the very best of the best."

High praise surrounds Gustave Flaubert’s novel Madame Bovary. It has been called “perfect” by many great authors, a novel that approaches poetry, and “the best novel ever written.”

Your story world’s government and political systems affect the power dynamics, conflicts, and daily lives of your characters. 

(And how I also used Chatbot to create an itinerary-based mystery game—which more or less flopped…)

Your story world’s geography and environment affect the culture, economy, and daily lives of your characters. 

Spend some time getting familiar with these tools. It will save you a lot of tedium down the road!

We’re pleased to offer more affordable pricing this year, and on top of that, we’re catering most of the meals. Win-win! 

"Tragic climaxes typically end in catastrophe—the final consequence of the protagonist’s fatal flaw."

In real life, people have many internal conflicts, which means that a protagonist should too. Everything bouncing around inside a character’s head contributes to their complexity and, therefore, their authenticity.

Allen has much wisdom to share from his time working in the public school system

A great novel is honed, not hatched. And to hone your novel, you need feedback.